Controversy Over Monkey Sticker in Music Video, Radja Apologizes to Vadel Badjideh

Kapanlagi.com - The band Radja has finally addressed dancer Vadel Badjideh's objections regarding the use of a monkey sticker that covered his face in their latest music video, Apa Sih. Ian Kasela and his colleagues emphasized that there was no intention to demean or insult Vadel in the video.

"We apologize to Vadel and Bintang. Clearly, we did not intend to disrespect them," said Ian Kasela at a press conference held in the Warung Jati area, South Jakarta, on Monday (23/12/2024).

The music video Apa Sih is Radja's latest work featuring singer Cinderella. In the video, Vadel and his brother, Bintang Badjideh, were invited as models and dancers. However, Vadel expressed his objections because his face was edited using a monkey sticker without prior agreement.

1. An Appreciation

Radja © instagram.com/radjabandofficial

Ian explained that the addition of the stickers was actually intended as an appreciation for Vadel's unique style, which they consider similar to Bruno Mars. "We actually want to elevate Vadel and Bintang as Indonesia's Bruno Mars. Their style in the music video is also directed that way," said Ian.

In agreement with Ian, Moldy, the guitarist of Radja, also emphasized that they had no bad intentions. According to him, this collaboration is a form of support for Vadel and Bintang.

"Ian said, 'Let’s support each other, they are dancers, so it’s our music video. We are side by side, not competing'," added Moldy.

Even though they have apologized, Moldy still understands if their intentions can be interpreted differently by others. "That’s why sometimes our intentions and goals can be perceived differently by people. Feel free to express your opinions, this is democracy, right? So it’s up to Vadel what comments he wants to make," Moldy explained.

2. Not Withdrawn

The objection raised by Vadel did not make Radja intend to withdraw the music video from the YouTube platform. Moldy revealed that the music video has been released since last Saturday and has been viewed nearly 200 thousand times.

"But clearly, the music video has been released since last Saturday and has nearly 200 thousand viewers. It's a shame to evaluate it. So we will not withdraw the music video," Moldy asserted.

Ian added that the entire production process went through a review before the video was published. "We reviewed it just before it went up. We think the content is safe, so we just published it directly," he said.

Despite the controversy surrounding the music video, Radja remains committed to supporting the creativity of their collaborators. They hope that all parties can understand that artworks are sometimes interpreted differently by each person.

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(kpl/aal/tdr)