For some musicians, including Teddy Adhitya, their third album might well be their most-important record yet.

The R&B singer-songwriter immediately catapulted himself as an artist to watch since his acclaimed debut album Nothing Is Real in 2017 and its follow-up, the 2019's Question Mark ((?)). On Sept. 22, he released his first extended play (EP) and third album, titled Ocean -- a record that was described as a conclusion to and enlightenment of his previous two albums.

Expectations might be running high for Teddy Adhitya, but one thing he could assure his audience of: Ocean is his most "mature" body of work to date. And sometimes, being "mature" means ceasing unnecessary complications.

"It's just like the ocean itself: No abundance of elements, but every single one of them serves an important role," said the 31-year-old to The Jakarta Post on Oct. 6. 

"That's what was in my mind when I was producing this album. The ocean is actually uncomplicated, but every element of it is indispensable. And that's what I'd like to manifest in my sound."

Beneath the surface

To understand the significance of his latest EP, Teddy offered the Post a walk down memory lane first.

Nothing Is Real was released in February 2017 -- several months before the artist received his first Anugerah Musik Indonesia (AMI) Award for Best of the Best Newcomer, besting the likes of Elephant Kind and Vira Talisa. The album was entirely written and coproduced by Teddy himself -- as a newbie in the music industry at the time, his initial vision for his music career was, as he put it, "low-key".

"At the time, my only wishes were that I could have for myself a small stage; people would come to that stage; and there was no desire for a hysterical, full-house crowd. Two or three hundred in the audience would be enough as they watch [my set] and nod along," described the Yogyakarta-born artist, who was raised in Ambon, Maluku. 

"That was the only goal I had." 

Teddy further assessed that he "overachieved" his desired results, especially after he received his first AMI Award. Was the critical triumph a blessing or a curse? 

"A little bit of both," he answered with a wince.

"To receive such recognition from a substantial body of establishment -- my tiny [early] goals aside -- was totally beyond my expectations. Calling that a blessing would be a bit of an understatement. The 'curse' part, though, was there would [later] be certain points in my life in which, when I would write [songs], a new goal would kind of cross my mind, which was to get more awards -- instead of simply creating joy for people. I would say that was quite a disturbance."

It took a while for the singer-songwriter to overcome his disillusionment, and by the time Teddy released his sophomore record, the 2019's Question Mark ((?)), he had finally figured out "what matters for me”, he quipped. 

A contrast to the relatively conventional R&B and soul sound of his freshman record, Question Mark ((?)) found the artist exploring alternative-leaning sound by working with DJ and electronica-producer, Kenny Gabriel.

"During the creation process, I didn't think about how to sell it afterward. Like, who would listen to the music, from which age demography, from which economic background -- I didn't think about the business side of it at all," Teddy explained his newfound, creative priority.

Teddy heralded the experimental Question Mark ((?)) for showcasing his "fearlessness" as an artist. During the making of the album, Teddy was particularly taken by the songwriting process by folk musicians.

He explained, "When I was doing Nothing Is Real, I mostly listened to, like, [R&B artists] D'Angelo, Maxwell, Emily King, Nick Hakim and such. For my second album, I started delving into what folk music is really like -- even though I had been into folk music for a long time. And the folk element was [later] manifested in my songwriting."

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Teddy released three standalone singles -- his first foray into writing songs in his native, Indonesian tongue. Year 2021's "Semestinya" (As It Should Be) nabbed him another AMI nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Solo Performance. He took pride in his latest creative venture, though he acknowledged that he "hit rock bottom" back in 2021 -- personally and professionally.

"What hurt the most, at the time, was whenever I tried to write a song, I didn't believe in what I wanted to say," he summed up. "It was as if I were lying to myself."

Above the water

Teddy's latest EP, Ocean, consists of six tracks and features vocal appearances from singer-songwriter Danilla (the album's title track) and songwriter-producer Petra Sihombing ("Little Me"). Production-wise, Teddy deliberately took cues from his prior discography, resulting in a sonic blend of alternative, folk, funk, R&B and soul elements. 

The album title was inspired by Teddy's view that love is akin to the ocean. Nonetheless, he cautioned that, just like the ocean itself, love also entails "darkness and mysteries".

"The ocean is too vast to explore. The currents have no pattern. Sometimes they're calm, sometimes big waves occur and sometimes even tsunamis. But the point is, the ocean protects so many lives underneath its surface -- lives that we are not even aware of," explained Teddy.

Teddy kicked off his Ocean era with "Stay The Same" as the EP's lead single. Described as a "multilayered" song by the artist, the ballad is presented in hushed vocal delivery and gloomy, minimalistic arrangements -- the lyrics express the artist's desperate plea to his loved one, over hazy beats, to remain devoted to him: "Will you stay with me in the hurricane? / Will you stay the same when the weather don't change?"

The ballad might come off as romantic, but from Teddy's perspective, "Stay The Same" also represents his recent insecurity as an artist -- considering how it had been three years since the last time he dropped an album.

"I am aware that I had been 'missing'," Teddy divulged. "I had no stage, there was no gig, and I closed myself off from the outside world. That's what I felt -- once I decided to return, would the audience still be with me?"

Just like the Question Mark ((?)) era, Teddy was keen on leveling up his skill as a songwriter -- his growth is most evident in the guitar-tinged "Little Me", the lyrics of which is a conversation between the artist and his younger self: "I need to say this to myself / I hope I'll hear it for myself / Yes, I love you".

"In terms of self-actualization, this song might be one of the best songs I've ever written, because it's how I communicate with myself with no boundaries," he elaborated. "Also, lyrically, the song is very straightforward. There is no complicated metaphor here. Once you read the lyrics, you will be able to understand."

When all's said and done, Teddy Adhitya finally learned how to embrace what life has in store for him -- be it either still water or rough torrents.

"If Nothing Is Real is my swimming through the surfaces and Question Mark ((?)) is my diving deeper, as I started understanding my surroundings and accepting them, Ocean is my being one with the sea," he concluded.

Metaphorically speaking, since Teddy has managed to keep his head above water for the past five years, will he ever step onto the dry land?

"Maybe I'll fly instead, learning what's up there in the air," he teased cheekily.

Teddy Adhitya's new EP Ocean is available to stream.

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