Bingkai Karya – This year, MALIQ & D’Essentials celebrates its 23rd anniversary. To mark this milestone, the legendary band has released a new single titled “Dekat”.
“We wrote ‘Dekat’ while we were shooting the music video for Jumbo. From there, the process evolved in the studio, we started refining the structure, the melody, and the theme. Musically, we wanted to encapsulate MALIQ & D’Essentials’ 23-year journey, bringing back the sense of closeness from our early days in music, while also capturing the spirit of an era like Sriwedari,” said Widi Puradiredja in a written statement on Friday, May 30, 2025. “The theme of ‘Dekat’ really reflects how we feel this year: building warmer and more organic relationships with our listeners. The chemistry we’ve shared all this time is something truly precious, and we want to make it the foundation of MALIQ’s new era. We believe that closeness is something important that must be preserved and never lost.”
On the same day, MALIQ & D’Essentials also released the official music video for ‘Dekat’. According to Widi, the band wanted to present visuals that bring listeners even closer. “The visual we wanted to convey feels intimate and joyful. Like there’s no mask hiding how each of us truly feels,” he said.
Before its official release today, a 30-second snippet of ‘Dekat’ was made available on TikTok. Interestingly, from its release on May 16 until the morning of May 29, 2025, more than 4,000 videos had already used the audio. Additionally, MALIQ & D’Essentials offered fans exclusive access to other unreleased parts of the song on YouTube for a limited time.
Beyond the teaser, the band, comprising Angga Puradiredja, Widi Puradiredja, Indah Wisnuwardhana, Jawa, Lale, and Ilman Ibrahim, also gave lucky fans a special experience. On May 22, 2025, they hosted an exclusive event titled “Lebih Dekat MAD” at Grand Indonesia, Jakarta. This event gave selected fans the chance to hear ‘Dekat’ live for the very first time before its full release on all music platforms in Indonesia.
MALIQ & D’Essentials has long been recognized as a band that never stops innovating. Since their formation in 2002, they’ve consistently blended a variety of genres in their work, from soul, R&B, and jazz to pop, creating a musical package that is not only easy to enjoy but also rich in meaning. Last year, they released the album Can Machines Fall in Love? and successfully held their first album tour across several cities, including Makassar, Bali, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Bandung.
Listen to ‘Dekat’ now on all digital streaming platforms in Indonesia. The official music video is also available on MALIQ & D’Essentials’ YouTube channel.
About MALIQ & D’Essentials:
MALIQ & D’Essentials is a music group formed in 2002. With over two decades in the music industry, they’ve produced numerous hit songs that continue to be enjoyed by millions of fans across Indonesia and beyond.
Their tracks have become the soundtrack of generations, featuring soulful melodies, infectious rhythms, and timeless lyrics that resonate with listeners. Every month, 4.2 million people stream MALIQ’s music on Spotify, while their YouTube channel has garnered over 126.29 million views to date.
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