Musicians honor passing of Indonesian music pioneer Guruh Soekarnoputra

Indonesian musicians Dewa Budjana and Once Mekel have shared tributes following the passing of cultural figure and music pioneer Guruh Soekarnoputra. After attending the funeral at TPU Karet Bivak in Jakarta, both artists reflected on their professional collaborations with the late artist.

Dewa Budjana described Soekarnoputra as a pioneer who successfully blended traditional and modern music within the Indonesian pop industry, comparing his impact to that of Ravi Shankar in India. Budjana noted past collaborations involving the band GIGI and the legendary musician Chrisye, and expressed hope that Soekarnoputra’s arts group, Swara Maharddhika, will continue its work.

Once Mekel recalled performing Soekarnoputra’s compositions, such as ‘Kesenian’ and ‘Smaradhana’, in a production approximately 15 years ago alongside other musicians like Tompi and Glenn Fredly. Mekel praised the lyrical depth and meaningful messages found within Soekarnoputra’s musical works.