Ramadan "Adan '' Nitiyudo has always been fascinated with the theme of adolescence — or, to be more exact, how adolescence exists on borrowed time.

The 22-year-old’s fascination soon became the overarching theme that inspired all the songs that make up his debut EP Pastor Pedro & The Candle Light Children, Vol. 01. Released under the stage moniker The Candle Light Children on May 25, his freshman effort found the bedroom-pop artist archiving his coming-of-age journey, not without the growing pains that come along with it. After much self-reflection, Adan realized that losing one's innocence is not only inevitable, but also necessary.

"Your 'safety net' is snatched away," said the singer-songwriter wistfully. "You enter the real world and you see everyone no longer as your teacher, your mother, your father, your uncle or whatever, but instead, you start seeing them as who they are as a person. You see people for who they are. And the realization is a killing blow to your ego. That is the death of an adolescent dream, that the world is not just about you."

It took a few life and creative detours, however, for Adan to finally be able to illustrate his perspective of adolescence in a piece of music. On June 4, Adan had a sit-down with The Jakarta Post to discuss his rites of passage —the personal growth that would lead to Pastor Pedro & The Candle Light Children, Vol. 01.

'Totally nerdy'

Born in Sydney, Australia, and raised in Jakarta, Adan described himself as a "withdrawn" kid growing up — “I used to sit by myself during lunch time, reading comic books like Batman, X-Men, stuff like that. A complete outsider," he continued with a snicker. His first introduction to the music world was no different from his peers who also grew up in the noughties: the MTV channel.

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