Indonesian pop singer-songwriter Tulus has certainly proven his universal appeal across the nation with his latest concert in Jakarta.

With his thundering vocals and sappy yet moving lyrics, Tulus has transcended gender barriers to dominate the charts since his debut in 2011.

Muhammad Tulus Rusydi, who goes by the stage name Tulus, which means “sincere” in English, is known for blending jazz, swing and R&B in a radio-friendly pop package. Perhaps this is what has drawn people of all ages and backgrounds to his concerts through the years.

The “One Intimate Night with Tulus” concert, held on Tuesday evening at the main hall of The Kasablanka in South Jakarta, drew both adults and smartphone-wielding teenagers alike, and even a woman with her infant child in a stroller — which spoke to the musician’s broad appeal.

Even before the doors opened that evening, fans had been clamoring to see and hear the man from Bukittinggi, West Sumatera. Despite a similar concert last year, the crowd still went wild when Tulus finally appeared on stage to open with “Langit Abu-Abu” (Gray Skies).

The second number, “Ruang Sendiri” (Lonesome Space), was followed by an interlude during which Tulus “spoke” to the audience in basically a one-sided conversation, with every response a scream.

“What I like most about this concert is that our chats are not limited. That means I can talk with you longer,” Tulus said to cheering and even more screaming from the audience.

This wasn’t exactly true, since the length of the concert depended on the number of songs on the setlist as well as the venue, which closed at 10 p.m., but he spoke with such earnestness that people might believe him.

Songs like “Monokrom” (Monochrome) and “Tukar Jiwa” (Soul Exchange) turned into sing-alongs, and it seemed that every person at the concert knew the words — or they would by the end of the songs.

Tulus’ conversational interludes between songs revealed the man’s personality, and as befitting the concert title, these “chats” were very much like those between close friends: He introduced his supporting vocalists and musicians, reminisced on his childhood dream of becoming a singer, and even congratulated one lucky fan on her birthday.

Another highlight of the interludes were, of course, the lucky draws. Typical signed merchandise like T-shirts were to be expected, but when one of the prizes was a guitar, it was clear how earnest Tulus was about building a connection with his legions of fans — some of whom had traveled from outside Jakarta just to see him perform in person.

Standout performances in the 13-song setlist included “Labirin” (Labyrinth), with its rather poetic words inset to an upbeat tempo, and “Jangan Cintai Aku Apa Adanya” (Don’t Love Me as I am), an ode to expecting better from a romantic partner.

Ballads are Tulus’ bread and butter, and arguably part of what made him a household name in the Indonesian music industry.

A case in point is “Sepatu” (Shoes), which has been a crowd favorite since its 2014 release on Tulus’ second album, Gajah (Elephant).

Concertgoers joined in a duet rendition of “Sepatu”, with Tulus asking his female fans to sing one part and his male fans the other.

Crowd control is another forte of his — and which is only helped by the ridiculously catchy lyrics that everyone seemed to know from years of constant airplay.

Other hits like “1,000 Tahun Lamanya” (For 1,000 Years) and “Sewindu” (Eight Years) found the crowd putting their hearts into singing along.

Perhaps this is the answer to Tulus’ popularity: His lyrics allow listeners to project their own feelings of into the music, to express whatever it was that was left unsaid.

As “Manusia Kuat” (Strong Person) ended and the crowd started to thin, Tulus drew them back with “Cahaya” (Light) for one last encore — even it was rather predictable, in light of the increasingly common practice at concerts these days.

Standing outside the hall, there was a palpable sense that perhaps Indonesia’s answer to Ed Sheeran would unite the nation under an endless pursuit of romance. (hdt)

— Photos courtesy of Optimus One

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