TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Afgan sends out love with concert
Afgan syahrezaOn Valentineâs Day, singer Afgan Syahreza will deliver the heart-rending melodies his fans have come to expect, but in a slightly different fashion
Change Size
Afgan syahreza
On Valentine's Day, singer Afgan Syahreza will deliver the heart-rending melodies his fans have come to expect, but in a slightly different fashion.
For his 'Dari Hati' (From the Heart) performance at the Plenary Hall at the Jakarta Convention Center on Saturday night, he will put his signature vocals atop a variety of genres.
During the concert organized by the singer's music label, Trinity Optima Productions, Afgan will collaborate with Erwin Gutawa Orchestra, singers Sherina and Rossa as well as DJ Dipha Barus.
Some 100 people were involved in preparing the concert, the biggest number in his entire career, according to the singer, who has previously held concerts in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
Afgan said the concert would be a dream come true.
'[The concert] means a huge deal for me personally, because I've been here for only six years, but I've been through so many things. I need to do something to renew my spirit. So, it's about time for me to do this concert,' he says.
The Jakarta-born Afgan Syahreza began his singing career in 2008 with the release of his debut album, Confession No. 1.
Six years later, the shy 25-year-old has released a mini album, Bersihkan Dirimu (Purify Yourself, 2009) and two other albums ' The One (2010) and L1ve To Love, Love To L1ve (2013) ' establishing himself as a promising young 'balladeer'.
His L1ve To Love album, which sold 500,000 copies between February and August 2013, received the Multi Platinum Award in 2013.
The album featured hit songs like the sing-along, Jodoh Pasti Bertemu (We Shall Meet If It's Meant To Be) as well as the catchy tunes Katakan Tidak (Say No), Pesan Cinta (Love Message) and Cinta Tanpa Syarat (Love Unconditionally).
Afgan's hard work has garnered him a number of awards, including Artist of The Year by MTV Indonesia Awards and Best Music Album by Anugerah Planet Muzik in 2009, as well as Best Solo Male Singer by AMI Awards in 2012.
In 2013, he was among the artists nominated for Best Asian Artist by World Music Awards.
Besides singing, Afgan has also starred in three feature films: Bukan Cinta Biasa (Not Ordinary Love, 2009), Cinta 2 Hati (Two Hearts, 2010) and Refrain (2013).
Advertising deals with various brands, including Relaxa candy and Mito mobile phone, have increased his public profile.
The son of Loyd Yahya and Lola Purnama, Afgan said he hoped his concert would motivate other Indonesian musicians to put on high-quality concerts. 'I like to raise the bar, so people will know that we can do great shows,' he says.
In the two-hour concert, Afgan will sing 20 songs taken from his recordings, divided into three sets.
The first set will be all about Motown, for which Afghan plans to show off some dance moves. Of the second segment, he says: 'You'll get jazzed up, because I'll be performing my songs in jazz style.'
'In the last segment, we will have this grand orchestra thing going on, with some gimmicks: there'll be a battle between the orchestra and DJ Dipha Barus ' my favorite DJ in the country, which I think it's going to be epic.'
Afgan's decision to showcase a variety of genres in the concert was a deliberate one.
'Erwin said I have to do [something] differently for such a solo concert. Besides, I want people
to know that I can perform songs in those genres ' not just ballads,' he says.
He said the complex arrangements of many songs in the concert's latter half would push him to the limits of his skills. 'The concert will be a historic moment for me and for my fans because they've been waiting for this for quite a long time. I really hope everyone will enjoy my show, from the beginning till the end.'
