Exclusive Interview with Andien
Almost a decade ago, a very young girl came up in the Indonesian music scene and surprised everyone with her talent. Andini Aisyah Hariadi, better known as Andien, launched her debut album at that time entitled “Bisikan Hati” (Heart Whispers). She appeared as a jazz singer, a genre that wasn’t really popular at that time. It was a risky move, but she did it. Against all odds she emerged as a successful female jazz vocalist with a clear concept at once. With her satin smooth vocal and lovely breath of jazz, I knew that she would bring jazz into a certain place that we would never imagine before. And the fact is she’s getting stronger.
Andien started it all very early, since she was still on the 3rd grade of elementary school. On the 6th grade she joined Elfa Music Studio and had her talents shaped formally. Soon after that, her debut album appeared, and it was a huge success. This debut album was followed by two other successful albums, “Kinanti” (2002) and “Gemintang” (2005). Unfortunately Gemintang was the last album we’ve got so far. Nevertheless her popularity is still strong. Besides continuing her solo career she also joined 4 other great vocalists from different backgrounds, Rieka Roeslan, Nina Tamam, Iga Mawarni and Yuni Shara in a group called “5 Wanita” (5 Females). This is a very interesting vocal group that I believe will shape her even better into her maturity.
If you miss her, here’s big news. A new album of Andien is coming soon. It’s going to be great to have it after waiting for 4 years. Andien promised her new album to be in more mature concept and still in jazz. I’m sure this news would make her fans very happy. Hopefully everything goes smooth until the album released.
We met Andien right after her performance at Halaman Monthly Jazz October Edition two weeks ago. As usual it’s always fun to talk with this lovely and down to earth girl. Let’s get deeper with Andien and know what she says about her new album and many more.
Andien, great to see you again in Bandung. As far as I recall, it’s been a long time since the last time you came here
Yes, it’s been a while.. one thing for sure, I really missed being here
Is there anything special about your performance in Bandung?
I think Bandung is always special, cozy, and cooler place compared to others.. It has got friendly atmosphere, the audiences always feel comfortable, and they are always supportive. It’s nice to be together with Bandung audiences.
The environment is really important, right?
Very much. Especially in a place like this.. open air, cozy, and the songs brought tonight were all nice.. everything is just perfect for tonight.
We haven’t heard about you a lot lately.. seems like we lost you. Where have you been?
I’m still here, still sing as usual.. maybe because you haven’t seen me on TV for sometimes, and no new album released yet until now.. But I still sing regularly.
Talking about your new album, I’ve heard that your new album is coming soon. The last one was released long time ago in 2005. What makes the new album take much time to come?
Actually I had difficulties moving to a new label, from Warner to Platinum. It’s also been difficult to select the songs, especially since I’m rather perfectionist. People might say, what’s the problem? Just make a mini album with two to four songs, but I never want it that way. I always have a huge responsibility for my album. That’s why if you notice, I never release any album without a strong concept, right?
Absolutely right. You’ve never made any “repackage” album (the re-release of the previous album with one or two new songs added).
Yes, I’ll never want that. Talking about the concept, I have to fit the concept to choose the producer, the music, the lyrics, and everything else behind it. I don’t want to do it unenthusiastically. And since I move to a new label, maybe we still don’t know each other perfectly yet. Many artists just think of making it fast, make one song with a producer and the other with another producer, but I always make my album as one complete story from start to finish. That’s why it always takes much time for me to make an album, including this new one. Actually I already got some songs to launch as single hits. Some people would just use those songs and add them with the old ones, just take some from the previous album to fill up the list, it won’t be used as video clips anyway, but for me, it’s my responsibility, and it’s difficult to make because of that.
I see.. it sounds complicated indeed.
Well, in addition, in this album I include some new names. If in previous albums there were Elfa Secioria, Indra Lesmana and Tohpati, in the new album I’ve got to give something new. It was difficult to find who would be perfect for it. But in the end, I came back to my own friends.. friends who were with me in a band when I was still at the junior high school. One of them is Nikita Dompas.. he’s my old friend. It’s a challenge for them, also a challenge for me too actually. Can we make it better then the previous ones.. I’m so much into this new album.
Working with your own close friends should be easier and more fun right?
On the contrary. You know, because they can criticize me freely. Let me give you an example. Once I wrote the lyrics, then they couldn’t understand what I wanted to say from it, they went all the way preaching me 7 days a week, they would talk to me everyday for 5 hours, brain storming me about life and so on.. so it’s more difficult as a matter of fact. But besides that, it’s really fun to work with my own friends. The problem is they always straight to the point without caring my feeling (laugh)
Can we get a clue how your new album will look like?
Actually because I’ve been recognized as someone who likes to sing jazz, I have responsibility to make the album in jazzy way. For me it’s light jazzy, but I don’t know why some people think it’s quite heavy.
Funny, because on the other side, many people said that you are going more pop lately
Yeah, that’s right. Many people said that. Sometimes I can’t understand what they really want from me. When I released my first album, they said it was too much jazzy, but then when I gave them some pop, they asked why I changed directions. Well, let’s just wait and see how this one will be. I don’t understand why people always consider I’m a jazz singer, and never pop..
It’s because you have a strong jazz character on your vocal.
Well I guess so…and that’s why I don’t want to throw it. The fact is that I have a deal with my label not to make it too jazzy. I think it’s more like adult contemporary.
So it’s going to be more serious and mature than before?
Absolutely. It’s going to be much, much more mature this time. The meaning behind the songs and everything else are a lot more mature.
I’ve read before that it is supposed to be released last June?
It is supposed to be ready in June, August, October, November, it keeps on getting postponed. Basically I’ve been so busy lately. The same thing goes to my producers; both of them are session players, Nikita and Rifka. Rifka is playing with Glenn Fredly. So we are all busy. I hope it will be ready to be released soon.
Let’s go back in time. You started so early, and had your debut album when you were just 15 year old. You decided jazz as your style, which I think it was a very risky decision for you to do that. How could you do that?
Well, it actually happened because at that time I was still 15 and I didn’t think much. When I think of it today, it was very risky actually, because the fact is, it wasn’t easy at all to enter the jazz world. At that moment there were not so many jazz singers, jazz bands, and jazz events like today. At that time I only sang the song I liked, that’s all.
Who actually directed you to jazz?
No one I think.. actually I liked bossa nova very much ever since I was still a kid. I new nothing about swing at the very beginning, I just started learning it 5 years ago.
A… ha..bossa, no wonder you included “The Boy From Ipanema” in your first album.. Do you think it’s possible to earn your living from jazz? The fact shows that jazz has not enough support from the medias, do you have any difficulties building your career?
I don’t think so.. maybe because I don’t have to go jazz all the time. No difficulties at all, even though I still don’t choose the same direction as most of the singer today. Let’s say, if I sing pop, I don’t sing it like the way they do. But thank God, I can still make a living smoothly. I’m not too glamour like many other artists though. For me what’s important is how deep you would learn music in general. In my opinion it won’t be good if you only stay in jazz. In the place I am learning right now, they teach me to sing in all kinds of genres, and that widen my horizon. Also when you improvise, it does not always have to be only the kind of jazz improvisation.
You know, I’m also neutralizing my ears.. because my music collection are mostly taken from my grandfather’s music library.. so I’ve lost many music era. 90’s is still quite okay, but I really lost the 80’s era. That’s why right now I’m learning more 80’s songs, as it seems like the trend today to go back in those days.
You still have vocal lesson, What for? You’ve already had fantastic vocal.
Of course I still have vocal lesson. I learn it till now. I think I’m not good enough yet, I still have to fix many things.
I’ve been willing to ask you this, since you started your career from such an early age, have you ever felt like you lost your childhood?
Not at all. From the first time I started singing I never planned to be Britney Spears. I never wanted to be like Agnes Monica, a superstar style kind of.. I have a very simple life. When I was in high school, my parents warned me not to accept any job except on Saturdays and Sundays. So I still had time to study, played with my friends, had a boyfriend, and spent some valuable time with my family.. it’s so an easy life. It was the same when I went to college. So in other words, I have a balanced life, no more, no less. My time with my family, friends, boyfriend, education and singing career, they are all balanced. And you could see that. I never rise to the top like others do but also never fall to the ground like others do too. I’ve seen many artists that became very popular so fast, but then they’re gone really soon. Some artists that released their albums at the time I released “Gemintang”, really long time ago, almost do nothing. But Thank God, I still keep on going. Usually I still perform twice a week, sometimes three times, and that’s really good. And I’m sure it’s also because my wish to keep doing this constantly and don’t want to go too far.
It’s nice to know that. I see that too, you are still famous even without any new albums for 4 years. Everybody still remember you no matter what.
Maybe it’s because I want to be simple and consistence to what I’m doing. I don’t want to go too far. I never plan for something out of my reach.. that’s why if people ask me what your plan is, how big you want your concert to be, I gotta think a lot to answer that. As you may know, sometimes I feel nervous to stand on big stages. This stage tonight was perfect for me. It was very intimate. I felt comfortable in smaller stage like this, not too big room, where people enjoyed their moments from their seats, but they really appreciated my music. Not the kind of audience who are busy, jumping or running everywhere, I can’t control those kinds of audiences.
You’re one of “5 Wanita” (5 Females). It’s a very interesting group consisting of 5 great female vocalists with different backgrounds. Can you tell us a bit about it?
5 Wanita is a special project. Seems we are formed for particular purpose, performing in specific important events (laugh), we are very selective. Those who invited us are usually the kind of events with strong concept.
Talking about concept, what’s the concept of 5 Wanita?
I think we base on our variety, so it’s more cool and interesting. We have known each other before, only we haven’t jammed together yet.
Is it fun to be in one group with singers from different music backgrounds?
Absolutely. It’s really fun. This is a really colorful group. We never knew how well can Yuni Shara sang jazz standard, or we didn’t know how Rieka (Rieka Roeslan) and Iga (Iga Mawarni) sang in pop.. so we learned from one another and we explore on stage too.
But you haven’t released any recording yet with 5 Wanita right?
Yeah not yet, but we will.
One last question, what’s your immediate plan?
First thing to do, I’m going to finish this album, release it as soon as possible and focus on the promotional stuffs. I really wish this album could offer something different than what we used to listen in music programs on TV everyday. I’m very optimistic, mostly optimistic to be different. I don’t know this album will succeed or not, but hopefully it will.
Interviewed by: Riandy Kurniawan
Photographer: Eghi Gabred
Special Thanks to : Alhenri Wijaya
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