Bingkai Karya – Sezairi, a Singaporean singer-songwriter, has released an Indonesian-language song titled “Kata”. His decision to create music in Indonesian is particularly intriguing, given his previous success with English-language tracks, including the mega-hit “It’s You”, which has amassed over 200 million streams on streaming platforms, more than 140 million views on YouTube, and has gone viral on social media. Choosing Indonesian as his latest musical expression is part of Sezairi’s journey in exploring his identity.
Sezairi has Indonesian heritage—his mother’s family is from Pekalongan, Central Java, while his father’s side comes from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. This background has shaped his deep appreciation of Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage, including its language, as an inseparable part of himself.
“For me, writing a song in Indonesian is something new. There’s a feeling that I should be a part of it. It also feels like I’m rediscovering my lost cultural identity, in a good way,” said Sezairi.
Embracing Identity Through Music
Sezairi’s journey of self-discovery has led him to commit to releasing Indonesian-language songs. “Kata” is one of several Indonesian tracks in his upcoming album. The song broadly tells the story of a complex relationship where so many thoughts occupy the mind, yet none can be spoken aloud.
“This song is about someone who is completely exhausted by everything, to the point where they can no longer express their emotions to their loved one. They can’t even put into words what they feel because everything has become overwhelming,” Sezairi explained.
For this song, Sezairi collaborated with Teddy Adhitya in the songwriting process. Choosing Teddy was no coincidence—the two have been friends and previously worked on music projects together.
“When I was thinking about who to work with for my album’s songwriting workshop, the first name that came to mind was Teddy. So, I invited him to Singapore in August 2024, and we spent a week writing several songs together. I really wanted to collaborate with Teddy because I deeply admire his songwriting style. I think he is one of the most underrated and amazing songwriters,” said Sezairi.
Inspired by Indonesian Pop
Starting his professional career as the winner of Singapore Idol Season 3, Sezairi has been signed under major labels like Universal Music and Sony Music Entertainment. Now an independent artist, he enjoys the creative freedom to explore different musical styles—including Indonesian pop, which has long inspired him.
“Kata” is a manifestation of Sezairi’s love and admiration for Indonesian music. He not only produced the track but also played all the instruments himself.
“The musical style of this single is essentially Indo-pop R&B, just like the music I grew up listening to. I’ve always enjoyed the works of Maliq & D’Essentials, Soulvibe, and Barry Likumahuwa Project. Through this song, I feel like I can finally bring together all the musical influences I love. I was particularly inspired by Maliq & D’Essentials’ basslines. Since I produced the song myself, I incorporated elements of Indonesian pop music that have always inspired me. I realized that the Indonesian songs I’ve been listening to are truly exceptional. When I started writing in Indonesian, all those musical memories resurfaced. I was really inspired by the soulful R&B-pop sound of the 2010s era,” said Sezairi.
Sezairi hopes Kata will encourage listeners to dive deeper into self-reflection, acknowledge the things they’ve overlooked, and nurture their relationships by expressing their emotions.
“As a musician and songwriter, I always want to explore and talk about things that people don’t usually discuss. That’s a key part of Kata and my upcoming album. I want to highlight topics that everyone can relate to—things that people might not realize are actually important,” Sezairi concluded.
Kata will be available on all streaming platforms starting January 24, 2025.
About Sezairi
Sezairi is the first Singaporean artist to achieve over 100 million streams on Spotify with a single track. His mega-hit It’s You has earned 13 Platinum certifications in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, as well as a Gold certification in Taiwan, making him the first Singaporean artist to reach this level of success.
Sezairi’s remarkable achievements stem from years of dedication and persistence. Starting out as a café singer, he went on to win Singapore Idol Season 3 and has since built an impressive career as one of Asia’s most prominent artists. Recently, he has been exploring his cultural identity as an Indonesian diaspora, with one of his efforts being the creation of Indonesian-language songs.
Kata Credits
Executive Producers: Sezairi and Syaza Qistina Tan
Song
Written by Sezairi and Teddy Adhitya
Produced by Sezairi
Mixed and Mastered by JC Chiam
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Distributed by Believe Music
Cover Art
Cover Art Illustration by Rukmunal Hakim (@r_hakim) at YesGo! Studio (@yesgostudio)
Press Photos
Press Photos Shot by Lukman Hakim (@makhlukamin)
Styling by Bintang Bekti (@bybintangbekti)
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Lyric Video by Dorothy Kezia and needmoresauce
Sezairi Logo Design by Rauf Zulkiflee Soh (@highthere.studio)
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To be completed:
Music Video
Produced by 808c (@808c___)
