East Indonesian Music Roadmap Discussed, Genres and Markets in Spotlight

JAKARTA - The government has begun to draw up a roadmap for East Indonesian music to answer questions about genres, markets, and talent development. This step was discussed in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) of the Ministry of Culture in Jakarta, Tuesday (27/1), which brought together officials, musicians, and industry players.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon assessed that the eastern music that often goes viral shows real market potential. "Many East Indonesian music goes viral. This is an important phenomenon for the direction of strengthening the ecosystem," he said.

FGD maps the main challenges, ranging from genre recognition, market access, to promotion space. Music based on local traditions is considered capable of penetrating the national market, but has not been supported by a solid system.

Gorontalo musician Echo Show proposed a "home" for eastern music to clarify the genre's identity. Ambon musician Hany Patikawa encouraged a special award night for musicians from the eastern region.

Deputy Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha emphasized that the state acted as a facilitator. "The state is moving according to the agreement of musicians. The space for the formation of new genres is open," he said.

The government also links this program with the Indonesian Music Conference and National Talent Management to expand networking, training, and professional access. This discussion is the basis for drawing up a blueprint for the eastern music ecosystem so that local talent is not only strong culturally, but also industrially competitive.