RCD Records Investigates Rejuvenating Old Songs Nagaswara through New Arrangements

Nostalgia music never really dies, it just needs to change clothes to stay relevant. This is the strategy that the RCD Records record label showcased when bringing a special project titled "Nagaswara Legacy Hits" to the Java Jazz Festival 2026 stage at the end of May.

Through the cold touch of the new generation of musicians, a series of Indonesian hit songs that once topped the charts in the 2000s, were reborn with a much more modern packaging.

This bold move is proof that songs from RCD Records have a long life if combined with the right arrangement formula.

The label entrusted this rejuvenation mission to a row of their mainstay musicians, such as Vintonic, Harra., and Dominique Adhadiaz.

No small matter, the Malay and pop songs that were once familiar to the public were completely overhauled using a contemporary sound approach inspired by the city pop genre, contemporary pop, to the touch of R&B and jazz.

RCD Records director Raynaldi Kertawiguna said that the opportunity to present this project on an international scale was a major achievement and the realization of the label's long-standing dream and the musicians.

According to him, this project is not just a nostalgic event, but a space for exploration to bridge past works with the tastes of today's generation.

"It is an honor for us and the RCD Records talents, namely Vintonic, Harra., Dominique Adhadiaz, and Siti Badriah, to be able to be part of an internationally scaled event that is always awaited every year," said Reynaldi in his statement, Friday, June 19.

"Collaborating with the Java Jazz Festival is one of the dreams we have long hoped for. For our talents, this moment is also a dream come true that is very meaningful and they have been waiting for throughout their careers," added Raynaldi.

In his performance on the JBL Outdoor Stage stage at that time, a musical surprise was presented from the first minute. The song "Cari Jodoh" by the band Wali, which is originally full of Malay pop nuances, was transformed into an opening number full of modern energy by all performers.

The exploration did not stop there. Vintonic successfully injected a new nuance into Hello's "Ular Berbisa" after previously presenting their original single, "Semesta Asmara".

Meanwhile, Dominique Adhadiaz gave a soulful color to T2's song "Lelaki Cadangan", which was paired with his own song titled "Fokusku Kedelay".

The Harra. music group also did not want to lose by performing the song "Jurus Jitu" before finally hitting the stage through an energetic interpretation of the song "Papa Rock N Roll" by The Dance Company.

As the culmination of this project, the stage was shaken by a cross-generational collaboration when Siti Badriah took to the stage. Together with all the musicians of RCD Records, he performed his phenomenal song, "Lagi Syantik", which successfully closed the show.

The success of the "Nagaswara Legacy Hits" project reaffirms RCD Records' vision in the Indonesian music industry. The presence of new arrangements proves that past heritage songs do not have to be shackled and rigid, but can continue to live, evolve, and find new resonance in the midst of dynamic music trends.