Adrian Yunan Rises Through His Solo Album, Almost Wanted to Quit

After a long hiatus following his departure from Efek Rumah Kaca, Adrian Yunan has returned to release new music. He has produced two solo albums titled Sintas and Jalan Keluar, marking a new phase in his musical journey after struggling with his vision condition.

Adrian admitted that he had thought about completely quitting the music world when his eyesight worsened. "I once thought right after taking a break that maybe music wasn’t for me, I couldn’t do it anymore," said Adrian Yunan when met at Kios Ojo Keos, Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, recently.

1. Back to Guitar After a Break

Adrian Yunan with short hair © KapanLagi.com/Fikri Alfi Rosyadi

After a break of about a year, Adrian picked up the guitar again and started drafting songs at home. He rearranged his daily rhythm, allowing the creative process to flow slowly from the most familiar personal space.

The process of rewriting and recording those basic ideas became a source of strength during the difficult times he was experiencing. "In the end, I thought that, well, what else can I do? It turns out I also find therapy in music, it feels like that," he said.

From a small workspace at home, he reassembled his music habits while adapting to the changes in his physical condition and vision. This activity became a stepping stone to continue his next work.

2. Adrian Yunan: From Sintas to Exit Road

The album Sintas, released in 2017, became Adrian's first solo work after leaving ERK. He worked on it at home, alongside efforts to adapt to his new physical condition and vision. "Working on the Sintas album was actually my way of coping with my mental condition. Because I felt like, 'Oh no, is this the end of my life?' you know," he revealed.

In the midst of that process, the presence of his child became a trigger that strengthened his determination to continue creating. Adrian reconsidered his role in the family and looked for ways to persevere. "But when the child started to grow up, I thought again, I mean, what does my child need? A father who has a fighting spirit, you know. I kept thinking, how am I going to fight? In the end, it was music again," he explained.

After Sintas, he continued his musical journey with a second album titled Exit Road. The initial idea came from a friend who often accompanied him during the recording process. "Exit Road actually came from a friend's idea. He was the one who often hung out with me while I was recording at Merah Studio, at Reza Hilman's place," he clarified.

3. Celebration of Going Out, Collaboration in Every Song

For Adrian, the Exit Road is a marker of him starting to dare to go out again after years of adapting. He describes it as a simple yet important celebration moment. "It feels like this world is new to me. It's strange as someone who can't see, and it turns out there are many new phenomena in Jakarta," he revealed.

The desire to return to activities outside the home became the main motivation for the birth of this album, especially after spending more than five years mostly at home. "The trigger was because I really wanted to feel like having a celebration after being at home for more than five years," he said.

This album was created with a collaborative approach, inviting friends in each song. Every meeting became a space to share stories, marking that he is socializing again and processing through music.

"So every song has to have different people. As a depiction that I am playing again, socializing again, sharing my thoughts with people again," he explained.

(kpl/far/phi)