00:00 Peace be upon you. What's going on? I'm Alif and you're watching Gempa Jam Session.
00:07 I've been raised by my family. I have three younger siblings.
00:19 I think I make music because my character when I'm making music is the same as me.
00:28 I'm about ten years old. I'm like a stick.
00:33 So, even though time passes, every time I go into the studio, I make music.
00:39 It's the same as me.
00:41 My character is... I'm noisy in my personal space.
00:48 If there's a lot of people, I'm quieter.
00:55 But if there's a lot of people, I'm quiet.
00:59 To be honest, I don't want to talk about my struggles.
01:04 When I'm facing difficulties, I'm too...
01:15 ...into music that doesn't feel like a struggle.
01:23 Now that I look back, I'm like...
01:27 ...I'm crazy.
01:30 I don't know how I got through that phase.
01:35 But one thing that gives me strength is the fact that I'm very committed to music.
01:44 I once told this story.
01:46 I was driving and my parents always turned on the radio.
01:52 I always think about the songs I listen to.
01:57 The songs are good but I feel like there's more that I can do.
02:02 At that time, I wasn't making music. I was just a listener.
02:07 I felt like...
02:10 ...this is nice but I know there's more that can be done.
02:15 I kept that feeling until now.
02:20 Now, it's less.
02:22 In the beginning, it was a bit difficult.
02:27 But again, I'm very focused on music and it makes me happy.
02:34 I was in the studio at that time.
02:36 It helped me.
02:39 Now, it's much better.
02:42 Of course, I get lonely sometimes because I'm a driver.
02:47 Most of the time, I'm alone.
02:50 First things first, Shariff, the singer in Slick, is my cousin.
02:59 He's my family.
03:02 We can't run away.
03:04 We have to meet up for Eid.
03:07 We're still very close.
03:10 We've been planning to do Slick for 10 years.
03:15 When it was 10 years, we decided to learn to live on our own.
03:21 We have our own experiences.
03:24 Before that, it was just the two of us.
03:26 He supported me and I supported him.
03:28 Now, after we've decided, he's doing his own thing.
03:34 He's very happy with his family and my business.
03:37 If you're asking me if Slick will ever come back,
03:44 I honestly don't want that.
03:46 I'm satisfied with what Slick has done.
03:52 If you miss Slick, listen to Slick.
03:55 That's what I want to say.
03:59 We have to appreciate our artists while they're making music.
04:05 Sometimes, when I hear people say, "Come back."
04:12 I didn't hear that before.
04:14 When I was in Slick, people didn't care.
04:19 I recorded in Jakarta.
04:27 When I was performing there, there was a We The Fest.
04:31 I'm happy to see you from afar
04:35 A love that's not always together
04:41 I have three studio sessions.
04:46 "Dari Jauh" is one of the three songs I've done there.
04:50 I worked with Teddy Aditya and Kenny Gabriel.
04:58 That was the first time I worked with a producer for my song.
05:03 I've only worked with other artists before.
05:08 It was a little bit out of my comfort zone.
05:13 I realized that this had to happen.
05:16 As artists, we can't be comfortable.
05:20 We're the entertainment providers.
05:24 We have to have the responsibility to challenge ourselves
05:29 and see how far we can go as artists.
05:33 This is the direction we chose.
05:35 I have a lot of feelings.
05:40 It's easy to make a song.
05:45 I won't call this singing.
05:53 It's just for me.
05:55 It's still in my DNA.
06:01 The songs I've done, whether it's a chorus or my own songs,
06:07 they have a melody.
06:09 But people who aren't used to the style,
06:14 or people who don't know what genre to call it,
06:21 they put me in the rap category.
06:24 From a distance, it's closer to me than anything.
06:42 Maybe in terms of the angle,
06:48 this song is not as...
06:52 The speakers are not as loud.
06:56 Maybe that's one factor that makes it different.
07:03 But if we want to get down to the real details,
07:07 it's actually very close to my DNA.
07:10 Many times.
07:17 I've fallen in love many times.
07:19 It doesn't have to be just a partner.
07:26 It could be our parents,
07:29 our members,
07:32 after graduating from school,
07:35 we have to separate.
07:37 I've felt that many times.
07:41 Maybe that's why I'm easy to let go of that feeling.
07:45 I don't want to make a song.
07:47 Jalan Cita is just a vehicle to convey my feelings to the listeners.
07:53 Actually, the listeners can decide for themselves.
07:58 I don't know their story.
08:01 If they listen, they can feel their own situation,
08:06 then there's no wrong answer.
08:11 I'm looking for my personal choice as an artist.
08:15 I'm planning to roll out my career.
08:18 With great help from my own team and their expertise.
08:24 I want to make a music video that's closer to the people.
08:32 Before this, many of my music videos were more like fantasy.
08:38 We have luxury cars, angles,
08:42 nice clothes, fashion.
08:46 I want to make a music video that makes my members feel like
08:55 they've worked there before.
08:57 I've worked there, I know the people there.
09:00 That's why I came up with the storyline.
09:04 The talented team in Jakarta took the idea and localized it.
09:11 We have a clothing store.
09:13 By the way, the clothing store sells clothes.
09:16 We give them free promotion for their clothes.
09:21 But we can't guarantee if it's still there.
09:23 There's this outfit.
09:25 We tried it and it didn't look good.
09:31 We had to find another outfit but we ran out of it.
09:34 There was one scene where we didn't have an outfit.
09:38 After trying out the best looking one,
09:40 I thought it looked bad.
09:43 The stylist decided to cut it.
09:48 So, she cut the outfit and wore it.
09:52 It looked much better.
09:54 I was brave to cut the outfit.
10:00 In my opinion, if you make a mistake,
10:02 you'll have no clothes.
10:04 You don't know what to do.
10:06 You don't know if you can wear your clothes at home.
10:08 That's one of the few things that happened.
10:13 I don't have any advice, solution or idea for anyone.
10:25 I think that's life.
10:28 Life is the best thing.
10:30 If I have time,
10:33 I'll pray for the people I love.
10:39 I hope everyone will be calm over time.
10:44 Time will decide.
10:46 I can't say for sure.
10:48 The album will be released next.
10:51 We'll save it for the album.
10:53 I'm excited for the album.
10:57 It's very hard.
10:58 It's my debut album.
11:00 My first ever album.
11:02 It might surprise a few of my listeners.
11:05 They might not notice that I have a detailed album.
11:08 I don't have a solo album.
11:11 I don't have a catalogue.
11:13 I only have singles.
11:15 I'm tired of dropping singles.
11:17 This is my first single album.
11:19 There's a lot.
11:25 Zain and Zain.
11:26 A few underground local hip-hop artists.
11:30 Ramli Sariq.
11:33 What?
11:36 Five favourite songs.
11:38 I have to look at the playlist.
11:40 I'm afraid I'll forget.
11:42 Five favourite songs?
11:45 No Order.
11:50 Just five?
11:52 Sayang Orang Baik.
11:55 Buat Selama Ni.
11:56 Adakah Kau Mendengar.
11:58 Terbit.
12:03 That's enough.
12:07 I don't want to reverse.
12:09 I'm so sorry.
12:11 I love you all the same.
12:14 The fifth favourite song is...
12:17 Dari Jauh.
12:19 I'm not good at saying that.
12:23 Right?
12:24 It's not my favourite.
12:26 That's why I'm promoting it.
12:27 I'm not trying to pick a genre.
12:30 I'm trying to see how we can be closer...
12:33 ...to an artist's DNA.
12:36 Our genre is traditional.
12:42 Pop, hip-hop, rock are borrowed genres.
12:47 Our own is traditional.
12:52 I'm in the process of...
12:54 ...finding a way to combine all my references...
13:00 ...to what I'm interested in.
13:02 I'm interested in all the songs.
13:03 City North End.
13:06 I mean, Raihan.
13:07 I was about to sing.
13:12 I'm interested in...
13:16 ...Limp Bizkit, Eminem.
13:19 I'm interested in all of them.
13:21 So...
13:22 ...from there...
13:24 ...I'm trying to find a way to develop myself...
13:29 ...in a way that...
13:31 ...the genre is...
13:32 ...alive.
13:35 I once did a showcase at a test market...
13:39 ...after COVID.
13:41 I realised it was really nice.
13:43 It was really not what I expected.
13:47 I'm really grateful to see...
13:50 ...who came.
13:51 Sometimes we don't know who listened to our songs.
13:53 I love that about music.
13:56 If I were to do a concert, I would definitely do it after the album is released.
14:02 At least I can...
14:03 I can see it.
14:05 I see a whole plan.
14:07 With the album and the visuals.
14:09 I see it.
14:14 As long as...
14:15 ...the factors are not ready, I can't plan.
14:19 I can't say it.
14:20 That's all, folks.
14:22 Thank you for tuning in...
14:24 ...to Gempak Jam Session.
14:26 With me, Alan.
14:28 Alan.
14:29 [Music]
14:35 (upbeat music)
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