Sandhy Sondoro
Encyclopedia
Sandhy Soendhoro, better known by his stage name
Sandhy Sondoro, sometimes stylized as Sandhy SonDoro, is an Indonesia
n singer-songwriter. He is best known for winning the 2009 International Contest of Young Pop Singer New Wave
, in Jūrmala
, Latvia
.
, Indonesia
, as Sandhy Soendhoro, to Rr. Rika Pudjihastuti and Achmad Fauzan. Sandhy is of Palembangese Malay, Javanese, and Minangkabau descent.
Sandhy came from a musical family, where the house provide the likes of American pop
, folk
, jazz
and blues
tunes coming from his mother’s or father’s guitar everyday. His cousin, Ira Maya Sopha, was a famous child singer in Indonesia during the 1970s.
After graduating from high school in Jakarta, at the age of 18 Sandhy went to visit his uncle in California
and stayed there for a while, before leaving for Germany
to study architecture
.
In 1998 he moved back to Berlin
and started singing and playing the guitar in bar
s, club
s and in metros. His famous song "Down on the Streets" was inspired by the experience gained in Berlin metros. He also performed in famous theatres like the House of World Cultures in Berlin, and at music festivals such as the Bode museum
isle festival. In 2005, Sandhy performed in a charity concert for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami victims, "Berlin for Asia."
During his time in Germany Sandhy "changed" his last name from "Soendhoro" (new spelling: Sundhoro) to "Sondoro" because many people had difficulties in pronouncing it. He also explained that Sondoro means "The Sound of Gold" in Latin
. On his birth certificate and other official documents, his last name remains as "Soendhoro."
Sandhy found a wider audience through Stefan Raab´s casting show, a popular segment within one of Germany´s most successful late night shows SSDSDSSWEMUGABRTLAD
.
On April 25, 2008 he published his debut album Why Dont We, after releasing his first single "Down on the Street" earlier.
, an "International Contest of Young Pop Singer" in Jūrmala
, Latvia
, after Brandon Stone, a music producer, suggested he take part in the competition. The 2009 New Wave ran from July 28 to August 2, 2009, and was participated by 16 contestants from 12 differenct countries. Sandhy was the first Indonesian, also the first Southeast Asia
n to participate.
The first day of the competition the contestants were required to sing world hits, and Sandhy sang "When a Man Loves a Woman
" by Percy Sledge
. He received 9 points from one of the twelve judges, while the rest gave him 10, giving him 119 points in total. Sandhy came in first place, followed by Jamala
from the Ukraine
in the second place, who sang "History Repeating
."
The second day the contestants were required to sing national hit songs, and Sandhy chose his own song "Malam Biru" which is in Indonesian
. Sandhy again received 119 points from the judges, and was still in the first place with 238 points, tying with Jamala who received a perfect score on the second day of the competition.
On the third and final day, the contestants had to sing a song that is "dedicated to New Wave 2009" and Sandhy performed another song that he wrote, "End of the Rainbow." Both Sandhy and Jamala received a perfect score of 120, making them the winners of New Wave 2009 with 358 points, and were awarded €50,000 each.
.
In 2010, he was invited by Diane Warren
to perform for PBS in the Palladium Theatre, along with famous artists such as Cher
, Patti Austin
, Celine Dion
, Toni Braxton
, Eric Benet
, Fantasia
, Le Ann Rimes and others.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Sandhy Sondoro, sometimes stylized as Sandhy SonDoro, is an 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 singer-songwriter. He is best known for winning the 2009 International Contest of Young Pop Singer New Wave
New Wave (competition)
New Wave is an international contest for new stars, which usually lasts for six days: 3 contest days, 2 special event days and, at the end, the day where the contest's results are announced followed by an ending concert....
, in Jūrmala
Jurmala
Jūrmala is a city in Latvia, about 25 kilometers west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.
Early life
Sandhy was born in JakartaJakarta
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...
, 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...
, as Sandhy Soendhoro, to Rr. Rika Pudjihastuti and Achmad Fauzan. Sandhy is of Palembangese Malay, Javanese, and Minangkabau descent.
Sandhy came from a musical family, where the house provide the likes of American pop
American pop
American pop is a vague and nebulous term, applied generally to whatever form of music is most popular among mainstream American teenage audiences. Adolescents are an especially important audience, both because of their relatively large amount of discretionary spending, and their fervent devotion...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
tunes coming from his mother’s or father’s guitar everyday. His cousin, Ira Maya Sopha, was a famous child singer in Indonesia during the 1970s.
After graduating from high school in Jakarta, at the age of 18 Sandhy went to visit his uncle in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and stayed there for a while, before leaving for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to study architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Early career
In Germany, he joined a band in his campus, but they rarely appeared on stage. Later he decided to find a job as he lived alone there and needed to support himself. He had an opportunity to work in a supermarket, but didn't get the job, as he was too late. On the way back to his apartment on his bike, he saw a busker on the street, and asked if he could join him. The busker agreed and Sandhy borrowed his friend's guitar and started playing on the streets of Biberach an der Riss. They got 50 deutschemarks in an hour and shared the money. They played three times a week before he decided to do it alone.In 1998 he moved back to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and started singing and playing the guitar in bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s, club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
s and in metros. His famous song "Down on the Streets" was inspired by the experience gained in Berlin metros. He also performed in famous theatres like the House of World Cultures in Berlin, and at music festivals such as the Bode museum
Bode Museum
The Bode Museum is one of the group of museums on the Museum Island in Berlin, Germany; it is a historically preserved building. The museum was designed by architect Ernst von Ihne and completed in 1904...
isle festival. In 2005, Sandhy performed in a charity concert for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami victims, "Berlin for Asia."
During his time in Germany Sandhy "changed" his last name from "Soendhoro" (new spelling: Sundhoro) to "Sondoro" because many people had difficulties in pronouncing it. He also explained that Sondoro means "The Sound of Gold" in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. On his birth certificate and other official documents, his last name remains as "Soendhoro."
Sandhy found a wider audience through Stefan Raab´s casting show, a popular segment within one of Germany´s most successful late night shows SSDSDSSWEMUGABRTLAD
TV total
TV total is a German late-night television comedy talk show that has run since 8 March 1999 on ProSieben, and is currently aired at around 23:15 from Monday to Thursday....
.
On April 25, 2008 he published his debut album Why Dont We, after releasing his first single "Down on the Street" earlier.
New Wave
Sandhy participated in the 8th edition of New WaveNew Wave (competition)
New Wave is an international contest for new stars, which usually lasts for six days: 3 contest days, 2 special event days and, at the end, the day where the contest's results are announced followed by an ending concert....
, an "International Contest of Young Pop Singer" in Jūrmala
Jurmala
Jūrmala is a city in Latvia, about 25 kilometers west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, after Brandon Stone, a music producer, suggested he take part in the competition. The 2009 New Wave ran from July 28 to August 2, 2009, and was participated by 16 contestants from 12 differenct countries. Sandhy was the first Indonesian, also the first Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n to participate.
The first day of the competition the contestants were required to sing world hits, and Sandhy sang "When a Man Loves a Woman
When a Man Loves a Woman
When a Man Loves a Woman may refer to:* "When a Man Loves a Woman" , a song by Percy Sledge, also covered by Michael Bolton* "When a Man Loves a Woman" * When a Man Loves a Woman...
" by Percy Sledge
Percy Sledge
Percy Sledge is an American R&B and soul performer who recorded the hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966.-Early career:...
. He received 9 points from one of the twelve judges, while the rest gave him 10, giving him 119 points in total. Sandhy came in first place, followed by Jamala
Jamala
Jamala - a Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar jazz-singer, performing the music of her own composition on the junction of jazz, soul, world music and rhythm&blues with the elements of classics and gospel....
from the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in the second place, who sang "History Repeating
History Repeating (song)
"History Repeating" is a song written by Alex Gifford and originally performed by the Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey in 1997.-Single release:...
."
The second day the contestants were required to sing national hit songs, and Sandhy chose his own song "Malam Biru" which is in Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
. Sandhy again received 119 points from the judges, and was still in the first place with 238 points, tying with Jamala who received a perfect score on the second day of the competition.
On the third and final day, the contestants had to sing a song that is "dedicated to New Wave 2009" and Sandhy performed another song that he wrote, "End of the Rainbow." Both Sandhy and Jamala received a perfect score of 120, making them the winners of New Wave 2009 with 358 points, and were awarded €50,000 each.
Post-New Wave
Sandhy started to gain fame in his home country Indonesia after videos of his performances in New Wave were uploaded to YoutubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
In 2010, he was invited by Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
to perform for PBS in the Palladium Theatre, along with famous artists such as Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, Patti Austin
Patti Austin
-Life and career:Austin was born in Harlem, New York. She made her debut at the Apollo Theater at age four and had a contract with RCA Records when she was only five. Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington have proclaimed themselves as her godparents....
, Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton
Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
, Eric Benet
Eric Benét
Eric Benét, is an American singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on the US Billboard R&B chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000....
, Fantasia
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
, Le Ann Rimes and others.