She’s Got Rhythm

One of the freshest musical debutantes from Bandung is she, short for Sound and Harmony Eclectic, a band of seven female musicians. They are Achi on violin, Adisti on drum, Arnie on bass, Melly on vocal, Qoqo on electric guitar, Riry on acoustic guitar and Yayo on keyboard.

But don’t assume it’s a bunch of ambitious but little talented young women trying to keep tune with the male bands that dominate today’s local music scene. They know they are just as good as other musicians of similar experience, and they are comfortable in their own skin.

What they have to offer is music that sounds feminine. “The details, from the melody and lyrics to the arrangement, are sweet and beautiful,” said Achi.

The public is responding positively. Slow Down Baby, she’s first single from the band’s second album, reached number 3 in MTV Ampuh, the top 20 charts, by mid-September (it didn’t hurt that the number was used as the theme song for a popular teen soap). The band is preparing to shoot a second video clip and album sales.

Since it was formed in 2000, she has gone through a lot, losing a vocalist and guitarist, switching management teams and recouping after its first album flopped two years ago. Band members attribute their ability to take the industry’s hard knocks partly to the laid-back city they hail from.

“A lot of bands here are built based on family” values, said Arni, compared to the more competitive environment of Jakarta. That means taking things easy and turning the other cheek, not to mention banding together when the going gets rough.

It looks like a good recipe so far: she has bounced back with a new collection that’s naughtier and more pop than ever, ready for their blast off into the big time.

+ Sonja Fransisca