(Courtesy of Trinity Optima)

Once upon a time, people turned to Ungu for pop tunes that were sweet, slow and perhaps a little soporific. Use them as a sleeping aid no longer: This band is moving in a whole new direction.

If you have heard the band's latest single "Hampa Hatiku" (My Empty Heart), now being played on TV and radio, you'll know what they mean. The new release, with its dangdut and rap influences, has nothing in common with Ungu's typically sweet and slow pop. Maybe it will amaze you, or, well, give you a slight twinge in your stomach as you think: "Hey! What's going on with Ungu?"

Put this question to any of the five members of the band and you'll get the same answer: "We just want to make an innovative move after 13 years in the business."

Their groundbreaking move has grabbed a lot of attention. Long before fans and music enthusiasts were buzzing about the new song, which features dangdut diva Iis Dahlia, music directors at radio stations had debated whether they should even play the track.

"We acknowledge that there were conflicts among *radio station* music directors because of this song," says the band's vocalist, Pasha. "Some refused to play it because they can't play dangdut on their stations, while others insisted it was tolerable because it's still from *non-dangdut band* Ungu.

"And we're fine with any of the arguments," the 29-year-old singer adds. "We're open to criticism. At least we know that the value of democracy exists within the music direction circle."

In being open to criticism, the band is cool enough to respond to the claims they are just mimicking the band ST 12, which is flying high since releasing their successful Malay pop-influenced songs.

"Don't get stuck in that game of who has followed who," says the band's bassist, Makki. "We actually made *Hampa Hatiku' like one and a half years ago, but only managed to put it on this *fifth album* Penguasa Hati *Ruler of the Heart*."

Besides, he says, "people want to listen to something new, not the same old mellow pop or songs about cheating. So please let us refresh them *with our new music*."

And as a group that is courageous enough to put new shades into their music, Ungu is also not afraid of how people might perceive them after the change.

"I think Ungu has already built a strong image, so we never worry about that stuff," Pasha says. "But even if people later label us a Malay pop band, we won't feel ashamed. There's nothing wrong with playing this kind of music, right?"

Right. The song is proving popular, already spending weeks on radio station playlists. What's more, the "Hampa Hatiku" ringback tone from a mobile provider is currently among the top 10 downloaded songs, only two weeks after the single was released. This could follow their success last year, when Ungu's songs had the highest sales for ringback tones.

"Well, that's not bad for some extra income, right?" the band's guitarist Enda jokes, to laughter from the other members of the band.

Ungu, whose other members are guitarist Oncy and drummer Rowman, began to gain momentum in 2002 with the release of their first album Laguku (My Song). The first single of the platinum album, "Bayang Semu" (Unreal Shadow), was chosen for the original soundtrack of popular sinetron ABG (Teens).

Yet the band had been performing since 1996, moving from gig to gig, although with a different line up. Pasha joined in 1998, and Oncy in 2002, after leaving his band Funky Kopral. Enda, who started with the group as an additional crew member, was later recruited as the main guitarist after former member Ekky left to join pop band Base Jam.

It was during one of their gigs that they came up with the name Ungu (which means purple).

"It actually doesn't have a special meaning," Makki says. "In one event, an MC asked our band's name, and suddenly we had the word *ungu' in our mind. We thought it's something that's easy for everyone to remember."

Before signing a record deal in 2002, Ungu had gone from one recording company to another, offering their demo CD, but without any luck. Then, after they met renowned musician Anang Hermansyah, who is married to singer Krisdayanti, the band was introduced to a producer, who chose two of their songs for a compilation album. With that, Ungu proved their talent, going on to record their first album. The rest is history. Ungu has since released five records and another three religious-themed mini-albums.

One of the religious albums, SurgaMu (Your Heaven), was even honored with an award from Vice President Jusuf Kalla in 2006. It wasn't the award that made headlines back then, but the way Ungu was expelled from the VP's palace for wearing jeans. And Pasha just can't forget the incident.

"We had actually asked the organizer before that, and they told us we could wear anything as long as it was decent. So we put on blazers, but still they didn't allow us *to enter*. After we left, they called us back, but we were too disappointed already and decided not to go."

They had some compensation for the disappointment with three prizes in the 2008 Indonesian Music Awards. And now they are hoping their new album will bring them an extra something.

"We hope to spread our wings," Makki says with a smile, ". playing music that isn't limited to genres like pop or religious."

UNGU

Vocals: Sigit Purnomo Syamsuddin Said (Pasha), born Nov. 27, 1979

Bass: Makki Omar Parikesit,

born Oct. 23, 1971

Guitar: Franco Wellyjat Medjaja Kusumah (Enda), born March 4, 1976

Guitar: Arlonsy Miraldi (Oncy),

born Oct. 2, 1982

Drums: Mohammad Nur Rohman

(Rowman), born Jan. 9, 1974

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