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Tulus: A sincere romantic
Singer-songwriter Muhammad Tulus speaks of love with conviction
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Singer-songwriter Muhammad Tulus speaks of love with conviction.
Despite centering on romantic relationships, his songs bear assurance and straightforwardness that dissent on those who are helplessly or foolishly in love.
In 'Sewindu' (Eight Years), a popular song from his first self-titled album, Tulus, he tells the unrequited love story of a man, who after eight years, finds out that the woman he has devoted himself to, has fallen in love with another man. But at the end of the song, he remarks that he is heartbroken but 'will no longer wait at the door'.
Another song, ''Teman Pesta'' (Party Friend), takes on a similar theme. He offers his love, a shoulder to cry on and endlessly dances to cheer up to the woman he loves. An upbeat track, there is a cheerful vintage ambiance exemplified that allows our bodies to automatically move to the beat.
Such themes always thrill one's heart.
His boldness, along with his silky and tender voice, carries delightful and chilling tunes to listeners without neglecting the essence of rich and enjoyable with jazzy feel.
From an early age, the Bandung-born musician said that singing was his passion. He credits his elementary school teacher for 'discovering' his singing talent. Ever since, he has always wanted to pursue a music career.
But it was in college, where he studied architecture, when he finally discovered the opportunities that lay ahead of him.
''I met a lot of people and that's when I started to do a little bit of singing and songwriting,'' he said.
His first album was an independent production. It was produced and financed by his older sibling under the label Demajors Independent music. Despite its independent production, it was a quick ladder to fame.
In May last year, Tulus performed in a show entitled 'Beyond Sincere'at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta. He described it as a ''golden opportunity'' that had catapulted his career. The singer is currently at work on his 2nd album, which is set to be released this year.
Tulus, which translates to 'sincere', is also the mantra for his music videos. Simple and expressive are just a few other words to describe them.
''I still have a lot to convey in my second album so the audience can expect a more glamorous side of me in my third album,'' said the artist who dreams of collaborating with Indonesia's late king of pop, Chrisye.
His first album, which was released in September 2011, features ten tracks.
The track ''Merdu Untukmu'' (Melodic for You) is an acoustic song that features the sweet tunes of a guitar. The piano solo and trumpet shots in ''Kisah Sebentar'' (Momentary Romance) remind us of the 1960s, however, in the middle of the track we are treated to rock n' roll.
''Tuan Nona Kesepian'' (Lonely Man and Woman) is another song where Tulus acts as a narrator, creating a relaxing atmosphere with guitar blends.
The interplay between piano and bass dominate 'Diorama', another tune on the album that lets us experience a mysterious feel with a mix of blues.
''Teman Hidup' [Life Companion] is my favorite track off the album,'' he said. Tulus launched his first album at the Centre Cultural Francais (CCF) in Bandung. It was well-received by the public, particularly young listeners.
With his first album having topped the charts and getting tons of radio airplay, Tulus is here to stay. The artist, who names legendary poet Chairil Anwar as one of his biggest inspirations, said he was determined to make every album unique and to show his personality.
'I will make sure that every piece of music I create has its own unique style,' he said.
' Photos courtesy of Tulus
