The Last Station for the Maestro

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Didi Kempot

Didi Kempot will not just be remembered as a phenomenal figure in Indonesia’s pop music scene. His music served as a catharsis for many people in times of uncertainty.

SURAKARTA, KOMPAS— Indonesian music mourned the death of Didi Kempot. The singer, whose real name is Dionisius Prasetyo, died at the age of 53 at Kasih Ibu Hospital, Surakarta, Central Java, Tuesday (5/5/2020).

Yudith Nuraini, Didi’s assistant, said, on Monday night, Didi was still overseeing the editing of his latest song, "Istighfar Sak Kuate", at a music studio in the Baki region, Sukoharjo, Central Java. Yudith also said Didi complained of being a little tired.

Read also: Didi Kempot Hesitant to Sing ‘Bojo Galak’ in Front of Jokowi

On Tuesday morning, according to Jasmani, another assistant of Didi Kempot, the maestro of the Javanese-language campursari song, complained of shortness of breath while at his home in the Sumber area, Surakarta. "At that time, Didi shouted Allahu Akbar [God is the Greatest], Allahu Akbar. I immediately carried Mas Didi to the hospital. "

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Didi Kempot performs as a guest singer at a dangdut show in Wuled village, Tirto district, Pekalongan regency, Central Java, on Tuesday (30/7/2019). In the past two weeks, Didi had been a topic of discussion among netizens. Didi’s music touched the hearts of many people.

Arriving at the hospital at 7:25 a.m., Didi Kempot was unconscious. "[He suffered] cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest. Resuscitated, but could not help. He was declared dead by the doctor at 7:45 a.m., "said the assistant public relations manager of the Kasih Ibu Hospital, Divan Fernandez.

Didi Kempot\'s body was then taken to his home in Majasem Village, Ngawi, East Java. On the way from Solo to Ngawi, thousands of residents stood on the side of the road to welcome the procession of Didi\'s hearse. Some residents waited by the side of the Solo-Ngawi toll road to pay their last respects.

Some officials were also present at the funeral, including Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and Ngawi Regent Budi Sulistyono.

Didi Kempot was buried in the Jatisari Public Cemetery, which is located about 400 meters from the funeral home. The funeral was attended by family members, friends, and fans of Didi, who named their group Sobyat Ambyar, from a number of cities. Some officials were also present at the funeral, including Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and Ngawi Regent Budi Sulistyono.

Phenomenon

Didi Kempot began his career as a street musician in the late 1980s in Surakarta and then in Jakarta. In 1989, he made his first album with the songs "Cidro", "We Cen Yu" and "Moblong-moblong". The album was arguably a failure at home, but was successful in Suriname and the Netherlands (many people with Javanese origin live there). Didi\'s popularity made him go back and forth to the two countries.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Singer Didi Kempot belts several songs at Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Friday (2/8/2019). Didi’s performance was part of a shadow puppet show titled "Kresno Jumeneng Ratu" by puppeteer Ki Manteb Sudarsono. The puppet show was held as part of the celebration of the 74th anniversary of the republic of Indonesia.

In middle of 2019, he experienced a second wave of fame that was triggered by a viral video of Didi\'s action in the Taman Balekambang park, Solo, in June. A month later, Didi\'s video appeared again during the Ngobam (Chatting with Musicians) show on YouTube\'s Gofar Hilman channel which was also viral.

Through campursari music (which blends modern and traditional Javanese music) that used to be stigmatized as traditional music and songs that generally speak of the tragedies of love and heartbreak, he can attract fanatical fans across generations, classes, religions, genders, and political views.

The video showed a young man in a black shirt in the front row who was bowing. Furthermore, a number of brokenhearted teenagers crowded with various outpourings. Because he was considered to represent the feelings of the brokenhearted, Didi was nicknamed "The Godfather of Broken Heart" by the new generation of fans who called themselves Sad Boys, Sad Girls and Sobyat Ambyar. Didi was a phenomenon in the history of Indonesian popular music. Through campursari music (which blends modern and traditional Javanese music) that used to be stigmatized as traditional music and songs that generally speak of the tragedies of love and heartbreak, he can attract fanatical fans across generations, classes, religions, genders, and political views.

They not only enjoyed Didi Kempot\'s songs but also reinterpreted and reproduced them into photos and videos and also used them as topics of discussion, interviews and as quotes on social media. The strength of Didi\'s fans was proven when he and KompasTV organized a charity concert to raise funds for residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020. The concert raised funds of around Rp 7.6 billion (US$506,666).

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

A mourner takes a selfie at the home of Didi Kempot in Banyuanyar, Surakarta, Central Java, on Tuesday (5/5/2020). The campursari singer died at the age of 53 and was buried in Ngawi, East Java. Some of Didi’s songs, such as Cidro and Sewu Kuto, topped the country’s campursari chart and overseas.

AG Eka Wenats, a lecturer of communications at Paramadina University, Jakarta, saw Didi as a smart musician. He was able to transform the sadness and broken hearts of his fans from different generations into music that was simple and joyful.

"This is what made Didi\'s songs go viral in the social media era. He encouraged people to dance above their suffering, "he said.

The confusion has become a solution, which is to forget, celebrate, and continue to live as usual.

Such songs, continued Eka, also have closeness to the inner atmosphere of young people today who are growing up in the digital age with all their confusion. "The current generation can be easily confused and broken heart. Well, Didi\'s songs are catharsis for those who are upset. The confusion has become a solution, which is to forget, celebrate, and continue to live as usual, "said Eka.

Therefore, he was convinced that even though Didi was gone, he would continue to be remembered.

Reflecting on the songs that use a lot of place names, such as "Station Balapan" and "Tirtonadi Terminal", Didi has now stopped at his last station. Goodbye, Lord Didi! (NCA/HRS/DIT/BSW

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Several people carry the coffin of singer and musician Didi Kempot at his house in Majasem village, Kendal district, Ngawi regency, East Java, on Tuesday (5/5/2020). Didi Kempot died on Tuesday morning in Surakarta, Central Java. He was buried in Ngawi.