IT is not often that one gets to attend a concert just a day after the entire nation had gone to the polls, particularly when many shows were left with no choice but to face much dreaded postponements after the Election Commission’s announcement on October 20.
On roughly three hours of sleep and barely out of the haze of the 15th general election – both as a sub-editor on overnight duty and a rather sullen second-time voter – this writer had nonetheless managed to make her way to Zepp Kuala Lumpur yesterday, fuelled by the adrenaline rush that seemed to have spilled over from the weekend’s chain of events.
True enough, that decision turned out to be the right one: in a sparkling one-night-only affair organised by Hitman Solutions, Raisa Andriana, popularly known by her mononym Raisa, dazzled a full house with her velvety timbre and agile runs through a repertoire of over 20 songs, stretching over two hours.
In a stark departure from the delicate, choral studio version, the 32-year-old Indonesian singer-songwriter made a strong opening with Cinta Sederhana, accompanied by heavy drums and guitar riffs in its buildup.
Cinta Sederhana, the first track listed in Raisa’s fourth and latest album It’s Personal, is a “love letter” to her 3-year-old daughter, Zalina Raine Wyllie. The song speaks of a “modest” love that manifests itself not in grand gestures, but in subtle ways that truly matter, including filling the beloved’s need to be protected and understood.
Jangan Cepat Berlalu, another ode to Zalina, is a window into a mother’s fear of seeing her child growing up too quickly before her eyes, and a reflection of her subsequent desperation “to stall time, to delay time”.
Recounting her daughter’s milestones, Raisa told the audience that nothing could have prepared her for the experience of seeing the world through the eyes of her “little bestie”.
Paired with a backdrop of pink clouds visualised by artist Isha Hening, Raisa’s delivery of the song afterwards was nothing short of striking and compelling. Admittedly, this writer’s face was tear-soaked by the end of the performance.
Keen to include more songs from It’s Personal, Raisa also performed Love & Let Go, a song about the inevitability of change and how it could make or break a relationship; Kutukan (Cinta Pertama), a satirical song about the “curse” of a perplexingly ordinary first love whose “spell” continues to bind the persona nonetheless; and Tentang Dirimu, a song about grappling with memories left by someone who is no longer in one’s life.
Segueing into an acoustic segment, the songstress delivered an especially powerful rendition of Teristimewa, a single also written with Zalina in mind and which bears a poignant message: to look beyond the surface and instead delve deeply into another’s mind, heart, and soul to truly “see” how special they are.
No stranger to adding colour to her songs with new arrangements in live performances, older crowd favourites such as Could It Be were given a synth-laden touch earlier on. Hypnotic guitar riffs also brought to life Serba Salah, the single that catapulted Raisa to fame some 11 years ago.
You, an upbeat single written by Gamaliel Tapiheru of GAC fame and who is now pursuing a solo career in singing and songwriting, featured extended guitar solos in place of the song’s bridge.
Having just released a single called Bertahan/Pergi, which narrates the feeling of “being taken for granted” in a relationship and facing a dilemma as to whether to stay or leave, Raisa did not miss the opportunity to perform what she has branded “a simple acoustic song”.
“This is my second time performing it live,” she said.
Closing the show with arguably one of her most notable songs from the Handmade album and her discography as a whole, Raisa sustained her momentum right until the end and roused the crowd with Kali Kedua, who had all filled the hall with a chorus of “Pegang tanganku/Bersama jatuh cinta/Kali kedua/Pada yang sama” (“Hold my hand/Let’s fall in love/For the second time/With the same one”) at her cue.
‘Don’t make me wait for another 12 years’
While known amongst some (or arguably many) as “ratu galau” (“queen of melancholy”) for some of her heartrending tracks such as Apalah Arti Menunggu and Usai Di Sini, Raisa’s stage presence itself last night was jovial and effervescent throughout.
“I still couldn’t believe this is my first concert here...(it’s because) you’ve never invited me,” she quipped, much to the amusement of the audience.
An award-winning musician, Raisa won the Best New Artiste category at the 15th Indonesia Music Awards (AMI) and the Best New Female Artiste category at Anugerah Planet Muzik in 2016.
More recently at AMI, Raisa bagged the Best Album award for It’s Personal and won Best Solo Female Pop Artiste for Tentang Dirimu last year. This year, her pairing with rapper Kara Chenoa in You Better Believe Me was awarded Best Duo/Group/Collaboration in the Soul/R&B category.
“It took me 12 years to get here (in my career). Don’t make me wait for another 12 years to be here (in Malaysia) again,” she told the crowd in jest.
Judging from the exuberant energy that filled the hall at Zepp Kuala Lumpur last night, it is unlikely that Raisa’s fans here will have to wait that long for an encore. – The Vibes, November 21, 2022
