Exclusive Dbatlayar, Viral Song Becomes A Honest Music Image From Dave And Joy

Exclusive dbatlayar (Photo: Bambang E Ros, DI: Raga/VOI

JAKARTA - The role of social media in introducing musicians and their works cannot be ruled out. Although it sounds unfair enough, the success of releasing a song is sometimes judged from a viral level on social media. The more songs are played on platforms like TikTok, the label successfully is easily pinned.

For those who have gone through an era before digitalization dominated the music world, of course it is not enough. Even for some contexts, those who only pursue to go viral are often underestimated, because they are considered not to heed the essence of a work as a whole.

However, going viral on social media is certainly not entirely bad. Because of the songs that continue to be milling about on TikTok, the musicians who own it have been helped to introduce themselves to listeners. This was experienced by dbatlayar, a duo from Jakarta from Dave (vocals, guitars) and Joy (vocals, keyboards), with the song, Badut Baru which had gone viral on social media.

Before the 'New Badut' went viral on social media, the dbatlayar went on a journey that was not quite easy. They try to work hard and try to be consistent in music.

Dave and Joy grew up from a music lover family. The two have started playing music since they were still in elementary school (SD) bangs. Entering adolescence, Dave and Joy have their respective bands with friends at school. At that time, they also began to learn to write songs.

In 2019, Dave and Joy formed a dbatlayar, a duo group whose name was taken from the name of their fam, Batlayar. Luckily, a friend was willing to help them to record the song.

"Incidentally, we really want to release songs, but there are limited facilities and infrastructure, we don't know what, so fortunately there are people who want to rekam," said Joy during a visit to the VOI office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta recently.

From there, Dave and Joy were determined to enter the music industry as a duo. The single debut 'Strengthened' was finally released in early 2020.

They also walked independently, Joy began learning to produce their own works, while Dave learned how dbatlayar's works could be heard to the public.

Until finally we thought, oh, it's already running. Because we want, there's no way, but God meets us with people to open the road, so we can release songs," said Joy.

The duo concept was chosen not without reason. Dave as an older brother and Joy as a younger brother felt that he had the same musical vision.

"We want to bring the concept of these brothers in music by providing warmth, through our interaction as well, so this duo concept is what we use," said Dave.

After having a debut single, the DUtlayar tries to consistently release songs every year, there is a 'accept' in 2021, 'Delayed' in 2022, 'Redwar' in 2023, and until 'New Badut' in 2024.

Each song is written by Dave and Joy with a similar pattern, where Dave focuses on writing lyrics and Joy focuses on the composition of music.

For the last song, Badut Baru, was written based on Dave's story in 2023. At that time, his older brother felt 'badut' in his romance. In other words, Dave's feelings for his favorite woman did not receive a similar response.

"Incidentally, at that time I was feeling like a liar, finally, I turned it into a song, I think it fits. So, we used our first recording on a cellphone and stored it in a voice note," said Dave.

'New Badut', a song that went viral before its release

In the KEINA Creative formed by HIVI!, the dbatlayar tried new things when introducing New Badut to the listeners. Instead of releasing the song as a whole on the digital streaming platform (DSP), they first introduced a chorus of songs through TikTok and Instagram.

"Actually, we also didn't expect (to go viral), because at first we were just trying new things that we had never done, namely we try to share pieces of the song first on social media, on TikTok and Instagram," said Joy.

"We've talked to other friends (hearsers) too, from entering this song on social media until it's released, given a month, because we want to see what the flow is like, what the algorithm is. But it turned out that before a month the response of friends was positive and quite good," he continued.

Dave said he was grateful for the listener's response to Badut Baru. When the song was released intact on DSP, the stream record was much bigger than the previous four songs. This also makes their other songs experience an increase in the number of listeners.

"What I see is the response of friends who commented and DM (Director Message on Instagram), that's the average relationship with the story. Because we become kneeholders, it's not just in romance, but sometimes in friendship, work, even when people come to the family who feel they are funny. Because being a proportion is like fun for people but alone," said Dave.

What is obtained through the song Badut Baru' clearly makes the dbatlayar increasingly known to Indonesian music lovers. But in addition, the 'cases of viral songs' actually make Dave and Joy as musicians who are starting their way in the music industry learn more from the listeners' interpretation of their work.

"Well, that's our homework too, how do we know the dbatlayar. The song may have been heard, but there are us who have the song, and we have other works," said Joy.

"In addition, from the numbers because it is bigger than the previous works, we feel more people's opinions and interpretations of our works. So it also makes us learn more," said Dave.

Dave and Joy are well aware that the viral 'New Badut' doesn't mean they can be said to be successful. But at least, they are aware that their hard work since forming the DUtlayar is on the right track. Other releases have also been prepared to follow suit.

"So, whatever happens, it means that from before the 'New Badout' was released, we also know that we have one song that looks like it, what kind of concept do we make, we already know. If many people hear the song 'New Badut', it's a bonus from what we do too," said Joy.

The more known to the public is also followed by its own responsibilities. With the hope that more and more stages for the dbatlayar, Dave and Joy chose to take a vocal course to become a better performer.

"That's one of our responsibilities too. Because we as art workers, we also feel the need to be equipped with various things, one of which is that we learn vocals again," said Joy.

"Because we feel that when we are given more responsibility, we must also prepare everything more," he added.

Dave and Joy have high hopes that not just their songs go viral on social media. As musicians, they want to continue to grow, meet more people, and introduce honest music.

We have the same vision in music, namely to make music honestly and give our best work to be new friends to listeners. So the hope is that more so, from us as musicians we can develop in terms of performance and be able to meet more friends who listen to us," said Dave.

"And we also hope to provide warmth, not only from our work, but when we meet on stage, we both can provide warmth," concluded Joy.