Today we travel across the globe to meet Voice Of Baceprot ( Sundanese for ‘noisy’), an Indonesian three-piece killing machine, formed in 2014 and they are quite a force to be reckoned with. Enticing the listeners into their world with a few strategically placed cover versions, they now launch themselves into the pit with the incendiary new single ‘PMS’ or ‘Perempuan Merdeka Seutuhnya’ which translates as ‘Wholly Independent Woman’ and by crikey does it wallop you around the head. Lead singer and guitarist is Firda Marsya Kurnia, on bass we have Widi Rahmawati and on drums we have Euis Siti Aisyah.
The state of the scene when it comes to women is well documented, but for these young ladies it is doubly contentious as they battle against cultural and religious limitations as well. They sing in English and their native Sundanese too. Wearing a hijab is the obvious difference, maybe making them an easy target, but hey wars weren’t won by the shy and retiring. It is a proud moment to see young artists crossing boundaries, reaching for something that has always been out of reach for some people.
The single is a beautifully crafted, wonderous piece, it is inspiring and harbours a particularly infectious chorus, it’s probably rattling a few cages as well! There is a fever; a thirst for music in countries where it is not considered a part of society or upbringing. I love the words here
‘Meski tak seperawan Maria, aku bukan budak busuk otakmu’ which means ‘Though I’m not as immaculate as The Virgin Mary, I’m not a slave to your rotten brain’.
As someone from the same religion/culture, those words really hit home for me, having been a slave to other people’s rotten brains all my life. It’s time to break free, it’s time to raise our noisy voices.
Azra Pathan
Voice Of Baceprot – PMS out now