JAKARTA - The world of music in recent times is a noisy digital jungle, where algorithms are often the commander who dictate creativity.
At a time when the industry demands shorter song durations, instant structures, and hooks that must immediately explode in the first five seconds to satisfy social media attention, Abdul Qodir Jaelani - or who is familiarly called Dul Jaelani - actually chooses a quiet but characteristic detour.
Through the latest release released at the beginning of 2026, a single titled "Actually, Forever...", this son of Ahmad Dhani and Maia Estianty confirms his position as a sound craftsman who is loyal to the organic formula.
The song comes as a refreshing anomaly in the midst of a barrage of programmed music. In it, Dul slips in an interlude with a mournful and progressive guitar solo - an element that is increasingly rare in modern music production that emphasizes duration efficiency.
For Dul, the interlude is not just a pause without meaning or just a formality of filling the song, but a breathing space for an alternative rock composition so that it does not feel bland.
"Yes, because basically I like alternative rock music," said Dul when visiting VOI in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta recently.
"Alternative rock, of course, there is an interlude. If there is no interlude, it will be so hard. And especially if the interlude can be conceptualized in such a way, I really like it there," he continued.
In the making of Actually, Forever..., Dul holds full control which shows his maturity as a professional musician. He acts as a singer, bass player, songwriter, producer, to executive producer under his own label, TTR Records.
This role is not new for him, but rather a discipline that he has honed since 2017. However, even though he is dominant behind the production table, Dul knows when to share the space and give trust to his colleagues.
He brought in tough names to fill the life in this song: Wahyu Sudiro on guitar, and backing vocals by his lover, Tissa Biani, and Tanya Ditaputri.
For rhythm matters, the choice fell to Ikmal Tobing. The selection of the drummer is not without strong technical reasons. Dul needs a percussion character that not only maintains the tempo, but is able to translate contradictory emotions.
"This song is actually a cengeng song, but we don't want it to come out as cengeng. We need a drummer who is powerful, skillful, who can give the impression of anger in the song," he said.
The Musician's View: Organic Spirit and the Three Decades CycleTalking to Dul Jaelani is talking to a young man who has a musical reach that jumps far back, but still lands with relevance in the present.
In the midst of the onslaught of synthetic music and artificial intelligence (AI) that can compose a tone in a matter of seconds, Dul chooses to remain "old" in the most honorable sense. He chooses totality by keeping the originality of the instrument above all else.
Dul emphasized that he was not anti-technology. In his house, he continued to study the latest music technology developments so as not to be blind. However, he was reluctant to be carried away and become "a person who just follows".
For him, there are human vibrations, beautiful imperfections, and physical energy embodied in organic recordings, which can never be perfectly replicated by a line of binary code or software on a computer.
"I want to keep the originality or authenticity. I don't want to be someone who is lost in technology," he said.
This determination is driven by a belief in what he calls the "30-Year Cycle". Based on the outside media research he studied, Dul believes that cultural and musical trends will revolve every three decades.
"Like in 1990 back to 1960, and now again in 2026, the circulation is back to the 1990s. And it really feels, from fashion, from lyrics, even about darkness, mental illness, how does this feel like the 90s," said Dul.
Dul's observations are not wrong if you look at how the visual aesthetics and musical tastes of Gen Z today. Dul sees this phenomenon as a breath of fresh air. He witnessed how middle and high school students today began to hold guitars again, forming bands with a burning rock spirit, and following local scenes that were once considered secondary but now are rushing into the mainstream.
For him, the return of the rock spirit among teenagers is a sign that his choice to stay on the alternative path is a very relevant step.
Interestingly, Dul's musical references are no longer just stuck on his father's legendary catalog, which has been a daily consumption since childhood. He is actually busy studying the local heroes of today.
Names such as Perunggu, Hindia, Polka Wars, to Reality Club became the material for his study. He wanted to understand why these bands were so popular and how their lyrics were able to portray the current social conditions.
As an introvert who admits to spending more time in the studio than socializing outside, listening to the works of his colleagues is a way to stay connected to the pulse of the outside world. This maturity is also what makes him more open artistically. He left his idealism which was very rigid.
"I'm in a phase where I was really idealistic, I didn't want to listen to pop music, I didn't want to listen to other music. Finally, now in the phase of 'Oh, it turns out that when you reject one music, other music will reject you'," he said.
Dul realized that as a producer, he had to accept all streams. This confession came when he started listening to Taylor Swift because his lover, Tissa, who is a big fan of the US pop diva. Unexpectedly, the pop influence entered his subconscious and gave color to his work.
Understanding Simple SuccessIn the global music industry ecosystem that worships data and statistical figures, it is easy for a musician to get caught up in depression or mental stress due to the pursuit of numbers. Dul Jaelani is very aware of this trap. For him, virality is a very dangerous drug if it is used as the main reference in working.
Indeed, going viral can bring financial benefits instantly, but he believes that making it a main goal will create an unhealthy mindset for an artist.
"Viral is indeed a drug, but it's a bonus. I see my friends, they are willing to burn money for exposure on social media, yes, some of them don't get it either. So I think it's sincerity to work again," he said.
Dul chooses to separate art and business affairs. Let the people in the marketing department worry about the viral strategy, while he remains focused on honesty in his work.
Even though he objectively acknowledges that streams and views are the most realistic barometer of success in the eyes of the industry today, Dul chose to redefine the meaning of success for himself.
He views the final result as sustenance, so he prefers to love the process and his struggle rather than constantly monitoring the numbers.
For Dul, the most authentic success is when his work is able to have a positive impact personally on his listeners. He feels very touched when someone comes to him and just says thank you for a song he made. For him, it's a much bigger achievement than tens of millions of streams that don't have an emotional connection.
He also shared his experience with his religious songs worked with Pidi Baiq, where many listeners feel more remembering the Creator after listening to the song.
"I realize that I'm not in the position that I'm saying with tens of millions of streams, so instead of thinking of it as a barometer of success, now I think of those who say 'Dul makasih ya sudah buat lagu itu.' That's enough. Simple," he said.
Honesty is a dead price in every lyric he writes. Dul believes that honesty in working is not a myth, but a necessity. He writes a lot based on personal experience, including sensitive issues that may be difficult to convey verbally as an introvert.
In 2026, Dul Jaelani seems to continue on his own unique path. With plans for a solo album that carries alternative energy, he wants to consistently maintain the spirit of the music he believes in. He does not pursue false grandeur, but rather the eternity of the feeling he conveys in every note of "Actually, Forever ...".
In the end, through Dul Jaelani, we learn that in the midst of an increasingly artificial world, being an honest human being, appreciating the process, and still being grounded in authenticity is the most elegant form of cultural resistance. He is a musician who is not chasing the world, but is trying to make a positive impact on anyone who is willing to open their ears and hearts to an honest moan.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
