Three young Indonesian girls put all their dreams and energy into a heavy metal band, applauded by some of rock’s biggest names, hoping to escape a homemaker life in their village.
In black hijab and tunic, the trio were rehearsing hard in a studio in the capital Jakarta when AFP met them.
Firda Marsya Kurnia, Euis Siti Aisah and Widi Rahmawati formed their group, Voice of Baceprot (VOB, “The Loud Voices”), in 2014 when they were still students at an Islamic school in West Java Island. .
Young women aged 19 to 20 have since worked to strengthen their technique and style despite calls from relatives to give up music.
“Thanks to metal, I have the courage to speak up and I have gained enough confidence to be different,” says bassist Widi.
“When I’m on stage I can express myself, regardless of what people expect from me.”
The musicians say they have had to resist pressure to marry young and lead the life of the women in their village.
“My parents told me that knowing how to read was useless,” Firda, singer and guitarist of the group, told AFP.
“Once married, my husband will not want me to read books but that I cook and clean the house, they repeated,” said this avid reader.
By dint of determination, they convinced their families and managed to settle in Jakarta last year to polish their repertoire.
For us, “music is a way to be happy and to share that with others,” says Firda, the singer and guitarist, who wears glasses.
It was after the success of their single “School Revolution” in 2018, which decried an overly authoritarian Indonesian school system, that they decided to go to the capital.
They are now working on songs that touch on the condition of women and the environment.
– Strong women –
Musicians are fighting above all against conservative values, which can also resonate abroad, notes music expert Yuka Dian Narendra.
The members of the group “are ordinary Muslim girls in Indonesia” who want to choose their fate.
VOB first made a name for itself with covers of heavy metal classics that were very successful on social media. These videos drew praise for them from Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, or Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello.
“We weren’t expecting” such marks of attention, says Firda. “It was like a dream”.
Since the pandemic that closed most of the borders to Indonesians, they have participated in online festivals, like WOW Festival 2021 in Britain and Global Just Recovery Gathering.
But their dream is to one day perform at Coachella, the mecca of American festivals, and collaborate with System of A Down, an American metal band they love.
Until then, they want to continue to be inspired by the women of their village.
“Women are treated like second-class citizens,” emphasizes percussionist Euis Siti Aisah.
“But there are a lot of strong women in our village” who do the hardest jobs.
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