Vinda Sazam – an Indonesian Singer who loves India

Vinda Sazam

There is not a single week that makes us more happy than this week to write this feature. Vinda our sweetest and dearest friend from Indonesia. Although this blog cover subcontinent India we are doing this exception for her. Earlier we have covered singers from Nepal. Vinda by heart loves India and we all whole heatedly love Vinda and say welcome to India and thanks for making our feature beautiful by that super talent in singing.

We first saw Vinda when she wrote to us from Indonesia when Akash our very first male singer from mainland India is featured. Despite whatever circumstances we met her, all that is irrelevant to mention here. She is by a far the most deserving singer to be here for many other reasons related to her singing talent.

She is almost a celebrity by herself; her Smule profile have 150K + followers and most of her songs are played a minimum of 1.0 K and some of her collaborations in India especially with Akash is played over 50 K. What? yes it is true. Why? You will soon see her singing very soon and then you will know why.

Vinda is an artist we are very proud to be associated with; she is one of the best friends of our blog site and we are very glad it is that way. A little bit more about her that she want to share with entire India.

Vinda lives in Padang city, Indonesia. She says she loves all genres of music (of course she sings with singers from many different countries and have followers from all over the world). She says she also can sing very well Arabian songs. Recently she started singing Hindi songs and she became an instant super star on India sub-continent. She says her favorite singing idol from India is Sherya Ghoshal. Vinda says Shreya is awesome. She is very honest to say that she do not know how she can sing in harmony with all these different languages and singers, but somehow the music and melody innate in her make it possible for her to cross the language and social barriers. She is truly is a singer that proved this point on Smule beautifully. She continues to say  that she always try to change around all songs and try to innovate in her own ways and she try her best to make every song perfect and beautiful. She says she always try to feel the emotions in each song from the melody and try not to lose it and sing in harmony with her collaborators. She added quickly “Music is the language of the soul” She started on Smule Sing just over an year ago and she like to thank all her followers who pursued us to feature her. She says her fans are not just people, but consider all of them as her friends. We can endorse that very much. She is the super coolest friend we ever met on the Smule Sing.

Asked about her profession she said “I used to be working for banking sector in Indonesia and rose to the highest rank levels; but quit the job due to high stress and to be with her family and more she says she love to live peacefully. Now running her own business.  Asked about how many countries and languages she can sing she says ” I sing Arabic also a lot, although I never learned or spoke Arabic”. She continues “apart from Hindi the Arabic language songs are very close to my heart”. Among the current Arabic musicians she says Nancy Ajram is her favorite. Miss. Ajram is a middle east artist so popular that Nissan corp. want her to be their official Ambassador for Middle east launch of their new car models.

About her native language : Here we have a very interesting connection of Vinda to India. Vinda speak Bahasa Indonesian. We were awed how Vinda pronounce Hindi so well. Our research led to the discovery that very word of her language name Bahasa came from the Sanskrit word भाषा bhashsa (language) and there is a huge connection of Indonesian language to Sanskrit. Vinda says she love India’s languages, culture and more specially India’s music. She try to understand the meaning of all the India songs by google translation, and that help her bring the right feel of lyrics.

This is enough, we wrote about her singing; Vinda doesn’t need our endorsement at all. She is a born singer and we are sure will be superstar with great future in singing. Let us look at the way she sings. For her, the music is so natural; as people says music is a universal language and Vinda’s Smule profile is the ultimate example of that phrase.

Here, she is singing with an artist from Syria who lives in Lebanon, Mr. Mazen Otabashi; this video is played more than 2 million times. Look at the power in both the singer’s voices. Song Mouthini. Later we will listen to the same song that Vinda will sing with a guitarist from Middle east.

This collaboration with Akash is one of the instant hit in India most played over 50 K times in a short period of a month on the Smule Sing.

In 5 days this one with Fonsi on his super hit song Despacito Vinda’s video hit over 30K plays on Smule. How many people tried singing with Fonsi and can claim that kind of achievement? None. Probably this may be a Guinness record ?

Here Vinda Singing her Arabian singer idol Nancy Ajram song. If you play Nancy’s version Vinda’s version is better we think. Play it and enjoy this beautiful one. Goes to the record right there.

This is Vinda’s favorite collaborator Odai a guitarist she enjoy singing Arabian songs with. Odai is a great guitarist.

With her most successful collaborations in India with Akash. A super hit iconic song from Sharookh movie. Vinda and Akash can make records together.

Rockabye with AnnMaries’ class song over 25 K times played and still counting; and it is beautiful, Vinda’s voice quality is as good as AnnMarie. Anne Marie is a UK artist and this particular number is from Clean Bandit; “Rockabye”, with Anne-Marie as main vocalist and featuring Jamaican rapper Sean Paul. Ever since it is on Smule Sing there are millions of versions of this song but none can claim that success.

This song in Vinda’s own language with yet another equally strong singer from Indonesia. ENJOY

This one Hindi pop hit is played more than 65 K over now. Even singers of main land India singing could claim that people played their version of this song that many times on Smule. Han Hasi ban gaye

Vinda’s Arabic songs with this guitarist is another hit on the Smule. Odai and Vinda made these Arabic songs an awesome treat. This can be like Madonna’s La Isla Bonita Arabic version

The co-singer TARIQ FATEH ALI KHAN is an awesome singer of enormous potential. This particular invite of his, is an awesome one and we will feature him if he wish to approach us in the future all for himself. Vinda as usual joined here and made this song a celebration.

This is yet another beautiful singer from Kashmir Unis Sadique. Vinda joining him singing this beautiful melody. Unis is a very promising singer with potential to develop a career in singing.

Lucknow Ki Nawaab ji and Vinda again singing a beautiful melody

Again with Akash on an earlier time song collaborations with him. You can see her concentration on her lyrics learning and we can tell you she is a hard worker.

We thoroughly enjoyed this most pleasant modern out look Singer from Indonesia and did an awesome job of making it big on Smule Sing in almost a year time. She already looking like a celebrity here. All she need is that break and we hope Vinda and Akash will make a record together and we are sure it will be a hit in both countries.

While we work on this feature what we realized is the influence of Arabic music and tunes on India’s main land music. Some of these singers who grew up hearing some of the Arabic style music that made an enormous influence on their later singing style. Some of the Arabic tunes presented here is beyond beautiful, heavenly. All those beautiful tunes are part of a great tradition that is nurtured by the Islamic traditions.

The open minded sharing of a unique culture and its music with entire world is beautiful. Hope that all the hatred that growing all over the world is dissolved and such music forums will heal all the wounds. A fresh start through music and that will pave way for a new world where all religions and culture work together. PEACE

POETRY TIME

In today’s poetry time we are going to visit two Indonesian poets, Chairil who lived when Indonesia was not modern as of today and Toeti who lives in modern Indonesia and still struggle with freedom for women. We can see how contrasting they both are when they share their life experiences an an artist; let us look through the eyes of these two intellects. Indonesia at the moment is ranked 16th in GDP and by 2050, expected to be the 4th largest economy in the World.

“Aku” (meaning “Me”) 1943 by Chairil Anwar

Original post from where the poem is adopted is at the link: https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Aku%20(poem)

English translation of Anwar’s poetry is added below; Anwar’s poetry reflects  human suffering and the resilience and the final message is that an artist’s sufferings make him/her a stronger person and all that courage shown facing them makes one immortal. So be fearless. May be a feeling many artists live through during their life time.  Also evident is the pride of self as an artist that he will not budge under pressure, even when faced with death.

This translation is done using google translator and corrected later for poetic expressions. We added this poetry to reflect upon all artists on Smule Sing who think their efforts are not recognized. Ultimately it is not the fame and money during one’s life that make you immortal. Definitely your work will remain immortal.

Aku (Me)

If it’s my time ‘

I want no one to seduce

Not even you

No need to sob 

I’m a bitch exiled from its own pack

Let the bullet penetrate my skin

I’m still inflamed with crashing Wounds

I can run, Run Until the pain is gone

And I will be more indifferent

I want to live another thousand years!

Toeti Heraty

Toeti is an internationally renowned Indonesian poet with very strong views about women’s freedom in Indonesia. Her poetry has been described by experts quote “as difficult to understand, with a deliberately cultivated ambiguity” with an “often unexpected, purely associative kind of imagery.” But it is possibly her effective use of irony (note at the end of the poetry she says  “Ah, this charade
has been going on far too long
whenever two women talk“- she clearly expressing her anguish at the endless issues of modern women in Indonesia). She uses her words carefully to highlight the unfavorable position of women in a patriarchal society, that sets Toeti’s poetry apart from that of her peers.” Toeti in her career held positions along with men and thus knew many difficulties women face at the work, in-equality while holding equivalent positions along with men.

Give a read of her poem called “Dua Wanita,”. You get to see all that imagery which is reflective of a women’s issues she faced in life and by the time you go through few lines there is so much for you to think about. We thought when Vinda a powerful women artist being featured here from Indonesia and the fact that she is coming from a majority Muslim nation these thoughts on religion and freedom of muslim women is very much in the highlight here. Luckily, Vinda seem to be immune to many common societal ties many Muslim women may be facing when they have to express their artistic side. She can be very influential for an entire world through her singing.

POET : Toeti Heraty

LITERAL TRANSLATORS – Ulrich Kratz; FINAL TRANSLATOR- Carole Satyamurti

Dua Wanita – Two Women

(People who speak Malayalam will be surprised title above in Bahasa Indonesian is almost Malayalam- another south India language derived from Sanskrit)

Please — please come in.
Easy smile, pregnant with meanings
— masks on the back wall —
this is an open house, my heart is open
see all the flowers on the table
— the phone is ringing, just unplug it —
spacious and pleasant, here we can sit in peace
beside the children playing on the floor
take off your armour, life’s paraphernalia
— the chaos of the city lies outside the fence —
here there is space, ease, refreshments on the table
and we can be open with each other, entrust ourselves to words
your life, my life in bright colors
against an ashen backdrop,
specks of black and crimson brushed off our clothes
a fragrant mist enveloping the stage
as colored sparks circle, glittering words,
reflections, are displayed on the table between the cups, car keys
the good intentions that have come to nothing
— the chaos of the city lies outside the fence —
plans to chase up
an hour, a day, the essence of life
squeezed for an instant…
Ah, this charade
has been going on far too long
whenever two women talk.

paraphrenalia – miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity

Web References:

1. https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Toeti+Heraty&uid=1575

2. http://www2.poetrytranslation.org/poems/two-women