Nike Ardilla facts for kids

Nike Ardilla, born Raden Rara Nike Ratnadilla (December 27, 1975 – March 19, 1995), was a famous Indonesian singer, actress, and model. She was also known for her charity work. People often called her the "Lady Rocker" or "Queen of Rock" in Indonesia.

Nike Ardilla helped bring teen pop rock music back to Indonesia. She was very popular in the early 1990s. Sadly, she passed away at just 19 years old in a car accident in 1995. Her death made many people across the country very sad. Even after more than 25 years, she is still remembered and loved by many fans. She is seen as one of Indonesia's most successful entertainment stars.

Nike Ardilla has sold over 30 million albums, making her the best-selling Indonesian artist ever. Her 1990 album, Bintang Kehidupan, sold more than 6 million copies in Southeast Asia. This makes it the best-selling Indonesian album of all time.

Early Life and First Steps

Raden Rara Nike Ratnadilla was born in Bandung, West Java, on December 27, 1975. She was the youngest of three children. Her parents were Raden Edi Kusnadi and Nining Ningsihrat. Nike had some Dutch and German family history from her grandmother.

Her father worked for the Indonesian Railway Company. Because of this, her family moved around often when she was little. They eventually settled in Bandung. Nike started performing in talent shows when she was only five years old. In 1980, she won a local singing competition.

A Rising Star: Nike Ardilla's Career

Becoming a Music Sensation

A talent scout named Denny Sabri helped Nike Ardilla get a record deal with Arista Records. In 1987, she sang on a compilation album called Bandung Rock Power. This album also featured other famous singers like Nicky Astria.

When Nike was 13, she released her first album, Seberkas Sinar, in 1989. She recorded the whole album in just one day! It quickly became number one and sold over 1 million copies within a year. The main song, "Seberkas Sinar," stayed at the top of the charts for ten weeks. Other popular songs from the album included "Cinta Pertama" and "Tembang Asmara."

In 1990, Nike released her second album, Bintang Kehidupan. The title song was a huge hit. The album itself also went straight to number one. It sold over 500,000 copies in its first week, setting a new record for female artists. By 1991, Bintang Kehidupan had sold over two million copies. It won two BASF Awards for Best New Artist and Best Selling Album. Nike performed the title song at the 1991 Asia Song Festival in Shanghai. There, she won the "Gold Prize of New Singer."

More Hit Albums and Awards

Nike's next album, Nyalakan Api, came out in late 1990. It won her another BASF Award for Best Selling Album. Her fourth album, Matahariku, was released in 1991. Then came Biarlah Aku Mengalah in 1992.

After winning Best Selling Album awards for several years, Nike released a greatest hits album in 1993. It was called Tinggallah Ku Sendiri (The Best Of). This album featured the popular song "Tinggallah Kusendiri."

She later moved to Musica Studios for her album Biarkan Cintamu Berlalu. This album debuted at number one and won the 1994 HDX Best Selling Album award. Her last album, Sandiwara Cinta, was released on March 1, 1995. The songs from this album quickly became popular on the radio. A music video for "Sandiwara Cinta" was released after her death. It showed Nike Ardilla dressed like her idol, Marilyn Monroe. Sandiwara Cinta won HDX Awards for Best Selling Album, Best Single, and Best Video Klip.

Acting and Modeling Achievements

Besides singing, Nike Ardilla was also a successful actress and model. In 1986, she acted in the film Kasmaran. She played the daughter of the main character. In 1988, she starred in the popular film series Si Kabayan. She even recorded a song for its soundtrack.

In 1990, Nike played the main character in the movie Ricky Nakalnya Anak Muda. This film was a big success. Nike continued to make popular films in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She also starred in several TV shows, including NONE, which was very popular.

In 1990, Nike won a modeling competition called Gadis Sampul. Two years before that, she won a "Best Model Catwalk" award in Bandung.

Nike Ardilla's Legacy

Ardilla's grave in Ciamis, West Java, Indonesia

On the night of March 18, 1995, Nike Ardilla met with friends from a popular teenage magazine. They were discussing an event for the next day where she would be a guest star. In the early morning of March 19, she left a hotel with her friend and bodyguard, Atun Sofiatun. While trying to pass another car, she lost control of her car. It hit a wall in Bandung, and she died instantly. Sofiatun was badly hurt but recovered.

Nike Ardilla was buried on the same day in Ciamis, West Java. Thousands of family members, friends, fans, and reporters attended her funeral.

Remembering a Legend

Two months after her death, a special concert was held in Bandung. Famous Indonesian artists performed, and the money raised helped start the Nike Ardilla Foundation. This charity was created in her memory. Some international news outlets, like Hong Kong's Asiaweek and the US Billboard, reported her passing.

In 1996, Pos Indonesia (the Indonesian postal service) released special postcards and envelopes to remember her. They sold out very quickly. The same year, a Bandung newspaper reported that stamps of Nike Ardilla were even issued in Abkhazia and Tuva, Russia.

Her albums released after her death, like Mama Aku Ingin Pulang (1995) and Suara Hatiku (1996), were also very successful. In 2013, some of her early unreleased songs were put out as an album called Hanya Satu Nama.

A quarter of a century after her death, many people still feel a "never-ending sadness" about her passing. She remains a legend in Indonesian music. Every year, thousands of fans visit her grave and the Nike Ardilla Museum, which was built to honor her. Her fan clubs are still active today.

A music expert, Wendi Putranto, called Nike Ardilla "one in a million." He said she was like a female version of Elvis Presley and had a "cult status" in Indonesian pop culture. He also said her death felt as important as a president's passing, with national TV reporting the news for a long time.

George Quinn, a professor from Australia, studied people who visited Nike Ardilla's grave in 2007. He compared them to those who visit the tombs of saints. He noted that Nike Ardilla is the only pop culture figure to receive such honor.

Before she died, Nike had expressed a wish to leave the entertainment world. She wanted to study more about her religion at a special school called Pesantren Cipasung.

Personal Life and Charity Work

Melly Goeslaw, a close friend of Nike Ardilla, described her as a very kind and humble person with strong morals. They had known each other since childhood because they were neighbors. Nike Ardilla also helped Melly Goeslaw start her music career.

In 1993, Nike Ardilla helped fund a special school in Bandung. This school was for deaf and mentally handicapped children. It was finished in 1995, after she passed away. The school is still open today. It is supported by the money earned from her albums. This shows how much she cared for people who were less fortunate.

Discography

Awards and Recognition

International Awards

• Gold Prize of New Singer - Asia Song Festival Shanghai 1991
• Anugerah Muzik 1994 — Best Indonesian Selling Album in Malaysia (Duri Terlindung)
• ABU Golden Kite World Song Festival 1994 — Best Performer (Second Runnerup)
• Golden Prize Malaysia Music Awards 2005 — Year's Best Compilation Album

National Awards

• TVRI Jakarta 1980 — First Champion
• HAPMI 1985 — First Champion, Pop Singing
• TERUNA Festival Indonesia, 1986 — Third Winner
• 3 Genre Singing Festival, West Java, 1987 — First Champion
• Multi-Platinum Award for "Seberkas Sinar", 1989.
• BASF Awards 1990 — Best Selling Album ("Bintang Kehidupan")
• Indonesian Popular Song Festival 1990 — Best Performer
• BASF Awards 1991 — Best Selling Album ("Nyalakan Api")
• Multi-Platinum Award for "Matahariku", 1991.
• BASF Awards 1992 — Best Selling Album ("Biarlah Aku Mengalah")
• Multi-Platinum Award for "Tinggallah Ku Sendiri", 1993.
• HDX Awards 1994 — Best Selling Album ("Biarkan Cintamu Berlalu")
• HDX Awards 1995 — Best Selling Album ("Sandiwara Cinta")
• HDX Awards 1995 — Biggest Omzet Album ("Sandiwara Cinta")
• HDX Awards 1996 — Best Selling Album ("Suara Hatiku")
• Music Mingguan Awards ANteve 1996 — Best Selling Album ("Suara Hatiku")
• HDX Awards 1996 — Best Album ("Deru Debu")
• BASF Awards 1996 — Triple-Platinum Album ("Mama Aku Ingin Pulang")
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Panggung Sandiwara", 1997.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Cinta Diantara Kita", 1997.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Ingin Ku Lupakan", 1998.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Belenggu Cinta", 1999.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "The Best of Volume II", 2000.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Best Beat", 2002.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Best of The Best", 2004.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Golden Memories", 2005.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "11 tahun Nike Ardilla", 2006.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Lagu Pilihan Fans", 2007.
• Multi-Platinum Award — "Tinggallah Ku Sendiri", 2008.
• Multi-Platinum Award — Number One RBT, 2009.
• Triple-Platinum Award — "Koleksi Lenggkap", 2010.

Video Music Awards

• Video Musik Indonesia 1993 — Video Favorite of The Month ("Tinggallah Ku Sendiri")
• Video Musik Indonesia 1994 — Video Favorite of The Month ("Biarkan Cintamu Berlalu")
• Video Musik Indonesia 1994 — Video Favorite of The Year ("BIarkan Cintamu Berlalu")
• MTV Viewer Choice Indonesia 1997 — Best Female Video

Television Awards

• Dunia Bintang SCTV Awards 1995 — Favorite Viewer Artist
• Dunia Bintang SCTV Awards 1995 — Favorite Journalist Artist
• Highest Second Rating, 2003 — Silet Infotainment, "Nike Ardilla Episode"
• SCTV Programme Eko Patrio Show, 2005 — Best Legend (Viewers' Choice)

Modeling, Magazine, and Newspaper Awards

• Sahabat Pena Magazine, 1986 — Cover
• LA Clerk Model Contest, 1989 — Third Winner
• Gadis Sampul 1990 — Favorite
• Monitor Magazine, 1990 — Best Performer on TV
• Citra Magazine, 1992 — Best Actress (Readers' Choice)
• Nyata, 1993 — Most Wanted Actress (Readers' Choice)
• Popular Magazine, 1994 — Most Popular Artist
• URTV Magazine, 1994 — Favorite Cover
• Citra Magazine, 1994 — Most Dedicated and Creative Singer (Indonesian)
• Citra Magazine, 1995 — Best Female Singer (Indonesian)
• PT. POS Indonesia, 1996 — Nike Ardilla Stamp and Post Cards Tribute
• Nova, 2007 — Best Selling Tabloid, "Nike Ardilla Cover", 2007

Concerts in Malaysia and Singapore

• Battle Of The Bands Concert at Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur (February 2, 1989)
• Battle Of The Bands concert touring Malaysia (March 1, 1990)
• Ella & The Boys Open Concert at Anniversari Stage, Kuala Lumpur (May 1, 1990)
• Nike Ardilla Indra Mulia Stadium Concert, Ipoh, Perak (April 18, 1991)
• Art & Sound Concert, with Ramli Sarip & Lefthanded at Stadium Negara, Singapore (January 19, 1992)
• Saleem's Rock Concert, with MAY & BPR at Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur (September 8, 1992)
• Let Me Give Up Concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (January 3, 1993)
• Valentine's Day Concert with Ella and Nike Ardilla at Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur (February 14, 1993)
• Nike Ardilla Solo Concert, with Cromok at the Shah Alam Festival Site, Selangor (June 10, 1993)
• Nike Ardilla Solo Concert at the Indoor Stadium, Singapore (October 20, 1993)
• New Year Concert with Zainal Abidin, Ella and Nike Ardilla (January 1, 1994)
• Duri Terlindung Concert touring Malaysia (February 21, 1994)
• Concert for Nike Ardilla touring Malaysia (January 2, 1995)
• DBKL Rock Orchestra Concert in Kuala Lumpur (January 10, 1995)
• Bulldozer concert with rock artists (January 19, 1995)
• Asian Rhythm Festival at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur (January 21, 1995)
• Regional Rhythm Concert, with Search & Indonesian artists at Malawati Stadium, Shah Alam, Selangor (February 3, 1995)
• Sunday Nite Live at Planet Hollywood, Kuala Lumpur (February 25, 1995)

Filmography

Films Nike Ardilla Starred In

TV Series Nike Ardilla Appeared In

See also

In Spanish: Nike Ardilla para niños