Chrisye
Encyclopedia
Chrismansyah Rahadi better known by his stage name Chrisye (xəˈriʃə), was an Indonesia
n progressive-pop singer and song writer of mixed Chinese
-Indonesia
n descent. He was born in Jakarta
on 16 September 1949, and died there on 30 March 2007 following a long battle with lung cancer
. He recorded 21 solo albums in his lifetime. He converted to Islam
and married G.F. Damayanti Noor, who was also a singer, in 1982. Together they had four children.
Chrisye started recording in the band Gipsy in 1969 and to the USA to play in New York. The band in 1976 collaborated with Guruh Soekarnoputra on Guruh Gipsy
, a progressive rock
album that combined prog rock with Balinese gamelan
. The following year, he found fame with his signature song
"Lilin-Lilin Kecil
" and the soundtrack album
Badai Pasti Berlalu
and became a solo singer. Between 1977 and his death in 2007, he released thirty albums, four of which have been considered among the best Indonesian albums
of all time.
housewife. He was the second of three sons. He was a fan of music beginning in his youth.
Chrisye attended Senior High School PSKD Menteng. He started smoking
in high school, at first sneaking cigarettes during school ceremonies and eventually becoming a chain smoker.
. In 1969, Sabda Nada renamed themselves Gipsy. They put on a concert in Ismail Marzuki Park.
In 1971, Chrisye went with Gipsy to New York
, New York to perform at the Ramayana Restaurant, owned by the Indonesian gas company Pertamina
. They performed in New York for almost a year, covering music including Procol Harum
, King Crimson
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, Genesis
and Blood, Sweat & Tears
. Chrisye also sang with another band, The Pro's, at the Ramayana.
Upon returning to Indonesia in 1972, Gipsy collaborated with Guruh Soekarnoputra to record Guruh Gipsy, a rock album using both conventional instruments and Bali
nese gamelan
. It was released in 1976 to critical acclaim, with Chrisye and the other band members being interviewed at radio stations. The success of Guruh Gipsy convinced Chrisye that he could sing as a solo
ist.
In 1977, Chrisye was asked to provide the vocals for the Prambors Radio
Teenage Song Writing Competition. Among the songs he recorded as "Lilin-Lilin Kecil
" ("Little Candles"), composed by James F. Sundah
. It was a result of the Prambors Radio
's song-writing contest.
Soon after, Chrisye recorded his first solo album, Jurang Pemisah (Dividing Canyon) at the request of Pramaqua Records. Although he was pleased with the results and had high expectations for the album, it did not sell well. He later described its sales as being "as warm as chicken shit".
That same year, Chrisye recorded the soundtrack album
for Badai Pasti Berlalu
in Pluit, Jakarta
in a period of 21 days, led by composer Eros Djarot
. Chrisye supplied vocals and played the bass
. It was released in 1977 under the same name as the film
, with a picture of actress Christine Hakim
on the cover. After stagnating for a week, numerous radio stations began playing the singles and sales increased exponentially. It included Chrisye's first songwriting credit, "Merepih Alam" ("Fragile Nature").
voice and performance on Badai Pasti Berlalu led to him being approached by Amin Widjaja of Musica Studios
. He released his first album with Musica, Sabda Alam (Nature's Order), in 1978, borrowing from his experience with Badai Pasti Berlalu
. He wrote the title song "Sabda Alam" with the help of Junaedi Salat. The album was well received and sold well.
The next year, Chrisye released Percik Pesona (Stain of Enchantment), working with Yockie Surjoprajogo. The album was a critical and commercial failure. Chrisye blamed the album's lack of success to being too much like Badai Pasti Berlalu. As a result, he started branching out into different genres.
The resulting album, Puspa Indah (Beautiful Flower), was released in 1980. All but one of the songs were composed by Guruh Soekarnoputra. The album also featured an English-language song, "To My Friends on Legian Beach". It was later used as the soundtrack to the film Gita Cinta di SMA (Love Song in High School), in which Chrisye played a minor part. Due in part to the popularity of the film, Puspa Indah was well received and sold well.
In 1981, Chrisye played in the Indonesian film
Seindah Rembulan (As Beautiful as the Moon). That same year, he released Pantulan Cinta (Love's Reflection). After the commercial flop of Pantulan Cinta, Chrisye decided to take a long sabbatical.
In 1982 he converted to Islam
. That same year he married G.F Damayanti Noor. They had four children, Rizkia Nurannisa (born 1983), Risti Nurraisa (born 1986), and twin boys Rainda Prashatya and Randa Pramasya (born 1989).
In 1983, Chrisye released Resesi (Recession) in collaboration with Eros Djarot and Yockie Surjoprajogo. The album was well-received, selling 350,000 copies and being certified silver. This was followed by two more collaborations with Eros Djarot and Yockie Surjoprajogo in 1984: Metropolitan and Nona (Miss). Although Nona sold well, Chrisye decided to look for a new sound and broke off his partnership with Djarot and Surjoprajogo; the resulting album was Sendiri (Alone).
The following year, he released Aku Cinta Dia (I Love Her), a more commercial collaboration with Guruh Soekarnoputra, Adji Soetama, and Dadang S. Manaf. The album called for more emoting
, which Chrisye struggled to deliver. Upon its release, Aku Cinta Dia sold very well. It was eventually certified gold. That same year Chrisye and Adji Soetama released Hip Hip Hura (Hip, Hip, Hurray!), with another collaboration, Nona Lisa (Miss Lisa), being released in 1986.
In 1988, Chrisye released Pergilah Kasih . The eponymous song, "Pergilah Kasih", was used to make Chrisye's first music video
.
After 1988, Chrisye stayed active, releasing four albums: Sendiri Lagi (Alone Again), AkustiChrisye, and Kala Cinta Menggoda (When Love Tempts).
In 1999, Chrisye teamed up with composer Erwin Gutawa
to record a rearrangement of Badai Pasti Berlalu. The album, titled Badai Pasti Berlalu, cost 800 million Rupiah (USD
95,000) to produce and promote, which it made within three months.
In 2001, he released the studio album Konser Tur 2001 Legendary (Legendary Concert Tour 2001), which included two new songs and several old ones. The music video for one of the new songs, "Setia" ("Loyal") was controversial because of its portrayal of a woman in tight clothing. It was followed by Dekade (Decade), and featured covers
of classic Indonesian songs like "Kisah Kasih di Sekolah" (A School Love Story) by Obbie Messakh and "Dara Manisku" (My Sweet Girl) by Koes Plus
.
In 2004, Chrisye made his last studio album titled Senyawa (One Soul). In this album, Chrisye collaborated with other Indonesian artists, such as Project Pop
, Ungu
, and Peterpan
. The song "Bur-Kat" ("Say It Quickly"), with Project Pop, marked his first attempt at rap
.
in Singapore
, where he was diagnosed with lung cancer
. Although he expressed concern about losing his hair, which he considered part of his image, he underwent the first of six rounds of chemotherapy
on 2 August 2005.
Chrisye's health improved in 2006, and he was able to sustain long interview sessions with Alberthiene Endah
in preparation for his biography from May and November 2006. However, by February 2007 his health was fading.
Chrisye died at 4:08 AM WIB
in his home in Cipete, South Jakarta
.
Chrisye was buried in Jeruk Purut Public Cemetery
, South Jakarta on 30 March 2007. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including numerous Indonesian celebrities
such as collaborator Erwin Gutawa
and singers Titiek Puspa
, Ahmad Albar, Sophia Latjuba, and Ikang Fawzi. However, the funeral was marred by the actions of numerous pickpockets, one of which was captured but later released.
On 1 August 2008, Chrisye's last single "Lirih" ("Gentle Voice"), written by Aryono Huboyo Djati, was released posthumously. The song's existence was previously kept secret, and the recording date is unknown. Djati has said that it was recorded "for fun". A music video directed by Vicky Sianipar and featuring Ariel Peterpan
, Giring from Nidji
, and Chrisye's widow was later released.
In 2007, Rolling Stone Indonesia selected Badai Pasti Berlalu
as the best Indonesian album of all time, with another 3 of Chrisye's solo albums in the list: Sabda Alam at #51, Puspa Indah at #57, and Resesi at #82. Guruh Gipsy
was selected as the second best album of all time. This was followed by the selection of five of his songs ("Lilin-Lilin Kecil" at number 13, "Kidung" at number 26, "Merpati Putih" at number 43, "Anak Jalanan" at number 72, and "Merepih Alam" at number 90) as some of the best Indonesian songs of all time, while Guruh Gipsy's song "Indonesia Maharddhika
" placed at number 59.
In 2011, they listed Chrisye as the third biggest Indonesian musician of all time. Eros Djarot described Chrisye as having a great voice, but generally being unwilling to discuss social issues and somewhat shy.
In 1990, the music video
for "Pergilah Kasih" was the first Indonesian music video to be shown on MTV
Hong Kong, while the video clip for "Sendiri Lagi" was voted the best Indonesian music video of all time in the fifth episode of Video Musik Indonesia.
In 2009, numerous Indonesian artists, including Vina Panduwinata, Ahmad Albar, D'Cinnamons
, and Sherina Munaf
, performed twenty of his songs as a tribute in the concert "Chrisye: A Night to Remember" the Ritz Carlton, Jakarta. The concert also featured testimonial
s by his wife and children. The concert tickets sold out.
Alberthiene Endah
has written two biographies of Chrisye. The first, Chrisye: Sebuah Memoar Musikal (Chrisye: a Musical Memoir), was published in 2007 and details his childhood, career, and struggle with cancer. The second, The Last Words of Chrisye, was published in 2010 and details the last years of his life.
. He received the BASF Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 for his contributions to Indonesian music. In 2007, he posthumously received the first SCTV
Lifetime Achievement Award; it was accepted by his daughter Risty.
, twenty-one studio albums, and nine compilation albums. He also released numerous singles.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n progressive-pop singer and song writer of mixed Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
-Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n descent. He was born in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
on 16 September 1949, and died there on 30 March 2007 following a long battle with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. He recorded 21 solo albums in his lifetime. He converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and married G.F. Damayanti Noor, who was also a singer, in 1982. Together they had four children.
Chrisye started recording in the band Gipsy in 1969 and to the USA to play in New York. The band in 1976 collaborated with Guruh Soekarnoputra on Guruh Gipsy
Guruh Gipsy
Guruh Gipsy is a 1976 Indonesian studio album released by Guruh Sukarnoputra in collaboration with the band Gipsy, consisting of Keenan Nasution, Chrisye, Roni Harahap, and Oding Nasution. Mixing modern instruments with traditional Javanese and Balinese music styles, it is now considered a landmark...
, a progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
album that combined prog rock with Balinese gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
. The following year, he found fame with his signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
"Lilin-Lilin Kecil
Lilin-Lilin Kecil
"Lilin-Lilin Kecil" is an Indonesian pop song written by James F. Sundah for the Prambors 1977 Teenage Song-Writing Competition and performed by Chrisye. To date it has been covered over fifty times. Rolling Stone Indonesia listed it as the thirteenth best Indonesian song of all...
" and the soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
Badai Pasti Berlalu
Badai Pasti Berlalu (album)
Badai Pasti Berlalu was remade in 1999 by Chrisye, with the songs rearranged by Erwin Gutawa. It cost 800 million Rupiah to produce and promote, which it made within three months....
and became a solo singer. Between 1977 and his death in 2007, he released thirty albums, four of which have been considered among the best Indonesian albums
Music of Indonesia
The music of Indonesia demonstrates its cultural diversity, the local musical creativity, as well as subsequent foreign musical influences that shaped contemporary music scenes of Indonesia. Nearly thousands of Indonesian islands having its own cultural and artistic history and character. This...
of all time.
Life and career
Chrisye was born Christian Rahardi in Jakarta on 16 September 1949 to Laurens Rahadi, a Chinese-Betawi entrepeneur, and Hanna Rahadi, a Chinese-SundaneseSundanese people
The Sundanese are an ethnic group native to the western part of the Indonesian island of Java. They number approximately 31 million, and are the second most populous of all the nation's ethncities. The Sundanese are predominantly Muslim...
housewife. He was the second of three sons. He was a fan of music beginning in his youth.
Chrisye attended Senior High School PSKD Menteng. He started smoking
Smoking
Smoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them...
in high school, at first sneaking cigarettes during school ceremonies and eventually becoming a chain smoker.
Early career (1968–1977)
Chrisye joined Sabda Nada Band in 1968 as a bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
. In 1969, Sabda Nada renamed themselves Gipsy. They put on a concert in Ismail Marzuki Park.
In 1971, Chrisye went with Gipsy to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York to perform at the Ramayana Restaurant, owned by the Indonesian gas company Pertamina
Pertamina
Pertamina is an Indonesian government-owned corporation which extracts and refines the country's oil and gas reserves. It was created in August 1968 by the merger of Pertamin and Permina...
. They performed in New York for almost a year, covering music including Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
and Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears is an American music group, originally formed in 1967 in New York City. Since its beginnings in 1967, the band has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a multitude of musical styles...
. Chrisye also sang with another band, The Pro's, at the Ramayana.
Upon returning to Indonesia in 1972, Gipsy collaborated with Guruh Soekarnoputra to record Guruh Gipsy, a rock album using both conventional instruments and Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
nese gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
. It was released in 1976 to critical acclaim, with Chrisye and the other band members being interviewed at radio stations. The success of Guruh Gipsy convinced Chrisye that he could sing as a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
ist.
In 1977, Chrisye was asked to provide the vocals for the Prambors Radio
Prambors FM
Prambors FM is a commercial radio network based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Launched on March 18, 1971 in Jakarta, the purpose of station was to play pop music with targeted is teenagers. In 1970s-1990s, Prambors was one of the teenagers icon in Jakarta.-History:...
Teenage Song Writing Competition. Among the songs he recorded as "Lilin-Lilin Kecil
Lilin-Lilin Kecil
"Lilin-Lilin Kecil" is an Indonesian pop song written by James F. Sundah for the Prambors 1977 Teenage Song-Writing Competition and performed by Chrisye. To date it has been covered over fifty times. Rolling Stone Indonesia listed it as the thirteenth best Indonesian song of all...
" ("Little Candles"), composed by James F. Sundah
James F. Sundah
Ir. James F. Sundah is a popular Indonesian songwriter, of Manadonese descent. He was born in Semarang on December 1, 1955. A prominent figure in the Indonesian music industry, Sundah is best known for his evergreen song "Lilin Lilin Kecil" , sung by the late Chrisye...
. It was a result of the Prambors Radio
Prambors FM
Prambors FM is a commercial radio network based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Launched on March 18, 1971 in Jakarta, the purpose of station was to play pop music with targeted is teenagers. In 1970s-1990s, Prambors was one of the teenagers icon in Jakarta.-History:...
's song-writing contest.
Soon after, Chrisye recorded his first solo album, Jurang Pemisah (Dividing Canyon) at the request of Pramaqua Records. Although he was pleased with the results and had high expectations for the album, it did not sell well. He later described its sales as being "as warm as chicken shit".
That same year, Chrisye recorded the soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
for Badai Pasti Berlalu
Badai Pasti Berlalu (film)
Badai Pasti Berlalu is a 1977 Indonesian film based on the novel of the same name by Marga T. It was directed by Teguh Karya and starred Christine Hakim, Roy Marten and Slamet Rahardjo.-Plot:...
in Pluit, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
in a period of 21 days, led by composer Eros Djarot
Eros Djarot
Eros Djarot is an Indonesian songwriter, director and politician. Beginning his music career with the soundtrack of Kawin Lari in 1976, Djarot became famous with the success of Badai Pasti Berlalu and its soundtrack album...
. Chrisye supplied vocals and played the bass
Bass (instrument)
Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
. It was released in 1977 under the same name as the film
Badai Pasti Berlalu (album)
Badai Pasti Berlalu was remade in 1999 by Chrisye, with the songs rearranged by Erwin Gutawa. It cost 800 million Rupiah to produce and promote, which it made within three months....
, with a picture of actress Christine Hakim
Christine Hakim
Herlina Christine Natalia Hakim , also known by the popular name Christine Hakim, is an Indonesian actress, film producer, and activist. Born to a devout Muslim family of a mixed-race background in Jambi, she grew up in Yogyakarta, aspiring to be an architect or psychologist...
on the cover. After stagnating for a week, numerous radio stations began playing the singles and sales increased exponentially. It included Chrisye's first songwriting credit, "Merepih Alam" ("Fragile Nature").
Solo career (1977–2006)
Chrisye's tenorTenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
voice and performance on Badai Pasti Berlalu led to him being approached by Amin Widjaja of Musica Studios
Musica Studios
Musica Studios is an Indonesian music company based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Known as Metropolitan Studios in the 1960s and then Music Studios in the 1970s, Musica Studios was founded by Yamin Widjaja, the owner of an electronics store. Musica is one of the largest music companies in Indonesia...
. He released his first album with Musica, Sabda Alam (Nature's Order), in 1978, borrowing from his experience with Badai Pasti Berlalu
Badai Pasti Berlalu (album)
Badai Pasti Berlalu was remade in 1999 by Chrisye, with the songs rearranged by Erwin Gutawa. It cost 800 million Rupiah to produce and promote, which it made within three months....
. He wrote the title song "Sabda Alam" with the help of Junaedi Salat. The album was well received and sold well.
The next year, Chrisye released Percik Pesona (Stain of Enchantment), working with Yockie Surjoprajogo. The album was a critical and commercial failure. Chrisye blamed the album's lack of success to being too much like Badai Pasti Berlalu. As a result, he started branching out into different genres.
The resulting album, Puspa Indah (Beautiful Flower), was released in 1980. All but one of the songs were composed by Guruh Soekarnoputra. The album also featured an English-language song, "To My Friends on Legian Beach". It was later used as the soundtrack to the film Gita Cinta di SMA (Love Song in High School), in which Chrisye played a minor part. Due in part to the popularity of the film, Puspa Indah was well received and sold well.
In 1981, Chrisye played in the Indonesian film
Cinema of Indonesia
Though the cinema of Indonesia has a long history, the industry is currently struggling and developing.-Colonial era:The first film made in Indonesia was the 1926 silent film, Loetoeng Kasaroeng, by Dutch directors G. Kruger and L. Heuveldorp...
Seindah Rembulan (As Beautiful as the Moon). That same year, he released Pantulan Cinta (Love's Reflection). After the commercial flop of Pantulan Cinta, Chrisye decided to take a long sabbatical.
In 1982 he converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. That same year he married G.F Damayanti Noor. They had four children, Rizkia Nurannisa (born 1983), Risti Nurraisa (born 1986), and twin boys Rainda Prashatya and Randa Pramasya (born 1989).
In 1983, Chrisye released Resesi (Recession) in collaboration with Eros Djarot and Yockie Surjoprajogo. The album was well-received, selling 350,000 copies and being certified silver. This was followed by two more collaborations with Eros Djarot and Yockie Surjoprajogo in 1984: Metropolitan and Nona (Miss). Although Nona sold well, Chrisye decided to look for a new sound and broke off his partnership with Djarot and Surjoprajogo; the resulting album was Sendiri (Alone).
The following year, he released Aku Cinta Dia (I Love Her), a more commercial collaboration with Guruh Soekarnoputra, Adji Soetama, and Dadang S. Manaf. The album called for more emoting
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
, which Chrisye struggled to deliver. Upon its release, Aku Cinta Dia sold very well. It was eventually certified gold. That same year Chrisye and Adji Soetama released Hip Hip Hura (Hip, Hip, Hurray!), with another collaboration, Nona Lisa (Miss Lisa), being released in 1986.
In 1988, Chrisye released Pergilah Kasih . The eponymous song, "Pergilah Kasih", was used to make Chrisye's first music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
.
After 1988, Chrisye stayed active, releasing four albums: Sendiri Lagi (Alone Again), AkustiChrisye, and Kala Cinta Menggoda (When Love Tempts).
In 1999, Chrisye teamed up with composer Erwin Gutawa
Erwin Gutawa
Erwin Gutawa is an Indonesian composer and father of Gita Gutawa. In 1985, he started his professional music career by joining the jazz band Karimata, later becoming an independent composer in 1991. As a composer, he won the 1992 Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland together with Ruth Sahanaya...
to record a rearrangement of Badai Pasti Berlalu. The album, titled Badai Pasti Berlalu, cost 800 million Rupiah (USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
95,000) to produce and promote, which it made within three months.
In 2001, he released the studio album Konser Tur 2001 Legendary (Legendary Concert Tour 2001), which included two new songs and several old ones. The music video for one of the new songs, "Setia" ("Loyal") was controversial because of its portrayal of a woman in tight clothing. It was followed by Dekade (Decade), and featured covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of classic Indonesian songs like "Kisah Kasih di Sekolah" (A School Love Story) by Obbie Messakh and "Dara Manisku" (My Sweet Girl) by Koes Plus
Koes Plus
Koes Plus is an Indonesian musical group that enjoyed success in the 1970s. Known as one of Indonesia's classic musical acts, the band peaked in popularity in the days far before the advent of private television companies, delivering stripped-down pop and rock songs at the then-only TV station,...
.
In 2004, Chrisye made his last studio album titled Senyawa (One Soul). In this album, Chrisye collaborated with other Indonesian artists, such as Project Pop
Project Pop
Project Pop is an Indonesian comedic band from Bandung. Founded in 1996 as a younger generation of Project-P, they distinguished themselves by writing original music. Their first album, Bakpia vs Lumpia was a commercial and critical failure, but beginning with their 2000 album Tu Wa Ga Pat they...
, Ungu
Ungu
Ungu are a Pop-Rock band formed in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1996 with Makki as the only remaining original member. The group comprises vocalist/guitarist Pasha, guitarist Enda & Onci, bassist Makki, keyboardist Gatz and drummer Rowman....
, and Peterpan
Peterpan (band)
Peterpan is a multi-award–winning Indonesian pop rock band. The band originally consisted of six members, known as Andika, Indra, Ariel, Uki, Loekman, and Reza, the first two of whichhave since left the band...
. The song "Bur-Kat" ("Say It Quickly"), with Project Pop, marked his first attempt at rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
.
Illness and death (2005–2007)
In July 2005 Chrisye was checked into the Pondok Indah Hospital, complaining of difficulty breathing. After thirteen days of treatment, he was moved to the Mount Elizabeth HospitalMount Elizabeth Hospital
Mount Elizabeth Hospital is a 373-bed private hospital in Singapore operated by Parkway Health. It was started in 1976 and officially opened in 8 December 1979....
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, where he was diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. Although he expressed concern about losing his hair, which he considered part of his image, he underwent the first of six rounds of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
on 2 August 2005.
Chrisye's health improved in 2006, and he was able to sustain long interview sessions with Alberthiene Endah
Alberthiene Endah
Rr. Alberthiene Endah Kusumawardhani Sutoyo , better known as Alberthiene Endah, is an Indonesian biographer, novelist, and journalist. She is known for her in-depth biographies of Indonesian celebrities, such as Chrisye and Krisdayanti...
in preparation for his biography from May and November 2006. However, by February 2007 his health was fading.
Chrisye died at 4:08 AM WIB
Time in Indonesia
The Indonesian archipelago geographically stretches across four time zones from UTC+7 in Banda Aceh to UTC+9 in Western Papua. However, The Indonesian government only recognizes three time zones in its territory: Western Indonesian Time—seven hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time ,...
in his home in Cipete, South Jakarta
South Jakarta
South Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,057,080 at the 2010 Census, and is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta...
.
Chrisye was buried in Jeruk Purut Public Cemetery
Jeruk Purut Cemetery
-Layout:Jeruk Purut covers a total area of . It is located in South Jakarta.Along with Kalibata Heroes Cemetery and Karet Bivak and Menteng Pulo public cemeteries, Jeruk Purut is one of the better maintained cemeteries in Jakarta.-History:...
, South Jakarta on 30 March 2007. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including numerous Indonesian celebrities
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
such as collaborator Erwin Gutawa
Erwin Gutawa
Erwin Gutawa is an Indonesian composer and father of Gita Gutawa. In 1985, he started his professional music career by joining the jazz band Karimata, later becoming an independent composer in 1991. As a composer, he won the 1992 Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland together with Ruth Sahanaya...
and singers Titiek Puspa
Titiek Puspa
Sumarti , better known by her stage name Titiek Puspa, is an Indonesian singer and songwriter. Rolling Stone Indonesia has selected two of her songs as some of the best Indonesian songs ever.-Biography:...
, Ahmad Albar, Sophia Latjuba, and Ikang Fawzi. However, the funeral was marred by the actions of numerous pickpockets, one of which was captured but later released.
On 1 August 2008, Chrisye's last single "Lirih" ("Gentle Voice"), written by Aryono Huboyo Djati, was released posthumously. The song's existence was previously kept secret, and the recording date is unknown. Djati has said that it was recorded "for fun". A music video directed by Vicky Sianipar and featuring Ariel Peterpan
Nazril Irham
Nazril Irham or more popularly known as Ariel or Ariel Peterpan is an Indonesian rock star. He is the lead singer vocalist of multiplatinum band Peterpan. Irham is the youngest of the three Malay brothers in his family. He has also appeared in advertisements...
, Giring from Nidji
Nidji
Nidji is a band from Jakarta, Indonesia. Formed in 2002, Nidji's name comes from the Japanese word niji, meaning 'rainbow'. Their music can be classified under alternative pop genre, and the band has cited Coldplay and The Killers as major influences....
, and Chrisye's widow was later released.
Legacy
Chrisye has been described as "legendary". However, his on-stage persona has been described as "stiff", with very little movement.In 2007, Rolling Stone Indonesia selected Badai Pasti Berlalu
Badai Pasti Berlalu (album)
Badai Pasti Berlalu was remade in 1999 by Chrisye, with the songs rearranged by Erwin Gutawa. It cost 800 million Rupiah to produce and promote, which it made within three months....
as the best Indonesian album of all time, with another 3 of Chrisye's solo albums in the list: Sabda Alam at #51, Puspa Indah at #57, and Resesi at #82. Guruh Gipsy
Guruh Gipsy
Guruh Gipsy is a 1976 Indonesian studio album released by Guruh Sukarnoputra in collaboration with the band Gipsy, consisting of Keenan Nasution, Chrisye, Roni Harahap, and Oding Nasution. Mixing modern instruments with traditional Javanese and Balinese music styles, it is now considered a landmark...
was selected as the second best album of all time. This was followed by the selection of five of his songs ("Lilin-Lilin Kecil" at number 13, "Kidung" at number 26, "Merpati Putih" at number 43, "Anak Jalanan" at number 72, and "Merepih Alam" at number 90) as some of the best Indonesian songs of all time, while Guruh Gipsy's song "Indonesia Maharddhika
Indonesia Maharddhika
"Indonesia Maharddhika" is a song by Indonesian progressive rock band Gipsy, consisting of Chrisye, Keenan Nasution, Oding Nasution, Roni Harahap, and Abadi Soesman, together with Guruh Sukarnoputra. It was released in 1976 on the album Guruh Gipsy with the names of its contributors hidden in the...
" placed at number 59.
In 2011, they listed Chrisye as the third biggest Indonesian musician of all time. Eros Djarot described Chrisye as having a great voice, but generally being unwilling to discuss social issues and somewhat shy.
In 1990, the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Pergilah Kasih" was the first Indonesian music video to be shown on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Hong Kong, while the video clip for "Sendiri Lagi" was voted the best Indonesian music video of all time in the fifth episode of Video Musik Indonesia.
In 2009, numerous Indonesian artists, including Vina Panduwinata, Ahmad Albar, D'Cinnamons
D'cinnamons
D'Cinnamons is an Indonesian unplugged-acoustic band established in September 2004. The band consists of three members, two female and one male: Dodo , Bona , and Laut...
, and Sherina Munaf
Sherina Munaf
Sherina Munaf is an Indonesian actress, singer, and song writer. At 9 years old, she successfully launched her debut album, Andai Aku Besar Nanti. In 2000, she played a key role in Petualangan Sherina , directed by Riri Riza...
, performed twenty of his songs as a tribute in the concert "Chrisye: A Night to Remember" the Ritz Carlton, Jakarta. The concert also featured testimonial
Testimonial
In promotion and of advertising, a testimonial or show consists of a written or spoken statement, sometimes from a person figure, sometimes from a private citizen, extolling the virtue of some product. The term "testimonial" most commonly applies to the sales-pitches attributed to ordinary...
s by his wife and children. The concert tickets sold out.
Alberthiene Endah
Alberthiene Endah
Rr. Alberthiene Endah Kusumawardhani Sutoyo , better known as Alberthiene Endah, is an Indonesian biographer, novelist, and journalist. She is known for her in-depth biographies of Indonesian celebrities, such as Chrisye and Krisdayanti...
has written two biographies of Chrisye. The first, Chrisye: Sebuah Memoar Musikal (Chrisye: a Musical Memoir), was published in 2007 and details his childhood, career, and struggle with cancer. The second, The Last Words of Chrisye, was published in 2010 and details the last years of his life.
Honours and awards
During his career Chrisye received numerous awards. His albums Sabda Alam and Aku Cinta Dia were certified gold, while the albums Hip Hip Hura, Resesi, Metropolitan, and Sendiri were certified silver. His album Dekade was certified double platinumDouble Platinum
Double Platinum is a 1999 musical telefilm starring Diana Ross and Brandy.-Plot:The story begins with a scene featuring star singer Olivia King leaving her daughter Kayla, who was an infant at the time. It is revealed that Kayla was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but in her later years, she would move...
. He received the BASF Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 for his contributions to Indonesian music. In 2007, he posthumously received the first SCTV
SCTV (Indonesia)
Surya Citra Televisi is an Indonesian television station. Its headquarters are in South Jakarta. It began broadcasting on 24 August 1990 in Surabaya, East Java, broadcasting only to the city and surrounding area. At this point the programming was similar to that of RCTI and used some of their news...
Lifetime Achievement Award; it was accepted by his daughter Risty.
Discography
Chrisye released thirty albums during his lifetime, one with Guruh GipsyGuruh Gipsy
Guruh Gipsy is a 1976 Indonesian studio album released by Guruh Sukarnoputra in collaboration with the band Gipsy, consisting of Keenan Nasution, Chrisye, Roni Harahap, and Oding Nasution. Mixing modern instruments with traditional Javanese and Balinese music styles, it is now considered a landmark...
, twenty-one studio albums, and nine compilation albums. He also released numerous singles.
Studio Albums
- 1977 – Jurang PemisahJurang PemisahJurang Pemisah is an Indonesian pop album recorded by Chrisye in 1977. It was Chrisye's first album. Jurang Pemisah was produced and released by Pramaqua Records....
- 1978 – Sabda AlamSabda AlamSabda Alam is a 1978 Indonesian album released by Musica Studios. It is Chrisye's second studio album and his first after signing with Musica. The album was written in collaboration with Guruh Sukarnoputra...
- 1979 – Percik Pesona
- 1980 – Puspa Indah Taman Hati
- 1981 – Pantulan Cita
- 1983 – Resesi
- 1984 – Metropolitan
- 1984 – Nona
- 1984 – Sendiri
- 1985 – Aku Cinta Dia
- 1985 – Hip Hip Hura
- 1986 – Nona Lisa
- 1988 – Jumpa Pertama
- 1989 – Pergilah Kasih
- 1993 – Sendiri Lagi
- 1996 – AkustiChrisye
- 1997 – Kala Cinta Menggoda
- 1999 – Badai Pasti Berlalu (re-recorded, collaboration with Erwin GutawaErwin GutawaErwin Gutawa is an Indonesian composer and father of Gita Gutawa. In 1985, he started his professional music career by joining the jazz band Karimata, later becoming an independent composer in 1991. As a composer, he won the 1992 Midnight Sun Song Festival in Finland together with Ruth Sahanaya...
) - 2002 – DekadeDekadeDekade is a 2004 Indonesian pop album published by Musica Studios and Chrisye's nineteenth studio album. It is also his only cover album.-Creation:The idea for Dekade came when Chrisye thought about previously popular songs that were later forgotten...
- 2004 – SenyawaSenyawaSenyawa is an Indonesian album released by Musica Studios in 2004. It was Chrisye's last studio album and a collaboration with numerous Indonesian singers and bands, including Project Pop, Peterpan, Ahmad Dhani, and Ungu.-Creation:...
Compilation albums
- 1987 – Chrisye Terbaik
- 1989 – Album Slow Cinta Chrisye
- 1993 – Best Of Chrisye
- 1999 – Best Of Chrisye Vol. II
- 2000 – Best Cinta
- 2001 – Konser Tur LegendaryKonser Tur 2001Konser Tur 2001 is an Indonesian album by Chrisye released in 2001 by Musica Studios. It is Chrisye's eighteenth studio album. Although the album is titled Konser Tur 2001, it was not recorded live; the title "Konser Tur" was chosen to coincide with Chrisye's tour in 2001. It included two new...
(with two bonus tracks) - 2005 – Chrisye By Request
- 2006 – Duet By Request
- 2007 – Chrisye Masterpiece Trilogy Limited EditionChrisye Masterpiece Trilogy Limited EditionMasterpiece Trilogy Limited Edition is a compilation album from singer Chrisye which is a collection of all of Chrisye's albums issued between 1978–2004...