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‘Indonesian musicians reluctant to go international’
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Yonder Music CEO Adam Kidron poses during an interview at the JW Mariott Hotel Jakarta on Tuesday. (thejakartapost.com/Anton Hermansyah)
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any Indonesian musicians are reluctant to go international because it is considered less profitable than focusing on the domestic market, which is more promising in term of immediate money making, Yonder Music CEO Adam Kidron has said.
The situation also makes Indonesian writers and producers reluctant to create music that appeals to global tastes, Kidron told thejakartapost.com in an interview on Tuesday.
“Indonesian musicians feel the local market is sufficient to make a living and a well-known musician can make enough money just by doing a weekly gig,” he added.
If Indonesian musicians wanted to introduce their work to the international community, they could learn from South Korea, which successfully combined Western music with Korean lyrics to create K-Pop, he said.
The success of K-Pop shows that globally appealing music is not limited to songs with English lyrics, Kidron added.
He noted that in the past, many Indonesian musicians worked the other way around — translating their lyrics into English, without adjusting their music to global tastes — leading to less successful results.
Indonesian producers should make more room for fusion music, creating a fan base in Indonesia first, before translating lyrics for international purposes.
"It is actually easier with Indonesian rather than Korean," he said.
Producers and musicians who have created good fusion music include Afghan, Raisa and Tulus, he added.
As these singers gain popularity, Indonesian listeners will become accustomed to the music, creating a good basis for the future. "Then the next generations will have more incentives and initiative to go global," Kidron said. (bbn)
