Eross Candra Discusses the Role of Radio Behind the Viral Hit 'Dan'

Kapanlagi.com - Eross Candra emphasizes the significant role of radio in the journey of Sheila On 7. For the guitarist from Yogyakarta, radio is not just a promotional medium, but a gateway that allows his band's works to reach listeners across Indonesia.

"Sheila On 7 might not have had such a smooth path if it weren't for radio opening the doors. Radio is like, what should I say, we are like children being opened up to a vast world by our parents, and the parent in this case is radio," said Eross Candra when met in the Thamrin area of Central Jakarta on Tuesday (4/8/2026).

He mentioned that there is a strong emotional bond between the band members and radio personnel, especially during the early days of Sheila On 7's emergence.

1. Eross Candra and the Moment 'Dan' Exploded on the Radio

Eross Candra's Action on Stage © instagram.com/erosscandra

Eross recalls the moment in 1999 when the song "Dan" suddenly gained widespread attention. At that time, the label had not yet designated it as the second single, but listener responses came faster than anticipated.

"Then there was one radio station that took the initiative to play the song 'Dan', and it went viral, as they say now it went viral, and other radios followed suit. Our label at that time, Sony Music, was even confused, 'Hey, we haven't given them the second single yet, but why are they already taking the initiative?'," said Eross.

The initiative of that one radio station was then followed by many other radios. At the same time, the label, Sony Music, was surprised because the play of "Dan" occurred before an official decision regarding the second single was announced.

2. Surge in Popularity After 'Dan' Was Widely Played

Thanks to the bravery of the radio playing "Dan" earlier, the name Sheila On 7 skyrocketed. Eross mentioned that the momentum led to a flood of invitations for them to perform in various cities.

"Why were they able to choose the song 'Dan'? So the song 'Dan' became a single because it was selected by one of the radios. That's it, that's what made us feel like we caught a big wave and just had to surf it. Thank you, radio," he expressed.

Since then, the band's career path has opened up even more. The most tangible impact is felt in the increasingly packed stages and the growing enthusiasm of the listeners.

3. Radio Support Since High School in Yogyakarta

According to Eross, the kindness of the radio has been felt since he was still an indie band in high school. In Yogyakarta, Sheila On 7's songs were often played by local radio even before signing with a major label.

"Maybe if there was no radio, I would be a Taekwondo teacher now. Seriously, that's true, the radio really supported us before Sheila On 7 went to a major label, it was national, but we were still local, just in Jogja, and our songs were played by the radio when we were still indie. We didn't have a label, we were still indie, still in high school," Eross said.

He mentioned one local radio, Jiz FM, which provided space for Sheila On 7's works in the early days. At that time, their reach was still local to Jogja, but the frequency of airplay on the radio made the songs familiar to the listeners.

The experience in that indie phase reaffirmed Eross's belief that radio has played a role from the beginning in bringing Sheila On 7 to the national stage.

(kpl/far/rsp)