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Glenn Fredly, loved by many for his R&B hits and political activism, dies at 44
With R&B vibes and sultry vocals, Glenn has been a mainstay on national airwaves for more than 25 years.
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Glenn Fredly was one of the performers at the Sewindu Festival at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, November 1, 2019. (JP/Narabeto Korohama)
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lenn Fredly, one of Indonesia’s biggest pop stars known for his rhythm and blues-tinged pop songs and socio-political activism died on Wednesday, bringing an abrupt end to a more than two-decade illustrious career in music. Glenn is survived by his wife Mutia Ayu and his 40-day-old daughter Gewa Atlanta Syamayim Latuihamallo.
Glenn Fredly Deviano Latuihamallo passed away at the age of 44 after battling a bout of meningitis he suffered since early January this year. His body was interred in Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery and despite his family's request that mourners not attend his funeral because of the COVID-19 outbreak, some fans still made their way to the burial ground to pay their respects.
Glenn, who was born on Sept. 30, 1975, in Jakarta from an Ambonese family, was known for his musical talent from an early age, winning numerous singing competitions in elementary school.
Glenn snatched his first big award in 1995 when he was named best singer in the Cipta Bintang Pesona singing contest. That same year he joined the rock band Funk Section as lead singer, shortly after graduating from high school.
It was three years later that Glenn decided to go solo and launch his debut self-titled album Glenn, announcing his presence on the music scene with the upbeat, radio friendly “Cukup Sudah” (Enough).
While his second album Kembali (Return) was a moderate commercial success, it landed him an Indonesian Music Award (AMI) award for Best Alternative Artist and Best Alternative Songwriter for “Kasih Putih” in 2001.
Glenn’s third album, Selamat Pagi, Dunia! (Good Morning, World!), released in 2002, was the one that really solidified his place in the industry, most notably with the breakup song “Januari” (January).
Following the success of Selamat Pagi, Dunia!, his label Sony BMG Indonesia reissued the album a year later with two additional songs, “Sedih Tak Berujung” (Endless Sadness) and “Akhir Cerita Cinta” (End of a Love Story), the latter of which is still a radio favorite.
Glenn’s songs also became jury favorites at the AMI Awards, with the singer picking up a total of eight awards. Aside from the two awards in 2001, these include Best Pop Songwriter in 2004 for “Dibalas Dengan Dusta” (Retorted with a Lie), Best Pop Male Solo Artist in 2005 for “Sedih Tak Berujung” (Endless Sadness), and Best Urban Male Pop Artist in 2013 for his cover of Dee Lestari’s “Malaikat Juga Tahu” (Even Angels Knew).
With R&B vibes and sultry vocals, Glenn has been a mainstay on national airwaves for more than 25 years. “Terserah” (Whatever), from his seventh album Private Collection, is one of his most well-known tracks, perhaps even the one that saw him forever associated with heartbreak songs.
Not content with singing and performing, Glenn tried his hand at music producing, founding his own label Musik Bagus in 2014. He managed to shine a light on other artists such as singer-songwriter Yura Yunita, who got her big break at the label with her self-titled debut album YURA.
Yura posted an excerpt of her song “Cinta dan Rahasia” (Love and Secrets) on her Instagram account on which Glenn was a featured artist.
“Kak, I am at a loss for words. Kak Glenn,” she wrote in the caption.
Glenn was also active in efforts to improve the quality of Indonesian pop music and worked with the government to improve the lives of musicians.
In 2018, Glenn founded the Indonesian Music Association Conference (KAMI). The first iteration was held in Ambon from March 7 to 9, 2018, while the second edition was held in Bandung, West Java, on Nov. 23, 2019.
Outside the entertainment industry, Glenn was also a humanitarian. An active one to be exact, and he always showed his humility by learning from experienced activists on how to create real social change.
Glenn founded the Green Music Foundation (GMF) in 2009 to help the poor. He was especially interested in helping people in eastern Indonesia, and through the GMF, he helped provide clean water and electricity to people living in Waikokak village in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara.
He also showed his support for the weekly Kamisan protests, held by survivors and families of victims of past human right abuses in front of the State Palace; the GKI Yasmin dispute in Bogor, West Java; protests against the Benoa Bay reclamation project in Bali; the rights of political prisoners in Maluku; and peace in Papua.
He was particularly invested in peace in Maluku following the bloody sectarian strife in Ambon and Tual in 1999 that killed more than 2,000 people. Along with director Angga Sasongko, Glenn acted as producer of Cahaya dari Timur: Beta Maluku (Light from the East: I am Maluku), which tells the story of a soccer coach trying to mend the severed ties of brotherhood in the area through sports. It went on to win Best Film at the 2014 Indonesian Film Festival (FFI).
“He [Glenn] will be remembered as a musician who took a stand for human rights,” Usman Hamid of Amnesty International said.
They first met at an album launch for the rock band Slank in 2008 and their relationship continued afterward.
“He actively helped human rights campaigns in 2010 and made a real effort to improve human rights in the country,” said Usman.
