Commitment Of The Ministry Of Culture To Advance Dangdut Music, Makes Concerts At Elvy Sukaesi's Birthday

JAKARTA - A warm and nostalgic atmosphere can be seen on the Harmoni Zaman special edition stage held by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Friday, June 27. This appreciation concert is specially dedicated to Elvy Sukaesih, the Queen of Dangdut, right on her 74th birthday.

The event which took place in Jakarta is a clear proof of the government's commitment to advancing dangdut music as a living cultural heritage. The Minister of Culture Fadli Zon directly gave the gold plate award to Elvy, a symbol of recognition for his long contribution to Indonesian music.

"Umi Elvy Sukaesih, which we heard earlier was her gold voice, even though she was 74 years old, feels like 47 years old," said Fadli Zon, greeted by applause from invited guests. Fadli also offered a prayer so that Elvy would always be healthy, long life, and continue to work for the nation.

The event opened the appearance of Dhawiya Zaida, Elvy's youngest daughter, who sang the song Luka Tak Bleeding'. Meanwhile, Kiki Astrida and Krisna Mukti guided the show. The video of Elvy's career journey was also played, inviting the audience to follow in the footsteps of the legend since the 1970s.

Elvy Sukaesih, owner of the real name Else Sukaesih, is widely known for hits such as 'Bonska from India', 'Bisik-Bisik Tetangga', 'Mandi Madu', to 'Gula-Gula'. His distinctive and strong voice makes him a cross-generational dangdut icon. Not only in Indonesia, Elvy also introduced dangdut to the international arena, including appearing in Japan.

Fadli Zon emphasized that dangdut music is an important part of Indonesia's popular culture that deserves to be developed. He said, while attending the Cannes Film Festival in France, the dangdut music played in Indonesian Night managed to attract foreign audiences even though they did not understand the lyrics. "This tag makes people sway. This music is an Indonesian native culture that we must be proud of," he said as quoted in a written statement received on Saturday, June 28.

According to Fadli, the government is now showing a strong commitment to national culture. The establishment of the Ministry of Culture in the era of President Prabowo Subianto became a historic step after 79 years of Indonesia's independence. "We want art and culture to be more advanced. Appreciation to artists like Umi Elvy is part of that responsibility," he said.

Fadli also mentioned the implementation of the Indonesian Music Award (AMI) which contained the dangdut music category as concrete evidence of government support for the local music industry.

A number of artists and figures attended this honorary event. Ahmad Dhani, Mulan Jameela, Neno Warisman, Fahri Hamzah, Mansyur S., Iis Dahlia, Ita Purnamasari, Uci Bing Slamet, Adi Bing Slamet, and Ruben Onsu also celebrated Elvy's special moments. From the ranks of the Ministry of Culture, there was the Director of Facilities and Infrastructure, Feri Arlius.

Closing his remarks, Fadli Zon hopes that more and more young people will love dangdut music. "Hopefully the people at home and abroad will appreciate our cultural wealth more," he concluded.