Support Ahmad Dhani Regarding Music Royalties, Denny Chasmala: Let's Respect And Respect Song Creators

Denny Chasmala (Instagram @dennychasmala)

JAKARTA - Denny Chasmala expressed his support to Ahmad Dhani for his struggle for the issue of music royalties.

The legendary composer said that users cannot arbitrarily sing songs made by creators at any time.

"Until whenever a song (notation and lyrics) belongs to the creator," said Denny via Instagram.

"Anyone's users cannot feel they have or have the right and feel they are allowed to sing or take advantage of economic benefits without the permission of the songwriter.

"Regard and respect songwriters (songwriters) for creating pure songs is an intellectual property," he exclaimed.

"Then how can songwriters continue to work and be able to finance their lives? Who should donate them?" asked Denny.

"Are record companies, publishers, EOs, cafes, special events, weddings, ceremonials, or even people or singers who popularized them while still singing on stage? Or is there something else.

"The sustenance can be from anywhere.

"What do you think. Let's help answer, give input, give criticism, be free to comment on anything on my Instagram.

"Thank you for the support of my teacher @ahmadhaniofficial," he concluded.

Not only that, Denny Chasmala also uploaded a photo containing his call to the Dewa 19 keyboardist in the United Composer Whatsapp group.

"We all have to support @ahmadhani, he has raised the flag of war and opened the way so that everything related to songs and all users are literate," he said.

As previously reported, Ahmad Dhani forbade Once Mekel to sing Dewa 19 songs. The reason is, Once has left Dewa 19 since 2010.

The singer of the song Dealova is considered by Dhani to have never asked for permission from herself as a songwriter when she performed Dewa 19 at a solo concert.

In fact, furthermore, many event organizers invite Once not to pay for performing rights (the right to present a work mainly in the commercial realm) to WAMI (Indonesian Music Authority). Dhani then took this matter to the realm of law.

Once disappointed Dhani did not try to resolve this issue personally and tarnished his name in public. In fact, Dewa 19's replacement Ari Lasso admitted that he was open to solving this problem through a personal approach before being brought to the realm of law.

Meanwhile, Freddy Harris as Director General of Intellectual Property Rights (Hak Kekayaan Intellectual) said anyone can ban their works from being used by others without a permit and without paying royalties.

Similarly, the singer and advocate, Kadri Mohamad, said that Once he was allowed to sing Dewa 19 songs without Dhani's approval as long as he paid to WAMI.

Kadri added that this problem was already in the realm of ethics and had to be resolved personally by Dhani and Once.