KOTA KINABALU: One of Indonesia’s top pop bands, Ungu, assured fans yesterday that the band will not break up despite vocalist Pasha’s venture into politics.
“Ungu will not be going anywhere.
“Ungu will continue to compose (songs). No one is leaving and no one is joining (the band),” Pasha asserted in a press conference here prior to the band’s concert as part of Mozaik Promo Tour 2015 at 1Borneo Hypermall later that night.
Together with him were guitarists Enda and Onci, bassist Makki and drummer Rowman.
The performance yesterday was Ungu’s third and last leg of the tour for their latest album released early this year, entitled ‘Mozaik’.
The Mozaik Tour, jointly organized by Suria Records Sdn Bhd and ERA fm, in Malaysia started on September 21 where the band performed in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching before coming to Kota Kinabalu.
On the fans’ response to Pasha’s decision to join politics, he said there were some who agreed and some who disagreed.
Although his political venture has been announced in the media, Pasha said a forum would be organized to clear the air with fans and to convey things that could not be disseminated via television or radio.
Pasha has followed his father’s footsteps to contest in his own birthplace.
Onci continued to say that there would be Ungu’s concerts in 2016.
“We will continue this journey and produce more songs.
“Ungu will not end here,” he reassured.
In fact, Makki said the band had established a label/production house to uncover new, upcoming talents.
“We hold monthly auditions to search for singers or bands for us to produce.”
Although the monthly auditions is only open to Indonesians at the moment, Makki did not rule out the possibility to reach out to Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore in the future.
Having been in the music industry for almost two decades, Makki said the band members yearn to undertake their own side projects to refresh themselves.
Nonetheless, he revealed that Ungu was expected to release a collaborative album with other singers by the end of this year.
Ungu has released 11 albums since the group was founded 18 years ago. In Malaysia, Ungu fans fell in love with the band when their first album ‘Dewi Waktu’ was released.
The title of Ungu’s latest album, Mozaik, was selected because it symbolizes the beauty of a plethora of colours. The band has collaborated with several renowned Indonesian producers for this album, such as Irwan Simanjuntak, Ari Aru, Stephan Santoso, Andi Jibron, Denny Chasmala and Andreas Arianto.
The 11 songs in the Mozaik album are Pogo-Pogo, Aku Tahu, Terbaik, Andai Aku Bisa, Cududu (All I Wanna Do), Hanya Untukmu, So Beautiful, Get Up Stand Up, Baku Jaga, Segala Puji Syukur and Berteman Sepi.
The song, Berteman Sepi, is a duet between Ungu and former Akademi Fantasia winner Stracie Angie Anam, better known as Stacy.
The concert at 1Borneo Hypermall yesterday started with an opening performance by a new singer under Suria Records Malaysia, namely Wanie Kayrie popularized with her single entitled Jangan-jangan. Wanie also performed the song Berteman Sepi with the band during the concert.
This was followed by several hit songs by Ungu such as Aku Tahu, Kekasih Gelapku, Demi Waktu, Terbaik and Hampa Hatiku.
Fifteen-year-old Wanie who is hailed from Sandakan, admitted that the Mozaik Tour has brought her to Kota Kinabalu for the first time.
Currently studying at SMK Perempuan Sri Aman in Selangor, Wanie had no problem with dividing her time to study and pursue her singing career.
“I will go to school in the morning like normal, work on improvising singing methods in the afternoon and study at night,” she said.
Meanwhile, Astro Radio operations manager Syazleey Zalsyam@Uno said it was Ungu’s second concert in Kota Kinabalu since performing at Era Sayang Sabah concert three years ago.
Uno said choosing 1Borneo Hypermall as the concert venue would allow fans to get close and intimate with Ungu as well.
Also present at the press conference was Suria Records Sdn Bhd managing director Edwin Tan.