Now in its 205^th year, the Bogor Botanical Gardens seems to be entering a new era.

The city was abuzz in April when it was announced that the plant conservation center would be hosting a three-day music festival in June named Swaraya, an acronym for Alunan Swara di Kebun Raya (sound rhapsody in the botanical garden).

The lineup was ambitious, comprising emerging local talents such as MUNHAJAT and Cendera as well as high-profile contemporary acts like Tulus, Raisa, Yura Yunita, Juicy Luicy and Nadin Amizah.

Using a picnic concept akin to Russia’s Afisha Picnic Festival and the United States’ Ravinia Festival, Swaraya featured a total of 19 acts from June 24 to 26. Staying true to what made the city famous, the entire weekend was filled with rain, fog, muddy grass and an unbreakable spirit, just the way the self-named “Bogorians” prefer it.

Testing the water: Yura Yunita performed on June 26, the third day of the inaugural three-day Swaraya music festival at the Bogor Botanical Gardens. She is planning to kick off a solo offline concert in August. (Courtesy of Swaraya) (Courtesy of SWARAYA/Courtesy of SWARAYA)

What’s a little rain?

Festival opener Prince Husein set a breezy mood with tracks from his 2020 debut album, Facing Phases. It did not take long after the musician left the stage for the skies to become overcast, followed by heavy rain that forced festivalgoers to either run for cover or don their raincoats.

The audience was still game, however, for Makassar-born folk singer-songwriter Feby Putri to follow Prince Husein’s set. Feby showcased her January release, the melancholic Riuh (Tumultuous), which seemed to fit well with the brooding weather lending ambiance to the weather.

“It was fun, actually!” the 22-year-old artist told The Jakarta Post after her show with a laugh.

“On the other hand, if I hadn’t played along and joined the audience in the rain, I would have felt guilty. It was really delightful joining them in the rain. I loved it. Today’s rain didn’t bother me,” she added.

Although the heavy rain had diminished to a light shower by dusk, a dull sky still held over the remaining first day of the festival. A thick fog had descended by the time Bandung folk artist Fiersa Besari took to the stage to deliver some of his biggest hits, such as “Waktu Yang Salah” (Wrong Time) and “Pelukku Untuk Pelikmu” (My Hug for Your Sorrow).

“I believe rain or fog is not something we can control. That’s God’s [rule] that we have to accept,” the 38-year-old musician, taking the poor weather in stride, said after wrapping up his set. “What we can control is how to deliver the best possible performance regardless of the situation. Because what we can control is ourselves.”

This year is a particularly exciting one for Fiersa, who teased that his fans would not need to wait long for his upcoming fifth studio album.

“I’m planning to release the album in November. We’ve been working on it in secret,” he chuckled.

“The previous four albums were predominantly acoustic or, what kids these days would call musik senja [twilight music]. However, this one will be more daring because these are the songs I composed back in college, though I haven’t [released] them yet.”

The rest of the day’s acts played against the weather. Alt rock group Barasuara turned up the heat amid the frigid air with a few rousing numbers from its 2019 full-length album, Pikiran dan Perjalanan (Mind and journey).

Isyana Sarasvati, fresh off the release of her heavy metal-infused extended play (EP), My Mystery, demonstrated her showmanship, complemented with her sporting a new bob and red-and-black lighting.

Another folk-styled artist, Nadin Amizah, presented two previous albums: her 2020 release, Selamat Ulang Tahun(Happy birthday) and her 2021 EP, Kalah Bertaruh. A few fans in the front row walked up to the stage and offered the 22-year-old songstress bouquets before she took her final bow.

In contrast to Fiersa, Nadin was mum about any future releases. “Probably not this year. Maybe next year, but for now, I still want to finish savoring the euphoria of Selamat Ulang Tahun,” she remarked briefly.

Might a solo concert be on the horizon? “I’m working on it,” she answered cheerfully.

Fitting background: Folk artist Feby Putri performs during heavy rain on June 24, the first of the inaugural Swaraya music festival at the Bogor Botanical Gardens, many of her songs taken from her debut album, ‘Riuh’ (Tumultuous), released in January. (Courtesy of Swaraya) (Courtesy of SWARAYA/Courtesy of SWARAYA)

Singin’ in the rain

The next two festival days saw heavier rain and a muddier venue, though this did not stop the audience from purchasing tickets.

Representing the city’s indie scene, homegrown dangdut-pop band MUNHAJAT injected a rambunctious dose of fun, thanks largely to their high-octane takes on Fahmi Shahab’s 2000 classic “Kopi Dangdut” (Dangdut Coffee) and Ayu Ting Ting’s 2015 hit “Sambalado”.

Speaking for the band, kendang drummer Danang lauded how Swaraya helped showcase local talents.

“If this year’s festival continues properly and is received well by everyone, including non-Bogor people, perhaps there will be more to come,” he said.

“And MUNHAJAT would be thrilled if our fellow musicians from Bogor also got to perform in a festival like this,” Danang added.

The second day of the festival made for a particularly romantic affair. Jakarta-based hip hop-pop group RAN blasted off an amorous set list of lovey-dovey, throwback bops like “Pandangan Pertama” (At First Sight), ”Dekat Di Hati” (Close at Heart) and “Kulakukan Semua Untukmu” (I’ll Do Anything for You).

While jazz and R&B collective Maliq & D’essentials nearly brought the audience to its feet with a feel-good set that included “Himalaya” and the group’s pop interpretation of Ahmad Dhani’s “Aku Cinta Kau Dan Dia” (I Love You and Her).

Meanwhile the closing act, Raisa, doubled down on the day’s amorous vibe with ballads like “Love & Let Go” and a remake of Titi DJ’s “Bahasa Kalbu” (Heart Language).

Teens and young couples especially dominated the crowd when pop band Juicy Luicy took to the stage. Considering that the set list leaned heavily on morose tunes such as “Lantas”(Hence) and “Mawar Jingga” (Orange Rose), the kind of audience it inadvertently drew was delighted.

“Perhaps the rain reminded them of the time when they were still single. Perhaps some tears were washed over by the rain,” remarked vocalist Julian Kaisar after the performance.

The band was also in awe of how festivalgoers did not let the afternoon rain dampen their enthusiasm.

“It gave me chills,” chimed in drummer Dwi Nugroho. “It was amazing. They were wearing raincoats and they stuck around and sang along with us. Really cool.”

Swaraya’s third day was packed with showstoppers. Idgitaf, Yura Yunita and folk band Fourtwnty threw an 11th-hour musical rapture featuring their respective hits “Takut” (Afraid), “Harus Bahagia” (Gotta be happy) and “Zona Nyaman” (Comfort zone).

“For a 45-minute set, I feel very satisfied. But there are so many stories I’d like to tell,” Yura gushed after leaving the stage.

“That’s why, for a more complete set, I’m currently preparing for a concert, Pertunjukan Tutur Batin [Inner speech show]. We will visit four cities: Bandung, Jakarta, Makassar and Surabaya. Insya Allah [if God permits], the tour will kick off in August,” she said.

The inaugural volume of Swaraya ended when pop artist Tulus took to the stage with a few throwback ballads and several numbers off his latest album released in March, Manusia (Human).

Final note: Tulus closes the inaugural Swaraya music festival on June 26 with throwback ballads and numbers from his latest album, ‘Manusia’ (Human). (Courtesy of Swaraya) (Courtesy of SWARAYA/Courtesy of SWARAYA)

Future plans

Swaraya project officer Deasy Manurung said that the June show was the first of many to come.

“Going forward, we’re planning to hold the festival in other botanical gardens, such as the Purwodadi Botanical Garden, the Cibodas Botanical Garden and the Bali Botanical Garden,” said Deasy.

She also elaborated that Swaraya was intended not only as new musical entertainment for the residents of Bogor, but also as a reintroduction to the “historical site” that served as its venue.

“The Bogor Botanical Gardens was initially a place for research. As it developed, the gardens continued to innovate, which resulted in its different features, including the entertainment feature,” Deasy said.

“Here, we’d like to state that the garden is not just for older folks, young people can also enjoy the Bogor Botanical Gardens, thanks to the music festival held there.”