Bingkai Karya – A new name is set to make waves in Indonesia’s music industry. While Elsa Japasal is better known to the public as a lively host on various TV variety shows, not many are aware that she is also a talented singer. This hidden talent caught the attention of Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia, who immediately brought her on board. Now, Elsa is ready to introduce her debut single, “Pernah Dicinta”.
Written by Aldi Nada, “Pernah Dicinta” tells the story of a girl who struggles to move on from a past relationship. “In this debut single, I’m bringing a theme that many people can relate to—having a hard time moving forward after a breakup. In the lyrics, there’s a line that goes, ‘Aku akan baik-baik saja, semoga’ (I’ll be okay, hopefully). It shows that this girl knows her love story has ended, but she can’t quite let go because she still believes he was the best for her. Despite not being able to move on, she doesn’t want to hold him back and sincerely wishes him happiness,” Elsa explained.
Choosing “Pernah Dicinta” as her debut was not a simple process. Elsa and the A&R team went through numerous demos to find the song that would best introduce this Makassar-born singer to the Indonesian music scene. “The recording process itself only took about one to two months—it was pretty quick. What took longer was choosing the right song because the A&R team wanted something that truly matched my vocal character. After listening to so many demos, we finally settled on ‘Pernah Dicinta’ because it not only fits my voice but also offers a unique twist in melody and lyrics compared to typical ballads,” she said.
Although Elsa has been in the recording studio before, she considers this her first real recording experience. “When I recorded ‘Pernah Dicinta’, I worked with Kak Barsena as my vocal director. I was challenged to hit notes that were a bit out of my vocal comfort zone, which made this experience both tough and exciting. It was my first time going through such an intense process, and I realized that making a song takes more effort than people think,” added the ukulele-loving artist.
With this release, Elsa hopes to show a different side of herself to fans and viewers who have only seen her on television. “People usually see me as cheerful, bubbly, and happy on screen. But through this song, I want to show a more vulnerable side—the mellow, sad, and emotional part of me that people rarely see. Life has its ups and downs, and I’m no exception. Through my music, I want to express all the emotions I go through. Hopefully, this and future works can reflect that and become an outlet for the feelings I want to share,” Elsa concluded.
Elsa Japasal’s debut single under Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia, “Pernah Dicinta”, is available on digital platforms starting April 10, 2025.
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