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Afgan talks about 'Sonder', bringing Indonesian music to the global stage, working with Jessi & more

Afgan talks about 'Sonder', bringing Indonesian music to the global stage, working with Jessi & more

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Afgan's music has made him a household name in Indonesia and also around the region garnering loyal fans over a long career. After 17 years of dominating the music scene, Afgan is back with a fresh sound, shifting from his signature ballads to the R&B and pop vibes of his English-language mini albums, Wallflower and Sonder. Released in June, Sonder features a buzzworthy collaboration with South Korean artist Jessi, which quickly trended across social and digital platforms. Afgan kicked off his tour for this album in February 2024 with three sold-out concerts in New York and Los Angeles, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Afgan's Sonder tour has already touched down in several major cities, including Seoul, where he held his first intimate concert in Asia. The concert, held at the Assa Performing Art Hall on 29 June, was made even more special with a guest appearance by Dita Karang from the girl group Secret Number. The second leg of his Sonder tour took place in Kuala Lumpur on 11 August 2024, at The Bee Publika, where around 400 fans gathered for an up-close and personal experience with the artist.

Now, Afgan is bringing his Sonder Asia tour to Jakarta and Singapore. The Jakarta concert is scheduled for 7 September at M-Bloc Space, promising an intimate and unforgettable showcase of his latest album. Fans in Singapore can look forward to catching him at The Star Gallery on 13 September. Tickets are selling fast, with VIP passes already sold out in Jakarta. This tour is a major milestone for Afgan, who is excited to connect with new audiences and share his musical journey with fans across Asia. We caught up with the Indonesian sensation, who gave us an exclusive inside scoop on his musical journey!

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Your collaboration with Jessi in ‘Escape’ brings together two powerhouse talents. What was the creative process like working with her, and what unique elements did she bring to the track?

I finished the song in London last year and as soon as I finished it, I felt like the song was missing something. So I immediately thought of having Jessi on the song because we've been friends for a while. We actually met in Jakarta and I just love her music and the energy that she brings to it. I feel like she fits the song and I just had to reach out and ask whether she would want to join me. And as soon as she heard it, she said yes! A week later she sent back her vocals, and I feel like on this creative process with her, we both have mutual trust. I really trust her artistry so I just let her do her thing on the song. I didn't really brief her or anything. So when I heard it, I couldn't believe it because she really brings 'Escape' to another another level, adding a new energy to the song which I felt was really needed.

 
 
 
 
 
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Of course, with the music video shoot we had so much fun as well, we shot it in Bali and I think it really fits with the vibe. We were looking for a more summery and island vibe. Since the song was called 'Escape', we really felt like it was an escape for us. We shot our parts candid. We wanted everything to be candid so it feels more genuine. Jessi was very spontaneous on the shoot. When she has a vision, she knows what she wants. So we basically played around with the concept, we changed the set according to what she envisioned the video to be, and we just had fun. 

‘Shallow Water’ touches on your fear of commitment due to past trauma. How do you hope this song resonates with listeners who may have similar experiences?

I feel like it talks about the vulnerable side of me that I never really showed anybody before. It talks about past trauma, insecurities, fear when it comes to relationships - how we are supposed to heal first, before we dive into another deep relationship, because otherwise we'll be projecting stuff that we don't want to project onto our partner. I'm really glad that I had the courage to be honest on the song, and I really hope the listeners who actually relate to what I'm talking about on the lyrics feel like they're not alone, feel like they can heal, and they don't have to force themselves to be in a relationship if they're not ready. 

Sonder is described as your most personal body of work. What specific life experiences or moments inspired the themes of this EP?

I feel like Sonder is like my most mature body of work, you know, because I'm in my 30s and I've had so much life experience by this point, just going through ups and downs in my personal life. In my music career, I think there are so many experiences that teach me, and that kind of expands my perspective on life. It makes me want to share my journey in an even more honest way, so I talk about a lot of things that I've never talked about before in my music -  like loneliness, insecurities and fear. I felt that it was time for me to share my raw, personal journey because I wanted my fans to relate to me on an even deeper level.

Your career includes diverse collaborations, from K-pop to R&B artists. How do these cross-cultural partnerships shape your music and artistic vision?

I feel like I learned a lot from every collaboration that I've done, whether it's with K-pop artists, or R&B artists like Robin Thicke, or the amazing Indonesian artists that I have worked with throughout the years. I feel like I can watch them do their thing, and they can bring their own character to the song. These collaborations have shaped my confidence even more. In collaborations, I think we should bring our own authentic character because I just love the concept of artists from different backgrounds and different genres creating music that will live forever. I think that's something beautiful. It really helped me with my artistic vision and improved my musicality, that's why I do a lot of collaborations and I don't plan on stopping. I really hope that in the future I'll get to do many, many more.

You have millions of followers across your social media. How do you maintain a genuine connection with your fans?

These days, I try to find a balance between what I want to share on social media and what I prefer to keep private. However, I still believe it's important to share. Anything I feel comfortable sharing, I'll gladly share with my fans. The goal isn't to chase engagement or any metrics - it's about being genuine. I want to share my journey, struggles, achievements, and all the raw moments with my fans because I believe they would appreciate that. I know I'm not very active on social media, and that's something I need to work on and improve.

As you continue to break barriers and redefine Indonesian music on the global stage, what legacy do you hope to leave in the music industry?

I feel like Indonesia has tremendous talents! I'm so proud of all of my musician friends in Indonesia, and all of us are trying to reach our dreams. I'm still working on it. It's a long journey and there's a lot of challenges that I have to face, but I think I've reached a point in my career where I feel like I have to grow and I don't want to stay in my comfort zone., because then I will get stuck. So, I feel like that's the message that I hope people will get, and by me doing all of these global projects, and doing this Asia tour, I really hope that a lot of Indonesian musicians are starting to have the courage to expand their listeners and hopefully make it outside of Indonesia. I'm not saying that I'm there yet though. There's a lot of things that I still need to go through and learn, but I feel like I'm on the right track right now.