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 eighth edition I went upclose-and-personal with Mian Tiara.
MIAN TIARA
Singer, Songwriter
What music are you into at the moment?
The Tallest Man On Earth, Arrington de Dionyso’s Malaikat dan Singa.
What was the first record you bought—any interesting story about it?
I can’t remember, really. Maybe…between Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Mötley Crüe or Bon Jovi. Those were the music I listened to when I was a kid. I remember having a collections of tapes though. Most of them were rock and metal.
What are your all-time favorite albums?
Tough question. Joni Mitchell’s Blue is definitely one of them. The Beatles, Revolver album. Um, I don’t know. I got confused when I have to pick which music or what album to be my favorite. Maybe it’s because I enjoy each one of them. And what I listen to is constantly change. It’s all part of a process, really. And they all equally inspirational.
What was the worst record you ever purchased?
The worst? Hmm, I don’t believe I have any. I’m quite selective in buying records.
Who do you want to be, other than yourself, next time you reincarnate?
If there is reincarnation I would want to be… I don’t know. Hahaha! I don’t want to be anybody else I guess, I just want to have the ability to change a few things in life. Some stories that I can change just to make it better, you know.
What album do you choose to start your weekend?
Whichever album from The Tallest Man On Earth’s.
And song/album you choose to end your weekend?
I always go for different album, really. This weekend could be another album from The Tallest Man On Earth or Patrick Watson or Kurt Rosenwinkel, the next would be Latcho Drom, Explosions In The Sky or Grizzly Bear or Buena Vista Social Club or Arrington de Dionyso’s Malaikat dan Singa or else.
But recently I go for music that takes me straight to different places the second it’s played to my ears. All I have to do is just close my eyes and be someplace else. That’s my great escape.
Mian Tiara was just performing in Djakarta Artmosphere with Leonardo and performed with The All Female Ensemble in 33th Jazz Goes To Campus.
Last November she started another music project with friends; TJ Eckleberg, Didi Mudigdo and Reza Achman and had a session with them under the name Yo Grabo! She had the session recorded in Bandung for a week. Currently she’s preparing for the next album.
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*This interview was originally published on The Beat (Jakarta) #28, December 2010
*1st photo (sephia) courtesy of Anton Ismael
*2nd photo (concert) courtesy of Nikensari Pristandari