Sky Garden: The Perfect Peterpan Dream

JAKARTA - The daily life of music is not an easy matter. Band from Bandung, Peterpan never felt it. Their musical activities were opposed by their respective parents. But Ariel (vocals), Andika (keyboards), Uki (guitar), Lukman (guitar), Indra (bass), and Reza (drums) kicked off. He broke all pessimistic notes.

The Perfect Dream Song (2002) became a spell. The song amazes millions of music lovers across the country. This success was then legitimized with the presence of the album Taman Langit (2003).

Almost every Peterpan personnel grew up in a place where the music was considered a bleak future. In fact, many of their parents forbid their children to choose music as a way of life. Including Nazril Irham or who is familiarly called Ariel.

Ariel or Boriel reveals his parents want all the children in the family to grow up as engineers in the future. For a promising life, he said. Ariel's parents also limit the family's musical activities. Not prohibit. Music is fine, as long as the singing is just for fun. Not to be taken seriously.

Ariel didn't want to lose either. His musical experience is imprinted. He tried to break the wishes of his parents. The strategy was perpetuated. Playing music quietly is the main option.

This was done because Ariel did not want to follow in the footsteps of his older brother who was forbidden to play music seriously. Ariel's strategy was accurate. He can play music without being bothered by the thought of parents who don't want their children to make a mistake.

"It's my father, anyway, if only his children could become engineers. My older brother, who is a boy, plays in a band, so he was a bit serious about playing in a band. He was told to stop. When he was in high school he played in a band. So when I played guitar for the first time, definitely he tried his guitar. When he got a little serious (his brother) stopped. After that, he entered the club."

"No (forbidden), because I'm a little smarter. I mean, I'm smart not to say when I play in a band. Music in my family should not be taken seriously. If you're just playing, that's okay. Only if it looks a bit serious like that. Especially because at that time my sister had just graduated from high school, and wanted to go to college. (parents) told them to stop," said Ariel in Vincent and Desta's Youtube video.

The same feeling was also felt by Mohammad Kautsar Hikmat or who is familiarly called Uki. Uki's choice to have a career in the music world is not what his parents dreamed of. Uki was even asked by his mother to make an agreement to stop performing at cafes. All of that for the sake of the child's education level so as not to be disturbed.

Uki's mother's choice was correct. His son was able to smoothly graduate from high school. Uki also entered one of the colleges. However, as a student his interest in music became more and more intense. Every day he used to perform and hone his talent for playing musical instruments. Peterpan was born in 2000. Uki was faced with two choices: choose Peterpan or education. Without thinking Uki chose Peterpan. The only family member who supports his steps is only Aji, the older brother.

“I am lucky to have Aji, an older brother who supports my new career. My sister is a campus activist. He was quite diligent in voicing student concerns with demonstrations. When there was a Munir case, he also took to the streets. In addition, Aji is a rapper. He is a member of Homicide which is quite famous in Bandung. Because they are both musicians. We understand each other's wishes."

“Gaming in cafes makes me have to go out at night and only come back before dawn. This is where my sister comes into play. Came home at three in the morning, who picked him up. It is also Aji who often encourages and encourages me for my life choices,” said Uki in the book Other Stories - Historical Records 2010-2012 (2012).

Ariel, Uki, Reza, Andika, Lukman, and Indra's choices were not wrong. The opportunity arose when Musica Studio's was looking for a new band for a compilation album. Peterpan did not waste that opportunity. They sent a demo containing three of the best songs: Friends, Sky Garden, and Perfect Dreams.

The effort was considered a success. Musica Studio's liked and chose the song "Dream Perfect" to appear on the compilation album titled "Kitab 2002 Malam" (2002). The Perfect Dream Song exploded. The album sales figure reached 150,000 copies of Peterpan's songs.

“At first, they casually accepted the offer of Noey (bass player for the Java Jive band) to fill out a compilation album of singers that Noey was working on. Just to take advantage of the opportunity, they also fiddled with the song Perfect Dream. Who would have thought that their dream would actually become perfect, because the song was chosen to be the mainstay of the video clip," wrote Ippho Santosa in the book Hot Marketing (2013).

This success gave Peterpan the opportunity to make his own album. Peterpan under Musica Studio's then released the album Taman Langit (2003). Album with the mainstay song Topeng, All About Us, The Deepest, to Friends are successful in the market. The success was phenomenal because the promotion of the album was mediocre. But the success of the song "Dream Perfect" made Peterpan popular.

The album won various awards that had never been thought of by other Peterpan personnel. They won a Multi Platinum Award and an SCTV Award for Popular Newcomer Album in 2003. Gradually, the parents of all Peterpan personnel began to accept their child's career as a musician. They are also proud of Peterpan's achievements.

“In 2003, Dewi Fortuna sided with Ariel and friends. The Sky Garden album exploded in the market. The songs are played on various radios in the country. Television scramble to invite the presence of Peterpan. The print media also began to create myths while firing them into the minds of the public without mercy.”

"People are shocked. They welcomed the new myth with enthusiasm. Ariel's name counts. His handsome face, cold and somewhat shy demeanor, distinctive voice, piercing lyrics, and piercing melodies, are the perfect combination to mutually ordain Ariel 'Peterpan' as a new icon of the popular culture industry," concluded Syaiful Halim in book Postcommodification Media & Cultural Studies (2021).

*Read other information about HISTORY or read other interesting articles from Detha Arya Tifada.