Didi Kempot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Didi Kempot |
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Didi performing in Purbalingga, on 21 December 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Didik Prasetyo |
| Born | 31 December 1966 Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia |
| Died | 5 May 2020 (aged 53) Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia |
| Genres | Campursari |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
Didi Kempot (born Didik Prasetyo; 31 December 1966 – 5 May 2020) was a famous Indonesian singer and songwriter. He was known for his unique campursari music style. Didi wrote about 700 songs, mostly in his native Javanese language. He was very popular not only in Indonesia but also in countries like Suriname and the Netherlands. This is because many people of Javanese descent live there.
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Who Was Didi Kempot?
Didi Kempot was a beloved musician often called "The Godfather of the Broken-Hearted." He touched many hearts with his songs about sad love stories. His music blended traditional Javanese sounds with modern pop.
His Early Life
Didi was born in Surakarta, Indonesia, in 1966. His father, Ranto Edi Gudel, was a comedian and singer. He often performed in traditional plays called ketoprak tobong. Didi's brother, Mamiek Prakoso, was also a well-known comedian. Didi had a challenging childhood. He left junior high school in Surakarta. He then moved to his uncle's house in Samarinda, but school there didn't work out either. After that, he returned home to start his music journey.
Starting His Music Journey
Didi began his career as a street busker in his hometown from 1984 to 1986. Later, he moved to Jakarta to chase his dream of becoming a musician. He and eight friends lived in a very small room. They often had to sleep on their sides because there wasn't much space. The name "Kempot" came from this time. It means "Sidewalk Singer Group" in Indonesian.
Didi worked hard to get his music heard. He would record songs on blank tapes. Then, he would take these demo tapes to different recording studios. Many times, his tapes only reached the security desk. But he kept trying. Finally, a studio called Musica Studios showed interest in his music. He worked with Pompi Suradimansyah to arrange his songs. His funny song "We Cen Yu" became popular in Jakarta. This led to his first TV appearance on TVRI. In 1989, he released "Cidro" ("Broken"). This song didn't become famous right away in Indonesia.
International Fame
Even though "Cidro" wasn't a hit in Indonesia at first, it became very popular in the Netherlands and Suriname. These countries have many people of Javanese descent. Because of this, Didi was invited to perform concerts there. In 1993, he went to the Netherlands. He was surprised that so many people knew and loved "Cidro."
He returned to the Netherlands in 1996 and also toured Suriname. In Suriname, Didi became even more famous. He was loved by many local people and Javanese descendants. From 1996 to 1998, he recorded 10 albums just for these countries. These albums included Layang Kangen and Suket Teki. Didi performed in the Netherlands twice and in Suriname 11 times. His last tour there was in 2018. He even received an award from President Dési Bouterse of Suriname.
Becoming Famous in Indonesia
In the 1990s, Didi released songs like "Sewu Kutho" ("A Thousand Cities") and "Stasiun Balapan" ("Balapan Station"). These songs became huge hits in Indonesia. His fame grew a lot after his album Stasiun Balapan (1999) became very successful. Media outlets started covering Didi. He appeared on many TV stations to promote his albums.
The success of Stasiun Balapan led to more albums. Some of his popular albums in the early 2000s include Tanjung Mas Ninggal Janji and Cucak Rowo. His popularity dipped for a while. But in the 2010s, he became very prominent again. Younger people especially started to love his music. Didi's songs, often about heartbreak in Javanese, became very popular.
In April 2020, Didi held a live charity concert from his home. He raised a lot of money, about Rp7.6 billion (around $500,000). This money helped Indonesians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also released a song called "Ojo Mudik" ("Don't Go Mudik"). In this song, he asked his fans not to travel home during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. This was to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
His Unique Music Style
Didi Kempot's music style was called campursari. This Javanese word means "mixture of essences." His songs were ballads that mixed pop music with local styles like kroncong and dangdut. Most of his songs were about heartbreaks and sad love stories. This is why he was known as "The Godfather of the Broken-Hearted."
Aldo Sianturi from Billboard Indonesia called him a "genius music conceptor." He could express deep feelings about love in his lyrics. These lyrics were mostly written in everyday Javanese language.
His Passing
Didi Kempot passed away on 5 May 2020 in Surakarta. He died from complications related to a cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife, Yan Vellia, and their two children.
