Sneak Peek into the Career Journey of Performers at Java Pop Festival 2023: From Hangout Gang to Parking Attendants!

Kapanlagi.com - This weekend, event goers must be really confused. How could they not be, with a series of music events that are so interesting held at the same time. One of them is Java Pop Festival. This prestigious music event will be held on July 8-9, 2023 at Stadin Madya Gelora Bung Karno.

Java Pop Festival will be enlivened by the performances of many top pop Javanese musicians, ranging from Dara Ayu, Evan Loss, Guyon Waton, Happy Asmara, Jogja Hip Hop FoundaƟ on, Nabila Maharani, Ndarboy Genk, NDX AKA, Pulung Agustanto, to Woro Widowati.

From these big names, who would have thought that they started their music career with diverse backgrounds. Some started as hangout friends, child musicians, fried catfish sellers, and even parking attendants. To satisfy your curiosity, let's dissect them one by one.

1. Ndarboy Genk

No one can deny that Ndarboy Genk's music career journey in the Indonesian music industry is very interesting and impressive. Starting from his love for music since junior high school, to releasing the album Cidro Asmoro which was very popular, Ndarboy Genk's career story is a real example that success is achieved through perseverance and dedication.

During junior high school, Ndarboy Genk showed a strong interest in making songs. When in high school, he decided to continue his education at a music high school in Yogyakarta. Through his musical journey, he managed to find his identity in Javanese music genre with the release of the album Cidro Asmoro which featured 10 original songs by Ndarboy Genk on July 5, 2021.

Ndarboy has even toured the Cidro Asmoro album to 20 cities in Java, Bali, and Papua. This tour was inaugurated by the Regent of Bantul, H. Abdul Halim Muslih. In addition, he is also known for his song; Mendung Tanpo Udan which was released on July 5, 2021. This song is very popular and often used by TikTok content creators as background music.

Its popularity increased when the boyband NCT Dream chose the song as the soundtrack for one of their dance challenges. The song has also won two awards at the AMI Awards.

Before finding success as a singer, Ndarboy Genk went through difficult times and had to sell his motorcycle and sell pecel (a traditional Indonesian dish) to survive. He even got dumped by his girlfriend because of this.

2. Happy Asmara

Since childhood, Happy has shown his love for music and talent in singing. When he was 10 years old, he started performing at weddings, became a sinden (traditional Javanese singer), and even participated in local festivals.

During high school, Happy joined a local band, performing various music genres such as pop, rock, and dangdut. He also auditioned for D'Academy in 2016 and received a golden ticket from Dewi Persik. Worried about scams, Happy decided not to continue the selection process in D'Academy.

In 2019, Happy released his debut single titled 'Salah', followed by singles 'Tak Ikhlasno' and 'Dalan Liyane'. The single 'Tak Ikhlasno' brought Happy Asmara to the peak of popularity, reaching 61 million views and 300 thousand likes on Happy Asmara Music's YouTube channel.

His experience in various music genres and the songs he has performed have earned Happy Asmara the title 'The Queen of Ambyar' or 'The Queen of Broken Heart' because he often sings sad, melancholic, and heartbroken songs. In fact, his singing talent and song choices have received praise from English music producer Steve Lillywhite, who predicted that Happy will become a legendary singer in the future.

Outside of his music career, Happy Asmara has many activities. Happy really enjoys watching anime, participating in motor shows, horse dance, and most importantly, Happy really loves eating MSG!

3. Woro Widowati

Specializing in cover songs, Woro Widowati has achieved tremendous success since starting her career in the world of singing. Woro began her career when she was in 10th grade.

On December 24, 2019, Woro created a YouTube channel to upload her cover song videos. It all started when her friend got upset because Woro never recorded her singing performances. Finally, Woro was secretly recorded while performing the song Kartoyono Medot Janji.

Initially, the video was only uploaded as a WhatsApp status. Currently, her YouTube channel has gained 1.42 million subscribers. Woro's ability and creativity in performing songs have made her one of the most popular singers in 2020. She even released her first solo album in early September 2021.

Woro has not only succeeded in her artistic career but also become an inspiration for many people. This is evidenced by invitations from various institutions to Woro as an inspirational figure, such as from the Magelang City Library and Archives Office.

Woro's works have been played over 50 million times on Spotify. This achievement has led her to become an EQUAL Spotify ambassador representing Indonesia in the Spotify Campaign program in March 2023, as the only Javanese pop musician whose face is displayed on the Times Square Billboard in New York.

Not only that, Woro also tries her luck in the acting world. She played alongside Ndarboy Genk in a web series titled Cidro Asmoro.

4. NDX A.K.A

Who says that sisterhood is only about gathering during Eid? Let's form a music group! NDX A.K.A is a hip-hop dangdut music duo led by Yonanda and Fajar, who are cousins. They have become a phenomenon in the Indonesian music industry. Starting from a humble environment, Yonanda and Fajar built their career in the music world despite all limitations. They used to work as laborers and parking attendants in Lempuyangan before establishing NDX A.K.A on September 11, 2011, in Imogiri, Bantul, Yogyakarta.

Yonanda and Fajar have known each other since childhood and decided to collaborate in creating songs when they were in junior high school. The inspiration for their songs comes from simple things around them. This is evident in the song 'Ditinggal Nikah' which tells the story of their lives filled with scarcity and modest appearances.

The song 'WhatsApp Bro' is their first song, initially using English lyrics, but they eventually chose to use Javanese, their everyday language, as they felt more comfortable with it. The song Kimcil Kepolen was created by Yonanda when he was still in junior high school and was later updated and successfully caught the public's attention.

However, their journey in the music industry was not always smooth. They once experienced an uncomfortable incident when they were about to perform at an event, such as the lack of accommodation information from the organizers, which required them to sleep in nearby shops or mosques. In 2014, it became a turning point for them with the release of their debut video titled Bojoku Digondol Bojone, which further introduced them to the public. Nevertheless, NDX A.K.A continued their struggle in the music world.

In 2018, they received an award from the Yogyakarta Cultural Office and later received the Inspirational Young Figure award from the Sleman Regent. Their song Apa Kabar Mantan? was nominated for the Most Popular Regional Language Song at the SCTV Music Award 2022, and most importantly, this group received the AMI Awards for 'Best Duo/Group/Dangdut/Contemporary Dangdut'.

5. Guyon Waton

Starting from a group of friends who often sing together in front of a meatball stall, Guyon Waton, which means 'Joking Randomly,' has now become a phenomenon in the Indonesian music industry. Although the meaning of the band's name is joking/randomly, they are very serious about their music.

Formed in 2015, the name Guyon Waton was taken from the Twitter account @guyonwaton, which contains humorous content in Javanese language. The group first performed at a cafe in 2018 in Bantul, thanks to an invitation from their followers, who paid them with only iced tea and fried snacks. Later, their video recordings were uploaded to Instagram, and that was the first step for Guyon Waton to be known by many people. Their songs, which are released through YouTube, have managed to captivate many listeners.

Their viral song 'Perlahan' has reached 131 million views, 'Korban Janji' with 103 million views, while other songs like 'Kok Iso Yo,' 'Widodari,' and 'Sebatas Teman' have further introduced them to the public. They are often referred to as the 'Broken Heart Brigade' because most of the songs they cover are about heartbreak.

Their achievements are increasingly recognized, as they have been nominated for the Ambyar Awards 2020, Anugerah Dangdut Indonesia 2020, and have won the nomination for the Duo/Trio/Group Dangdut Most Ha? category at the Anugerah Dangdut Indonesia 2020 and 2021.

6. Nabila Maharani

Nabila Maharani, a talented singer from Yogyakarta, has successfully captured public attention with her melodious voice. She inherited her singing talent from her parents. In 2020, Nabila met Tri Suaka at Pendopo Lawas Jogja. Tri Suaka, who was singing at the venue, then invited Nabila to duet and sing some songs together. After that, Nabila and Tri Suaka decided to create a YouTube channel together called Nabila Suaka.

Initially, Nabila was known for her passion for covering other people's music and gained hundreds of millions of viewers on her YouTube channel. However, when she released her own songs, she received the 'Anugerah TIMES Indonesia' or ATI 2021 award. Until now, Nabila has released several of her own songs, including 'Bila Nanti' (2021), 'Pijar Hati' (2022), 'Aku Memang Jodohnya' (2022), 'Ayang' (2022), 'Sampai Nanti' (2022), and 'Mencintaimu' (2022).

With her unique talent and presence in the music world, Nabila has managed to gain public recognition and build a strong fan base. Her Instagram account @nabilaamw has reached 1.7 million followers, and her TikTok account @nabilaamaharani_ has 3.8 million followers. Meanwhile, her YouTube channel NABILA SUAKA, which has been active since 2020, has reached 4.95 million subscribers.

7. Evan Loss

Known by the stage name Evan Loss, this musician from Central Java has an inspiring story in his struggle to achieve his dreams in the music world. Originally from Jenawi, Evan has been passionate about music since childhood, and this interest led him to pursue education in the Music Department of Yogyakarta State University (UNY) in the 2009 class.

Evan Loss started his career as a keyboard player with a band called Nadias. The band successfully reached the top 12 in the talent search event Meet the Labels. According to Evan, his stage name has a symbolic meaning, which is 'a man who doesn't like to express himself'.

Evan's career journey has not always been smooth. He has experienced ups and downs in pursuing a career in the music world. When facing life challenges, Evan had to sell his only musical instrument to start a business. He even sold sweet corn to survive in the midst of the harshness of city life. Although he was once desperate, Evan finally decided to return to Yogyakarta.

In 2020, Evan gained more recognition after releasing Javanese songs titled 'Ngelu' and 'Lilakne Lungamu'. And since his song 'Full Senyum Sayang' went viral in 2022, his name has become more popular on various social media platforms. Despite still being a newcomer, Evan's career has significantly improved because his fans are mostly millennials.

Evan was nominated for the AMI Awards for 'Best Regional Language Song Production of 2022'. Evan is also active on Instagram with the account @evan_loss, which has 23 thousand followers, and on YouTube with the Evan Loss channel, which has reached 224 thousand subscribers.

His father is a role model for Evan, especially for his never-give-up attitude and sincerity that his father always applies. Now, with the same spirit, Evan continues to create music and inspire many people with his story of struggle.

8. Dara Ayu

Originating from Lumajang, East Java, Dara Ayu, who initially pursued a solo career, joined Bajol Ndanu, a music management company, due to the same interest in dangdut songs being performed in a reggae style. Dara Ayu's name became more well-known since then.

Dara Ayu has a following of 475 thousand on Instagram with the account @daraayu__ and has 106 thousand subscribers on her personal Youtube account, Dara Ayu Official. Dara Ayu is known as a hitsmaker, as every song she performs on Youtube always trends and receives more than 1 million viewers. Like the song Rungkad that she performed in a reggae style, which has reached more than 1.2 million viewers on Youtube.

The music video of Dara Ayu that first caught attention is Satu Hati Sampai Mati, created by Arya Thomas and uploaded on the Youtube channel of Bajol Ndanu Management with over 49 million views. In addition, her YouTube channel is also bustling with her songs, starting from
Cintaku (2022), Sedap Betul – Feat Bajol Ndanu (2021), to Cinta Tak Terpisahkan – Feat Bajol Ndanu (2021).

In 2020, Dara Ayu received happy news when the label that currently supports her, proactively obtained special permission from Datu Entertainment based in Malaysia to perform hit songs there.

Another interesting fact is that Dara Ayu is also skilled in pencak silat. She admits that she learned pencak silat for self-defense and pencak silat is an ancestral knowledge passed down in her family. Wow, besides being beautiful and having a melodious voice, she is also skilled in martial arts. Complete package!

9. Jogja Hip Hop Foundation

Jogja Hip Hop Foundation is a rap band from Jogja that was founded in 2003. Initiated by Muhammad Marzuki, also known as Kill The DJ, this band has a vision to promote Javanese hip hop and gather local rappers from Jogja with three core members: Marzuki, Heri Wiyoso, Janu Prihaminanto, and Lukman Hakim.

What made Jogja Hip Hop Foundation famous is thanks to the song titled Jogja Istimewa. The song, created in 2009, was a huge success and memorized by many people due to its easy-to-remember lyrics that reflect the uniqueness of Jogja. Until now, Jogja Hip Hop Foundation has released 3 albums: Hiphopdiningrat, It's Hip Hop Poetry Battle, and Semar Mesem Romo Mendem, with a total of 23 songs.

Their uniqueness of using Javanese language as song lyrics led them to go on a one-month tour in the United States. This tour took place from November 12 to December 10, 2012. In the tour, they visited several hip hop bases in America, namely Washington DC, Scottsdale-Arizona, Davis, Santa Barbara, and ended in San Francisco-California.

In addition to music, Jogja Hip Hop Foundation also carries out various other activities such as workshops, discussions, artists exchange, and community gatherings.

One of their most popular works is the song Cintamu Sepahit Topi Miring. The song, released on January 11, 2013, has become one of the viral and popular songs on TikTok and Instagram social media platforms in the past year.

10. Pulung Agustanto

Pulung Agustanto, initiator of Java Pop Festival and Javanese pop musician we need to remember! Hailing from Yogyakarta, Pulung is active in social activities by inviting young people to learn more about culture through Javanese Pop songs.

Pulung is an entrepreneur and artist whose songs have recently gone viral on Tiktok, with titles Mung Kanggo Kowe and Tugel Ati. In addition, Pulung has created several other heartbroken songs such as Wong Kere, Amplas Ngamplas, Sepeda itu Byke, Nyesek Ati, and Lara Atiku which have been viewed over 10 million times on YouTube.

In addition to Javanese pop music, Pulung is also actively supporting other creative cultural productions. Recently, he supported a film production titled Star Syndrome which tells the story of Indonesian singers' struggle due to changes in market taste and culture.

11. Ticket Prices

Java Pop Fest / Credit Photo: Personal Documentation

That's the music career journey of the Javanese Pop musicians who will entertain all of us at the Java Pop Festival 2023 on July 8 and 9, 2023 at the Madya Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

For those of you who need entertainment because your heart is broken while supporting local culture, let's directly order the tickets at www.tiketapasaja.com and have fun together at the Java Pop Festival!

Tickets are priced at Rp 275,000 for the 1-Day Pass and Rp 450,000 for the 2 Days Pass. But especially for Bank Mandiri customers, there will be a special 20% discount promo for every purchase of Java Pop Festival tickets using Bank Mandiri payment.

Don't miss it!

(kpl/gtr)