JP/Ary

Musician Anang Hermansyah wants to prove that his high-profile divorce from pop diva Krisdayanti is not the end of the world.

If anything, the divorce seems to have doubled his creative drive, as he prepares a new album while scouting out talented singers as a judge for the new season of Indonesian Idol.  

2009 might have been the most memorable year of Anang’s life so far. Not only did he turn 40, he also separated from the woman he had lived with for 13 years.

But if the divorce has changed Anang as a person, it has been for the better.

Before the separation, he was the kind of celebrity who was reluctant to give comments, especially regarding his personal life. The only subject that interested him enough to get him talking for a while was his hobby of photography.

But the new Anang is quite different. He looks younger and fresher than ever, and at a recent event turned out to be more relaxed and calm than ever before too, especially in handling the media.

He smiled and laughed a lot, even at times fooling around.

He did not try to escape from the dozens of reporters chasing him for a comment. He patiently and nicely answered all of the questions, despite their inevitably personal nature.

“What do you want to ask, guys?” he asked, smiling.

The new approach is all part of how, since his divorce in August, Anang has tried to recover and jumpstart his life, channeling his energy in a positive way, rather than allowing himself to wallow in his sadness.

He proved it by releasing a mini album, which tells the whole story of (his) broken feelings about  his now ex-wife Yanti, not long after the divorce.

“The album is the expression of my true feelings. So this is not fiction. This album is about love, faith and romantic betrayal,” Anang said.

The album’s first single, “Separuh Jiwaku Telah Pergi” (Half My Soul Has Gone), is about how he feels to have lost his soul mate of many years.

Anang and Yanti tied knot in 1996 and together they had two children: Titania Aurelie Nurhermansyah or Aurel, now 11, and Azriel Akbar Hermansyah, 9.

Rumor has it that Yanti was unfaithful. Local tabloids and gossip programs have reported that Yanti’s latest affair is with a renowned millionaire from Timor Leste.

The couple’s different outlooks on life are also believed to have fueled the conflict between them.

Anang previously said that while he has always strived for a modest life, Yanti had always wanted to live in luxury.

He said that the public warmly welcomed the mini album, which has sold about 100,000 copies.
Anang has since released a second single, “Hujan Pun Menangis” (Rain Cries), and shot the music video at the end of last year.

As with the first single, this song is about heartbreak.

Now, as the new year enters its second month, Anang is busy writing and recording his new complete studio album, paving the way to his return as a soloist.  

The surprising thing is he will perform a duet with his daughter Aurel — and it was all Aurel’s idea, he insisted.

“I think she’s got [singing] talent. But I have never pushed her to be a singer like me or her mother.

It’s all up to her. She’s free to choose what she wants to be,” he said, adding that he also plans to promote three new singers in the future.

“I cannot tell you about them yet. I will tell you after we finish the recording process.”

Anang, who was born in Jember, East Java, on March 18, 1969, became actively involved in music when he joined a band while attending high school in his hometown.

Later, as a student at a university in Bandung, West Java, he participated in Doel Sumbang’s music studio before he decided to go to Jakarta to expand his musical experience.

In the capital, Anang decamped to Gang Potlot, a neighborhood in South Jakarta where rock band Slank had their commune.

He joined the band Kidnap before deciding to go solo.

Among Anang’s solo albums are Biarkanlah (Let It Be), Lepas (Free), Melayang (Floating In) and Tania.

In addition to performing songs, he is also known as a songwriter and producer for other singers, including, of course, Krisdayanti.

Together with Yanti, he released several albums, including Berartinya Dirimu (The Meaning of You), Kasih (Lover), Buah Hati (Sweetheart) and Makin Aku Cinta (The More I Love You).

In 2007, Anang turned to the silver screen, producing the film Susahnya Jadi Perawan (How Hard it is to be a Virgin), starring Restu Sinaga, Nova Eliza, Tio Pakusadewo and Julia Perez.

Part of his new life is his reprisal of his role as one of the judges for talent contest Indonesian Idol, alongside noted musician and orchestra conductor Erwin Gutawa and pop star Agnes Monica. This will be his second stint on the judging panel, following his first appointment in 2008.

“This is a great thing for my future career,” he said, happily.

In Idol, he’s known as a straightforward judge offering competitors sharp critiques. In the 2008 season, he was often condemned and criticized by participants who did not accept his comments.

Anang denied he was trying to emulate Simon Cowell, the American Idol judge famous for his acerbic comments.

“The crew of Indonesian Idol has never asked me to act like this or that. We never set it up, everything is natural,” he said.

“I’m not trying to be Simon. I am what I am. What you see on TV is the real me.”

This opportunity also marks his reconciliation with music director Erwin after a dispute concerning Di3Va or Tiga Diva, a trio comprising singers Krisdayanti, Titi DJ and Ruth Sahanaya.

Anang has little to add about the dispute saying, “It happened a long time ago. The problem is over. It’s a pleasure to work with him [again]. I respect him as a great musician in Indonesia.”

And while some people doubted the selection of Agnes Monica on the show, she has Anang’s support.

“For a woman of her age, Agnes is outstanding. She’s been singing since she was little and she’s won many awards. She’s an Indonesian music icon,” he said.

“She’s got good attitude and a great work ethic. I once watched her rehearsing and I could see that she really practiced hard for her show.”

But it is perhaps in his personal life that Anang is undergoing the biggest changes, most notably in his new role as a single parent. Based on an agreement Anang and Yanti made privately, he has full custody of the pair.

Taking care of two children without a wife is not as easy as he had thought, he confessed. He has to be a mother as well as a father, combing his daughter’s hair or buying feminine products for her.

“This is a new thing for me. I’ve found that being a single parent is uncomfortable. I’m concerned about the children,” he admitted.

His life is completely different now. While he used to work a lot behind the scenes, he now usually sticks to the front man roles.

This means he’s outside the house a lot, which was rarely the case when he was still married.

“I try hard to pay lots of attention to my kids. I try to communicate with them all the time even if it’s just giving them a call,” he said. “Because if I did not earn a living, then who would feed them?”

He does say that he would prefer to share the parenting responsibilities with his ex-wife, but he plans to wait until the right time.

“It’s not that I don’t want to [raise kids together with Yanti]. But I’ll feel more comfortable if she introduces her future husband to me as soon as possible,” he said. “So it will be easier for us to divide up our responsibilities.”

He claimed that he is trying to maintain a good relationship with his ex-wife.

“If she wants to meet her children, that’s fine, as long as the children are OK. Aurel often sends messages or calls her. No problem.”

And this father is worried about the effect of the divorce on the children — already, it seems to have led to Aurel’s declining grades at school.

Anang humbly admitted that he is the one to blame.

“I feel that all things that happened lately were entirely my fault because I was the family leader,” he said.

“Honestly, I was never close to my kids’ teachers. Now, I am. I often call them, asking about how my kids are doing at school and things like that.”

He expressed hope that 2010 would herald better times for him and his children.

“I will keep trying to be a good father. I will keep an eye on my kids’ grades at school. I also hope that I can buy houses for my children. I also hope I can find a new wife.”

You can be sure that the “new wife” comment triggered plenty of follow-up questions — questions Anang didn’t seem to object to. He only laughed when he heard the prediction from some local soothsayers that he would get married this year.

“That’s interesting because I have yet to find someone new. How can I get a new woman if she is afraid to be with me just because you guys are trying to get a picture of her?” he said, with a cheeky giggle.

“My hopes aren’t too high. Right now, I will focus on my career first. I’ll prepare a better shelter for my kids and new wife.”

So, for Anang, life really does begin at 40 ...

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