Hellen Ritano
Three years ago, a little oudoor venue in Kemang was packed with people of various genres and ages coming to witness the performance of the unique and talented TIKA. One of the very few female singers chosing the path of independent music, rather than the glitzy stage offered by the major labels. We should be thankful she did so. Although she could have easily squashed the so-called Indonesian divas with her highly skilled vocal, TIKA’s character would have been murdered had she entered the major labels’ arena. Although there is a downside. Not enough exposures makes TIKA rather hard to find.
Her music have been dubbed by many as trip hop. Some calls it jazz. All with valid reasons, although the songstress herself claims she would rather call it noir due to the dark mood reminiscence of old french Noir films.
A few months ago during my visit to Indonesia, I made a stop in Bandung and for the second time managed to catch the singer’s gig at Café Potluck. Despite the poor quality of the soundsystem, TIKA managed to give an astonishing performance with her four piece band of guitar, bass, drums and keyboard players.
Only a few familiar songs from her last album ‘Frozen Love Songs’ were on the play list. The rest are new materials quite shockingly different from anything we’d heard before.
The new sound is a lot rockier, heavy on guitar. Arrangements have a more dynamic progression compared to her trippy drony sounds from the ol’ Frozen album. Though I cant yet say if I like the direction of her new music, I give my humble praises for the way TIKA performed the songs. Emotional, explorative, gutsy, bold and beautiful.
On my last visit to Indonesia, I was asked to do an interview on TIKA for the feature of inTune magazine, which I jumped at enthusiastically.
I was given a number which I thought would be TIKA’s manager’s number, but turned out to be her personal mobile.
“I have a gig tonight at IKJ (Jakarta Art Institute).” She said “Should we meet there? We’ll chat after the gig.”
Arriving early allowed me to catch acts by mediocre girlband Bikini’s and the always splendid White Shoes & the Couples Co.
TIKA was up next. Just before she climbed up stage, she told me “I am not feeling well. Fevers.” But as predicted, she didn’t sound like she was ill once she rocked the mic.
The singer wore a hooded sweater, a micro mini skirt, and a pair of red knee-high leather boots. An outfit that went well with her whole stage attitude. An attitude that screams “fuck off” in a most pleasant way. Though it did give the audience a reason to throw ill-mannered remarks.
After the last song Mayday, a dark marching song with a Labour Day theme, it became apparent her new punk-rocky edge actually does suit her better.
“It was not intended. We (she and her band) jam, we write songs, it comes out like it did, and we let it. ” Tika says when asked about her new direction “I have different sides of me, that surfaces at different times, but they’re all me. When I wrote the first album, my gloomy side dominated. This time the playful side, and the angry side, is more dominant.”
The mood of your new songs are definitely changing. But your appearance changes too. Can you tell us about your new look?
Well a lot of people havent seen me in more then two years, since the last album. So of course my look would seem different. But its not intended. I just opted for a more casual outfit to wear onstage, yet stll have character. I have always loved wearing boots. The hoody allow me to block my view so it doesn’t feel like anyone’s watching. And the skirt… well maybe to piss people off. A fat girl in a miniskirt. hahaha. Reclaiming the rights to wear short skirts for girls with big thighs, haha.
Kudos to that. I heard a member of the audience commenting about your body while you were on stage. Does that bother you?
It does not happen a lot, but when it does, yes it pisses me off. Its bad enough that the entertainment industry have narrowed the beauty standards, dictating that women and men should look a certain way to be on TV or on stage. But to receive these comments at indie gigs, from these so called indie kids who are supposedly open minded, its ironic. I felt like saying “If you hate my music, you can shit on me all you want. But my body has nothing to do with it. So hush!”
How do you feel about the Jakarta indie scene in general?
I have dwindled a little bit from the so called scene this past year. I havent been too social lately. But compared to the start of the boom, back in 2001-2002, its grown from being a community of close knitted friends to its own little industry. Bands have gone from simply playing music to having our own management teams, indie record labels, indie E.Os and such. Which is good for the most part. But has its downside on the intimacy. Back when a club called Parc (Jakarta’s answer to CBGB’s) was still running, it was easier to meet and hang out with everyone. Now it has disbanded into smaller cliques.
The new song, Mayday, is about labour day.Why that particular topic? Do you associate yourself with labour movements?
There are different perceptions on the term labour. What do you define as labour? The term labour is often labeled to those working in factories, rice fields, physical labour generally. To me, labour is the entire workforce. Accountants, waitress, teachers, editors, journalists. We’re all laboured by companies and people with capital. Arent we all, like it or hate it, financially depending on these companies to keep a roof ever our heads and feed our kids? So that makes us labours just as much.
Who is helping you with the new upcoming album?
The four guys in my band, for sure. We write songs together. Iman Fattah is still producing. He’s the main motivator. He’s the father of the project. Now Nikita Dompas is involved too. He’s a jazz guitarist with a completely insane reference of music. Not just your everyday jazzer. Great bunch of people. I am grateful.
Will the songs in the album sound a lot like the live performance?
Probably a little more garnished. But still focusing on the five basic instrument. Vocals, guitar, bass, drums and piano.
When can we be expecting it?
Hopefully sometime this year.
