I can sum it up in one word: Challenging.

One of the significant pros I’ve experienced in the business is when people can relate to and fall in love with your product. Obviously we have worked very hard in making our music with our heart and soul, so it would mean the world when somebody out there appreciates it. On the other hand, one of the cons I’ve experienced in the industry is dealing with some middle men that don’t do their job well- they could be managers, record labels, sound guy, etc. Everyone involved in making your product needs to be top-notch, otherwise you’ll be as strong as the weakest link in your team.

I take control of my breathing and I meditate regularly. I don’t let anything to be taken personally. I understand and respect the fact that no matter how much I’m passionate about my music, it’s still considered a product to other people in the industry. Knowing that, I must stay objective and calm, and at the same time remain driven and persistent. This is the base mentality that I believe anyone can benefit in adopting and eventually in succeeding.

I like the fact that ordinary people around the world can become “the media” too. Say, in the 90’s or before, musicians could not really expose themselves much on a mainstream level unless they’re signed to a major label and only have their song played by mega-media corporations like MTV. Now sites like YouTube or Facebook has changed the game as they allow regular people to have a fighting chance to build themselves without being tied to mega corporations. Because of this, I have discovered and become a fan of so many great music out there, and I’m not limited to enjoying Katy Perry only.

Yes, when it comes to being more consistent on my social media posting. I’ve gotten better at it in recent times, and I still need to keep improving on it. I just have to remind myself that I’m a “media” too in this day and age, and I can not take that for granted and I must use it wisely for Ang The One Man Orchestra.

I’m fine with either singles or albums, depending on your situation. In my case, I believe building my momentum through single releases is more strategic because I’m not that well-known yet, and people’s interest can be gradually increased through releasing my singles from time to time. If I release an album straight away without building a momentum, it can be a waste of time, effort and money at this point. Of course, it would be a different scenario if you’re Bruno Mars.

I remember when…
I was a kid my earliest memory of being hooked to music was listening to the pop song Faith by George Michael, but it wasn’t until I watched music videos by rock bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Metallica and Nirvana that really inspired me to pick up an instrument and start rockin’! From there, I chose guitar as my first serious instrument, and I started playing when I was fourteen. The rest is history 🙂

The Dormancy…
is about the feeling of being away from someone or something you love. The feeling of stagnancy or dormancy sinks in during this state. Imagine when you’re far away from your lover, or imagine when you’re so remote from doing something you love. You don’t feel the energy of life when this happens to you, and you’d feel stuck or dormant in life. This song is ultimately about longing to get out of this state of dormancy and back to the exuberance in life.

Just like any of my other songs, I intend to make “The Dormancy” to be both personal and universal. On a personal level, when I was writing the song, this is how I felt when I was so remote from doing something I love: making music. For years when I had to do other jobs due to life’s responsibility, I felt my life was flat and dormant, and I longed to to get out of this state and to make music again. On the other hand, on a universal level, I want everybody else to be able to relate this song to their own life and with their own versions, whatever that may be. Since I’m a straight male, I used feminine words such as “her”, “goddess” or “mermaid” as opposite-sex metaphors or personifications of what I’m longing: to make music again. So, the music here is personified as a girl you’re longing for, and if you haven’t heard my personal explanation of the lyrics, you may just feel that “The Dormancy” is a plain love song (and that’s okay with me too cause I wanted it to be universal for everybody). I supposed that’s the backstory of how the song came about as far as songwriting went.

Also, “The Dormancy” is the first song when I started to experiment with playing multiple instruments simultaneously. So as far as recording back story goes, I’m very proud to pull off this song successfully because it has a historic impact for me as the seeds of Ang The One Man Orchestra was first planted here.

I was sad and feeling dormant when writing “The Dormancy”; and just like I said above, it was because I was longing to do something I really love doing: making music 🙂

When it comes to selling a brand…
I believe one must put out a product that truly stands out from the rest of the crowd and one must also know how to promote it with attractive wordings and presentations that would appeal and entice the masses.

People can expect to be…
absolutely blown away by my whole musical presentation! 🙂 When one discovers my music only through audio means, first I want them to enjoy the songs I wrote and I want them to bask on its enchanting melodies, heartfelt lyrics, catchy hooks, smart arrangements and massive sounds of eclectic rock-pop and beyond. Right after that, I want the listeners to find out how I perform those songs live (hence, the stage name Ang The One Man Orchestra should draw some curiosity out of people to learn more).

The idea behind this concept is to take musicianship to super-heroic level, or to be the Bruce Lee of music! In my humble opinion, I believe now it’s about time for somebody to push the boundaries in terms of virtuosity and ways in making music. It’s been a while since Jimi Hendrix or Michael Jackson revolutionised the music world with their jaw-dropping virtuosity that led to everyone copying their styles and eventually turning them into a cliche for so many years. I believe now the world needs something new, and I hope I can be the next guy who pushes forward the narrative of music making in the history of mankind. Please note being a cutting-edge one man band for me is not a gimmick. It is WHAT I DO. And also, my whole musical presentation is not only about being a super-heroic virtuoso or being a musical bad-ass or whatever you name it. It’s equally (and humbly) about striving to make great music and great songs that ordinary people around the world can relate to and fall in love with.

I live in Jakarta, Indonesia…
It’s one of the biggest and most populated cities in the world, so the music scene here is pretty exciting. We have everything from local to international acts performing concerts in venues ranging from small clubs to big stadiums, and we also have events ranging from single-act concerts to big festivals for multiple genres (i.e. rock, pop, jazz, EDM and more). So, I can say the music scene is pretty vibrant here.

Jakartans are more into indoor places such as the malls. Maybe because of the heat and pollution, people here like to hang out inside air-conditioned buildings.

I like to read comic books…
anything from Marvel, DC to Manga and more. I read mostly the ones about super heroes and action themes. If those books are turned into a movie, it’s time for me to geek out even more! This hobby subconsciously and gradually has also influenced me to be Ang The One Man Orchestra since years of reading and watching about super-hero characters has inevitably inspired me to want to be like them, but on a musical level.

I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
Bruce Lee. He may not be a musical person, but he inspired me to be the best in what I do, which is music. Bruce Lee’s supreme martial arts skills are the results of hard work, innovation and persistence, and also balanced with calmness and wisdom. He revolutionised martial arts on a global level and the impact is timeless. Imagine if he’s a musician- I want to be that guy.

I find the majority of people do follow the current trend…
of any given time period, but I believe an artist should be true to his own personality and vision. It has been proven that artists that have done so are able to have a much more lasting career than the ones who just try so hard to fit in with the current trend. Think of The Rolling Stones or U2- they’re old and they’re still going strong surpassing so many seasonal trends. On the other hand, I also believe it’s okay to embrace the current sound of today (if you are into it) as long as you don’t try too hard and as long as you balance it too with your own artistic personality. I believe the audience is smart and they can tell when you’re being real or not.

My overall goal for my life & career is…
to be a kick-ass musician, and as well as to be a loving person to my family and to be a good person for humanity.