LALA - FROM INDONESIA WITH LOVE

“Sa Indonesia before I had a band and I also did some acting for some soups and telenovelas. Tapos, I made a video clip, then my manager saw the video clip so he invited me here; introduced me to Warner. The following year bumalik ako dito, and I made an album,” was Lala's commencement to herself as we grilled her for an hour or two of interview.

Lala is a fair equation of a Filipino and Indonesian bloodline. She tries to confirm, “half Filipino, half Indonesian. My mother is Filipina, my father is Indonesian. I was born and I grew up in Indonesia.”

Though Tagalog seems yet to pull her tongue up-side-down, she can, satisfactorily speak and assimilate few with frank accentuation. Nevertheless, Lala is another up and coming sexy figure in the music industry, if you won't mind, as long as vital statistics are concerned.

Being in the Philippines for quite some time, gives her more than just the opportunity to mature, face the reality of life but also gives her more time to count her blessings.

She tells us, “I would still go back to Indonesia. Indonesia will always be my home. As of now Filipinos had given me some that Indonesia didn't give me. Like being here, I became more mature and more independent because I really got out of my comfort zone. I face everything, I saw the silver lining to it and I consider it as a blessing.” Obviously, count it pure blessing when Lala was doubled by one of the Philippines pop-ballad prince Christian Bautista in her song titled “Unsaid.” Lala thankfull stressed, “I would like to work again with him. He was really nice to work with, a very nice person.”

Up to a certain extent that the Filipinos' appreciative and lively nature cuddles her to our shore despite two countries love music. She figures out, “the audiences in the Philippines are definitely more alive, they are very outspoken and they are very appreciative. In Indonesia people there are more conservative more shy but they also appreciate music and they also make good music.”

She's just beginning to kindle the torch of her musical career. Not done yet, Lala's objective evidence of her musical creativeness is assertive that she's now beginning to flap her wings.

“Stars,” Lala's debut album gave her a redefined appraisal of herself. Lala asserts, “the album itself, are made-up of ten tracks. And I composed most of the songs when I was in high school going to college. So I experienced lot of things at that time; friendship, love and that's the message that I'm trying to share with the listeners and hopefully they can relate to it to their own personal experience.”


And she's going pop with a shared brew of alternative and rock, “pop with an edge to it. It's not really hard, or hard alternative or hard rock, but it has a bit of influence to it,” Lala describes. Perhaps we can equate that in every special artist there is a special album, and in every special album, a special song. Lala got a nice pick, she goes, “for example Waitin' (carrier single) I hope a lot of people can relate to that. I know in their life there is point where you have to wait for something or for someone.”

At the receiving end we as well as her fans and supporters are eager of how does she coming up her mind with her consecutive album; she told us expectantly “of course for the second album, I dream big. Hopefully my music get to be accepted not only here in the Philippines but also outside Philippines, like Asia and even the world (and a big round smile).”

Picking up bits from the piece isn't worth knowing enough, we're still at edge of knowing her the more; her thoughts, idealism, emotions and sense of wit, as there are more to her than meets the eyes.

POINT-OF-VIEW
If you were to ask me to attend your show, how would you tell me why I should be there?
Definitely of you are their and you are standing, you gonna go home dancing (laughs), and I hope I can do that.

What is the hardest part in playing music?
Actually it's all good. Like doing this album is all fun and relaxing. It was nice to having support from the people you love. But their was one, because pressure can get you a bit frustrated and get your mind tired, I guess it's pressure.

How do you rate your LIVE performances as of the present? Say (1-10)
I don't know how to rate one to ten, but I think I'm still learning, still grasping what the audience tries to say. Let other people rate me. I hope I can always improve. It's like I'm performing for the first and last time.

“I hope I get be known through my music and I hope that the way I look would be an additional to that. One day I gonna get old, hope people would still remember my music, and I hope I get to achieve that.”

When it comes to music, what do you think is unique in you from the other artists?
I write my own song. So I get to put a peace of myself to the music and that would differentiate me from other artists. For example, Sinosikat? or Barbie or Kitchie Nadal make their own song, then Kitchie would be Kitchie and Barbie would be Barbie and Lala would be Lala, they would have their own character on to it.

What do you think is most important, the image of the music or the image of the artist?
I hope I get be known through my music and I hope that the way I look would be an additional to that. One day I gonna get old, hope people would still remember my music, and I hope I get to achieve that.

Your opinion about music piracy?
(Laughs) When I first heard that my CD was pirated already and was being sold in Metrowalk for thirty pesos, oh really it's pirated na, oh damn it's pirated! So the demand is high that they pirate it and it's also sad for the royalty, and it's lugi talaga. But also lugi for those who buy pirated because of the quality.

Short message to your readers and fans in Indonesian language.
Kejarla mimpi, jadilah diri sendiri jangan menyerah, jagalah iman. (Never give-up on your dreams always be yourself and always try never give-up and always have faith.)



KNICK-KNACKS

What's your favorite word?
(Thinking long) Faith!

If you could invent a new instrument, what would it sound like?
(Laughs) It would sound like a clap (clapping). Or like a wind. I'll call it, Winder (laughs).

Do you think music can heal sick people?
Yeah. I Hope so. I music can make them happy, then I think happiness can help people feel better.

If you were not a singer, who would you be?
Maybe, I'd like to be a business woman or maybe an actress because I'm interested in acting.

What do you think the world would be like without music?
The world would be dull. A life without music is not a life. I'm sorry I'm very much in love with music.

“Kejarla mimpi, jadilah diri sendiri jangan menyerah, jagalah iman. (Never give-up on your dreams always be yourself and always try never give-up and always have faith.)”

If you were a song, what song would you be and why?
Lalala (goes singing lalalala)!

If you could hear what someone is thinking for a day, who would you choose?
My mom. (laughs) So I won't have so many arguments with her (laughs).

If you could date a celebrity, who would you choose?
Tom Yorke (giggles). I also maybe would love to date Erlend Ǿye from the Kings Of Convenience so he can play guitar all night long and I just listen to him.

If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?
(Singing) I'd sing, sing, sing! I would hug the people and kiss the people who I love in this world. Run away, run around naked (laugh).

If the whole world were listening, what would you say?
Make love not war. Love music. Don't give up. Always have faith and oh, remember God, love God and fear God.

If you could ask God any one question, what would it be?
Am I going to heaven? (laughs).

What is the sweetest compliment you ever heard about you?
That's when somebody complemented about my composition, my song that means really a lot to me. But also actually when they criticize me, I also take it in and parang I'm trying to improve from it. Kasi those criticisms and those things that people tell me keeps me on the ground. Having too many complements might get yourself big head. So you have to balance it also. I like it the most when they say 'you're talented.'

If you could have any one supernatural power (flying, being invisible), which would you choose and why?
Teleport! I would go to the past and meet with all the good musicians like the Beatles, Hendrix and everybody (laughs).

If you could not differentiate beautiful from ugly, how would choose your spouse?
(Thinking hard enough, eye-balls up) I'll see them through their personality, honesty way of loving me, the way he makes me feel. So it's not like what I always see, but how he makes my heart feel.

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