Release 'Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu', Kadri Brings Retro City Pop with Minang Language

Kapanlagi.com - Known as the singing lawyer, Kadri, the uniquely vibrating vocalist, returns to enliven the Indonesian music industry with her latest single titled Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu, created by Agung Triyana. This song presents a unique blend of retro city pop vibes with modern explorations of the Minang language to reach Generation Z.

Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu raises the theme of inner conflict that resonates with many people's lives about unexpressed longing, love that has yet to be spoken, the shame that hinders, and the distance that separates. These emotions are conveyed through poetic and meaningful lyrics in the Minang language, adding a different color to the current pop music landscape.

From a musicality perspective, this song is wrapped in the light, groovy, and nostalgic style of 80s city pop. The dominance of classic synthesizers, warm rhythms, and clean production creates a retro atmosphere that remains relevant to contemporary listeners' tastes, making it enjoyable to listen to in various settings without turning it into a conventional regional song.

1. Depth of Emotion

Kadri, the 80s rock singer who has recently become productive with the release of 2 legendary singles KARMILA (Farid Hardja) 2024, and Bareh Solok (Nuskan Syarif) 2025, in this single takes a fresher approach offering a new sub-culture of Minang pop music that is more open.

"As a singer, I feel this song has a strong emotional depth and it is very challenging to sing. For that, I try to hold back my ego and emotions from exploding as I usually do when singing rock. This time, it’s enough to sing softly because the poetic Minang language gives a very honest and personal feeling in conveying emotions. Hopefully, Gen-Z can see that regional languages can also feel cool and relatable to their current lives." said Kadri.

Agung Triyana, as the songwriter added, "We want to prove that songs in regional languages can also feel universal. With a light city pop style notation that is easy to enjoy, ‘Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu’ is expected to break local boundaries and be accepted by listeners in Japan like a Padang restaurant."

2. Journey of the Heart

Kadri © Special

Meanwhile, his music producer Jonathan Mono stated, "Our focus is to create a sound that is warm, catchy, and pleasant to listen to without losing the cultural character within it. This is an effort to bring local languages to a broader level—that they can be modern, relevant, and have global appeal."

Dvh.Bale, who worked on the music video for Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu, translates it with a cinematic style; the music video is not just about a physical journey but also an emotional journey about loyalty, longing, and the courage to embrace hope.

In the music video, Dvh.Bale visualizes Kadri, the singer and model, starting his journey with his yellow vespa, traversing Kelok Sembilan, Harau, and Bukit Tinggi. The beautiful tapestry of nature in the Minangkabau region feels like the twists and turns of longing that he must go through, as if waiting for news from his beloved.

Meanwhile, his music producer Jonathan Mono stated, “Our focus is to create a sound that is warm, catchy, and pleasant to listen to without losing the cultural character within it. This is an effort to bring local languages to a broader level—that they can be modern, relevant, and have global appeal.”

Dvh.Bale, who worked on the music video for Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu, translates it with a cinematic style; the music video is not just about a physical journey but also an emotional journey—about loyalty, longing, and the courage to embrace hope.

In the music video, Dvh. Bale, visualizing Kadri, the singer and also his model, begins the journey with his yellow vespa, crossing Kelok Sembilan, Harau, and Bukit Tinggi. The beauty of the natural carpet of the Minangkabau land feels like the twists and turns of longing that he must go through, as if waiting for news from his beloved.

3. Bridging Hearts

"His yellow Vespa moves slowly, not just crossing distances, but also bridging distant hearts. Every journey, every view, is a reminder of dreams and love that must be cherished, even when separated by distance," concluded Dvh. Bale.

The artwork for this song was created by Gema Ramadhan, a photographer who is passionate about vintage Vespas and often takes road trips through the beautiful nature of West Sumatra.

4. The Beauty of Minangkabau

Through Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu, Kadri not only presents a musical work but also expands the use of the poetic Minangkabau language and showcases the beauty of nature and Minangkabau culture in a visual form with a modern and easily accepted packaging, breaking away from the conventional Minang songs that are lamenting and melancholic, while also being a concrete step for regional language pop songs to compete on a broader stage.

The single Sabana Malu Sabana Rindu is now available on various digital music platforms and Kadri's YouTube channel.

(kpl/pur/tdr)