However, Arsy Widianto proves himself to be a young adult with an immense drive — a contrast to his mellow, boy-next-door exterior. Less than six months after the official release of Soulmate, he decided to drop a follow-up EP titled ArTi Untuk Cinta (Meaning For Love), this time with newcomer Tiara Andini as his duet partner.

Speaking with The Jakarta Post, Arsy is aware that his decision to release another EP with a narrow time interval might come off as a bombshell, considering the positive reactions from fans.

“But I never expected it to be that much of a shock, to be honest,” he said. “From the get-go, I just wanted to create something that could entertain everyone. Besides, I believe this is the era of collaborations [in which] we get to support our fellow artists by creating beautiful music together. I think it’s important to seize this opportunity.”

Moreover, he doesn’t mind that his drive has made him one of the most productive artists during the pandemic.

“Because we have to fight [the COVID-19 pandemic],” he laughed. “Fight, fight, fight!”

Being motivated is one thing, but dipping one’s toes into uncharted territory is another issue. Releasing a new EP during a pandemic with an ambitious narrative scope might require not just momentum, but boldness. Thankfully, for Arsy, Tiara showed up at the right time.

“When I met Tiara [last year] and got to know her even more, [she] gave me more confidence to pull this off,” Arsy recalled. “Besides, I wouldn’t call myself bold. But I would say that I am always focused on doing my hardest in everything. Whatever number of records I could sell, it’s ultimately beyond my control.”

The underlying risks of ArTi Untuk Cinta didn’t make Tiara flinch; it’s an attitude that is rooted in her work ethic.

“I never allow myself to be overwhelmed by anything. Once I was officially chosen to be Arsy’s duet partner, it became my responsibility to deliver to the best of my ability. I was humbled by this opportunity and I didn’t want to let him down,” Tiara said.

Fresh off her win for Best of the Best New Artist at the 2020 AMI Awards, Tiara has sparked a hot streak of her own. Regardless, the 19-year-old newcomer doesn’t feel any need or pressure to set her streak ablaze.

“I am grateful for the success of my previous singles — ‘Gemintang Hatiku’ [Light of My Heart] and ‘Maafkan Aku #terlanjurmencinta’ [Forgive Me #forfallinginlove, coproduced by Arsy’s father, Yovie Widianto] — but I never feel the pressure to make something that can outperform them. That being said, once I worked with Arsy and Yovie [on this EP], I knew that I needed to keep up with their standards. I’m aware that I’m still new in this industry; therefore, I have to work harder.”

Establishing chemistry offered a different hurdle for the two young pop stars, but it was far from impossible.

“With Brisia Jodie, we were both new in the industry,” Arsy reminisced. “Because we started out together, we could vibe with each other better.”

With Tiara, however, it was not unlike a family affair.

“My dad loves Tiara so much she is now more his daughter than I am his son!” Arsy exclaimed.

The lyrical narrative of ArTi Untuk Cinta may serve up a tried-and-true boy-meets-girl formula, but its music production was nothing if not ambitious.

“We used a lot of points of reference [for the EP], including Korean dramas. My dad and I just watched It’s Okay Not To Be Okay and [the K-drama] kind of inspired the overall tone [of the EP],” Arsy laughed. “Specifically, though, each track [in the EP] used different points of reference. Our lead single ‘Cintanya Aku’ [My Love] is basically our way to emulate Yovie & Nuno’s ‘Janji Suci’ [Sacred Vow]. ‘Diam Diam] [Silently] was inspired by 1990s pop and Lea Salonga’s music. ‘Padamu Luka’ [My Pain For You] leans toward the current R&B landscape, whereas ‘Bahaya’ [Danger] is a classic Yovie sound,” he elaborated.

Out of all the tracks on the EP, the city-pop jam ‘Padamu Luka’ proves to be the most surprising offering as Arsy departs from his teen pop sound and showcases his mature side —a transition that he wholeheartedly embraces.

“That’s the point; we’ve also learned to do different things. I believe that we need to explore new varieties, but at the same time, without disregarding our music roots,” he explained.

The release of the EP’s music videos — all of which were crafted as short movies that are connected to one another — also unveiled Tiara’s potential as an actress. Both viewers and fans have heaped praise on her acting skills, a recognition she finds both “surprising” and “flattering”.

Moving forward, she is keen to explore different sides of her potential.

“Besides singing, right now I’m studying acting and hosting. I know I’m still pretty raw, but it’s a process,” she added.

For better or worse, when ArTi Untuk Cinta was released, public comparison between the EP and its predecessor was inescapable — a sentiment that Arsy has accepted.

“No matter what we do, there’s always someone who agrees and disagrees. Comparisons can never be avoided. At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their preference,” he said.

Is the Arsy-Tiara romantic musical saga just a one-time thing?

“We’ll see,” Arsy simply teased.

So far, Arsy and Tiara have been able to be consistent, both together as a duo and as a solo act. For Tiara, she’s aiming to make a surprise of her own. Teasing her upcoming solo album, Tiara promises “a lot of diversity”.

“I cannot say the exact date, but it will be released sometime this year. I promise [the album] is going to be very interesting. Also, Arsy wrote something for me and it’s so beautiful!” she beamed.

Is she interested in writing her own songs as well?

“Definitely!” she said.

As for Arsy, after three years in the music industry and two collaborative EPs, it’s about time to carve his own name; this time, without sharing the spotlight.

“I have been recording my solo records since 2016. Trust me, I have prepared a lot of stuff!” he said. “Not to sound too bold, but I have a feeling these songs will make quite an impact, but momentum is important as well. The whole thing is ready. What’s left is the timing. Honestly, I can’t wait any longer.”

Looking at his career trajectory so far, “bold” is definitely Arsy Widianto’s genre.

ArTi Untuk Cinta is available on all streaming platforms.

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