Sleigh 'Laskar Pelangi' Before Sleigh PSI

JAKARTA - The role of Giring "Nidji" as a newcomer politician is not the best example. The man whose full name is Giring Ganesha Djumaryo once failed to step into Senayan. He didn't stop. Giring even had a discourse about running for president in the 2024 election. We remember Giring's other side. Through the song Laskar Pelangi as his masterpiece which is very inspiring.

The era of the 2000s was the heyday of Giring as a musician with his band Nidji. Influence, popularity, until the money he gets. However, Giring's mother, Irmawaty Djumaryo, reminded Giring not to get excited. With that advice the mother gave him a book that changed Giring's life. The book is Andrea Hirata's novel, Laskar Pelangi (2005).

Laskar Pelangi is so inspiring Giring. He really enjoys the life story of Andrea Hirata (Ikal) and nine children in the Hanging Village, East Belitung who are full of limitations. They come from poor families who study in a school with minimal facilities. The school building almost collapsed.

However, they are still enthusiastic. The ten children were called Laskar Pelangi. It is said that Giring cried when he read Laskar Pelangi. He was touched. Then came his mind to compose a song about Laskar Pelangi.

"I read (Laskar Pelangi), I talked to Nidji's children in Bali when I was going back to Jakarta. If this book is made into a film, we have to make it (OST). The kids kept saying, 'Oh, it's five o'clock in the morning, the boss at the airport is still talking about books.'”

“The funny thing is, two days later, Mira Lesmana (producer) called. Mira told that she was working on the Laskar Pelangi film in Belitung. Wow, I've read the book. Mira said whether or not Nidji would make the OST. And that moment. Mira didn't know I read the book. I didn't even know he made the film. So, everything has become God's secret." said Giring in Helmi Yahya Talk's Youtube channel.

The sleigh moves fast. He stated his intention to the record company that oversees Nidji, Musica Studio's. The sleigh idea was approved. Not long after, when they performed in Surabaya they took the time to rent a studio specifically rented to compose songs for the film Laskar Pelangi which was being worked on.

It was in creating the lyrics of the song that Giring's mind recalled the excitement of the life adventures of Ikal, A kiong, Lintang, Kucai, Syahdan, Mahar, Trapani, Harun, Sahara, and Borek. Therefore, the first words that occurred to Giring were none other than: Dreams are the key/ for us to conquer the world/ run tirelessly/ until you reach them.

The most difficult part is the refrain of the song. Nidji repeatedly disassembled the structure of the song. In fact, the creation of the song was absent for more than a month. The creation of the song began to look hilal when Nidji performed in Makassar. At that time, Giring was enjoying time alone in the bathroom. That's where the song's chorus is found by Giring.

“Suddenly in Makassar, at my hotel I was in the toilet, indeed, there was a lot of inspiration in the toilet. Suddenly, there was a moment in the book where they were dancing, the sap hit them and they got itchy, and they won. I immediately thought I think it's a good scene, the scene must be in the movie right. Yes, I immediately wrote: dance and laugh, even though the world is not as beautiful as heaven. After that, you will immediately get the tone,” recalls Giring.

Unexpectedly his work with Nidji entitled Laskar Pelangi was accepted by the public. This success coincided with the release of the film Laskar Pelangi (2008), directed by Riri Riza and produced by Mira Lesmana. Together with the film, the song Laskar Pelangi then spread to remote parts of the country, via radio, cinema, to homes.

The highlight of the song Laskar Pelangi won nominations and awards. It is noted that the song Laskar Pelangi won the highest award in the Indonesian music industry, the Ami Award in 2009. Laskar Pelangi won two awards as well as Best Pop Song and Best Production Work.

The highest award in the world of music for allied countries (Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia), Anugerah Planet Muzik 2009 was also obtained by Nidji. Laskar Pelangi won as Best Song.

The series of awards are proof that Laskar Pelangi can be accepted by the wider community. Laskar Pelangi is not only a pleasant song to hear, but also inspiring. The spirit and courage in the song invites Indonesian children to dare to dream.

The former President Director of TVRI, Helmi Yahya, agrees with this. For him, Laskar Pelangi is like an obligatory song that Indonesian children must listen to in order to keep moving forward, achieving their dreams and aspirations.

“In every event Laskar Pelangi is like an obligatory song. Talk about dreams, keep dreaming, instead of listening to Westlife's I Have a Dream all the time, right? We have more (strong message). That's really cool," said Helmi Yahya.

There is nothing wrong with the expression of the song Laskar Pelangi as an obligatory song for young people. The message of the song is so strong coupled with Nidji's ability to make music is the estuary. Because of that, Giring's distinctive voice provides a strong narration in the song Laskar Pelangi which implies the meaning to dare to dream.

The message is like inviting young people to see how President Soekarno split the prison walls with a dream to liberate the Indonesian people. In fact, in the past, Indonesia's independence was considered a myth. And Soekarno broke it down.

“It's faint but surely the song 'Laskar Pelangi' is heard over and over again on many radio and television stations. The song was created by harmonizing musical compositions and extraordinary narration by the Nidji group, which is currently popular. Inspired by the novel by Andrea Hirata, 'Laskar Pelangi.' This very uplifting song is the soundtrack for a feature film with the same title by Riri Riza and Mira Lesmana. Notice the tremendous power through which it unfolds in the lyrics... Incredible! Hopefully this can be an inspiration and 'force you to become a real teacher!', concluded M. Gorky Sembiring in the book Becoming a True Guru (2009).

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