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‘Be consistent no matter what’: Musician-YouTuber Hanin Dhiya does it all for success
The platinum-selling artist and YouTuber reflects on awkwardness and working hard for success
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Closure for the "old me": Hanin Dhiya's second studio album 'Jangan Sampai Pasrah' serves as a coda for her pop chapter as she hints at a more daring sound in the future. (Hanin Dhiya management/Courtesy of Hanin Dhiya)
I
t was the rarest of all rarities. In only 25 days since its release, 20-year-old Hanin Dhiya’s second studio album Jangan Sampai Pasrah (Never Despair) received its first platinum certification—making it one of the best-selling new releases of 2021 so far. On top of that, her sophomore effort was released with little fanfare during the seemingly endless void that is the COVID-19 pandemic—making such a feat even more impressive. As it turns out, the person most surprised by that achievement was Hanin Dhiya herself.
“When my label [Warner Music Indonesia] told me about [the platinum certification], I was sure they meant someone else,” Hanin recalls with a soft smile on her lips. “I was very skeptical about it, but then, I was, like, ‘Really? Seriously? Oh, well.’ I know my face looks flat right now, but deep down I am beaming with joy,” she assures.
Her dumbfounded response was pretty much justifiable. Concept-wise, Jangan Sampai Pasrah is a collection of moody pop songs that explore the feelings of youthful melancholia—not exactly a sunny record to lift the spirits during these turbulent times. “But I guess that’s the reason why [the album] became such an instant hit,” she says. “I think everyone could relate to that kind of morose feeling, especially during this pandemic. Also, the title track [“Jangan Sampai Pasrah”] is very in tune with Ramadan. Melancholic, but still hopeful.”
What belies the album’s melancholic sound, though, is an abundance of artistic spontaneity. Hanin reserves no hesitation to admit that her second album was born from a last-minute decision. The conversation regarding whether to release a studio album was had merely a few months before its release.
“I think it was around November or December of last year,” she laughs. “[My label’s] initial plan was to release an EP consisting of all my standalone singles [dating back to 2018] that would be followed by a full-length album. But then, I was, like, ‘You know what? Let’s just jump ahead and make the album already.’ And everyone signed off on it. As simple as that.”
As an artist, Hanin claims she tends to “go with the flow.” She admits she rarely bothers with being involved in the end-to-end recording process. That endearingly casual attitude of hers shapes how she perceives the album. “I see this album as more of a summary because it consists of my old and newer stuff.”
However, despite her usual rolling with the punches, she is not without ambition. “This album is also some kind of closure. My next record will still be considered pop, but I am specifically aiming for that early Billie Eilish kind of vibe. I’m also interested in mixing up jazz and R&B elements into the pot. Once you listen to “Don’t Wait For Me”—which is the closing track [of the album]—you’ll get the picture of where I’m heading next,” she describes.
