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Domestic Groove: AYU LAKSMI

DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb's Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it's an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia's public figures are really into, musically speaking. For the 11th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Ayu Laksmi.
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DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb’s Chosen Seven is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it’s an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia’s public figures are really into, musically speaking.

For the 11th edition I went upclose-and-personal with Ayu Laksmi.

AYU LAKSMI
Singer, Songwriter

What music are you into at the moment?
Original music/albums that have just been released by my good friends like Riwin, Oded, ChaCahyadi, Yoichi Ikeda dan Gde Kurniawan. From pop to rock to jazz!

What was the first record you bought? Any interesting stories behind it?
A song name “Gunung Fujiyama” by Titik Sandhora, when I was 4 years old hahaha…
That was my favorite song, I remember one time I cried like hell when I heard the song being sung by the neighbour’s child. I said to my grandma, “That is my song, nobody is allowed to sing it, will you ask her to stop singing it now…”
Then when I hit my teenage era my attention became a bit different: I started listening to other kinds of music which was more classic/art rock.

What are your all-time favorite albums and artists? Why?
When I was still a teenager I really loved albums released by this label from Bandung called YESS. I collected many of their releases. With my friends at school, we went hunting and started collecting almost anything they published.
“Owner of a Lonely Heart”, was my favorite song. Later on I was crazy for whatever Sting made (Wow, with this guy, to be honest, I’m dying in love with him). Other artists like Rush, Aerosmith, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Tania Maria, Annie Lennox, they’ll always be my forever idols.

What was the worst record you ever purchased?
None. I always try to appreciate every kind of music composed by someone somewhere in this universe—no matter how it is presented. As long as it does not steal other people’s creation.

Who do you want to be, other than yourself, next time you reincarnate?
I still wanna be an artist and producer as well—but smarter with a good knowledge, graduated at the best music school. I wanna be richer and more establish, managed by a professional management team, supported by many teams and crews, in order to be able to make my wildest dreams come true.

What song/album do you choose to start your weekend?
I’m not really fixated with weekends or weekdays hehehe… My mood guides me to be active that day or not. It does not matter it is weekend or not. I just know that when I’m driving I love to listen to the music of Sting.
When I’m working at home I prefer to be quiet, no sound at all. I listen to the music, not as a background but really listen to it.

And song/album you choose to end your weekend?
Oh well, please see the answer above.

On a national scale, Ayu Laksmi is currently busy touring big cities in Bali and Java to promote her brand new album, Svara Semesta. She’ll also participate in the Bali Spirit Festival in March.
On international level, she’s in the process of going on a tour across America with Nyanyian Dharma.

____________________

*This interview was originally published on The Beat Jakarta #32, February 2011
*Photo of YESS tapes courtesy of gwmusic.wordpress.com

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Rudolf Dethu

Rudolf Dethu

Music journalist, writer, radio DJ, socio-political activist, creative industry leader, and a qualified librarian, Rudolf Dethu is heavily under the influence of the punk rock philosophy. Often tagged as this country’s version of Malcolm McLaren—or as Rolling Stone Indonesia put it ‘the grand master of music propaganda’—a name based on his successes when managing Bali’s two favourite bands, Superman Is Dead and Navicula, both who have become two of the nation’s biggest rock bands.
Rudolf Dethu

Rudolf Dethu

Music journalist, writer, radio DJ, socio-political activist, creative industry leader, and a qualified librarian, Rudolf Dethu is heavily under the influence of the punk rock philosophy. Often tagged as this country’s version of Malcolm McLaren—or as Rolling Stone Indonesia put it ‘the grand master of music propaganda’—a name based on his successes when managing Bali’s two favourite bands, Superman Is Dead and Navicula, both who have become two of the nation’s biggest rock bands.

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