Rhoma Irama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rhoma Irama
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Rhoma Irama gave lecture in Palembang, 2015
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| Member of People's Representative Council | |
| In office 1 October 1997 – 1 October 1999 |
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| President | Suharto B.J. Habibie |
| Parliamentary group | F-KP |
| Constituency | Jakarta |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Oma Irama
11 December 1946 Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia |
| Political party | Golkar |
| Other political affiliations |
Idaman (2015–2018) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 5, including Debby Irama, Vicky Irama, and Ridho Rhoma |
| Occupation |
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| Musical career | |
| Also known as | Raja Dangdut (King of Dangdut) |
| Genres | Dangdut |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1958–present |
| Labels |
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Raden Haji Oma Irama, better known as Rhoma Irama (born 11 December 1946), is an Indonesian dangdut singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sundanese descent.
Starting from the late 1960s, he began his musical career as Rhoma Irama as a part of the pop band Orkes Melayu Purnama, pioneering several dangdut music elements. He then formed his band Soneta Group, achieving multitudes of musical successes with groundbreaking dangdut style which incorporates Western, Malay, and Bollywood influences.
From the late 1970s, he began transforming into more Islamic-oriented style, commanding the religiously pious popular music culture. During the height of his stardom in the 1970s, he was dubbed "Raja Dangdut" ("the King of Dangdut") with his Soneta Group. He has also built his career in the film industry.
He has been active as well in the political arena, with a history of joining campaigns for the Islamic United Development Party (PPP) during the New Order era. In 2015, Irama founded Peace and Safe Islamic Party and served as the party chairman until 2018, when he decided to merge the party into the National Mandate Party.
Early life
Irama's parents assigned the priyayi noble title of Raden at birth to follow his Sundanese father, Raden Burdah Anggawirya, and mother, R.Hj. Tuti Juariah.
Career
1960s: Pre-Soneta
Oma Irama's first bands were known as Tornado and Gayhand and covered Western rock and roll music of Paul Anka, Andy Williams, and The Beatles.
In the late 1960s Oma Irama, sang jawa and also some pop Indonesia music. In 1968 he joined the group Orkes Melayu Purnama in 1968. This group pioneered elements of the dangdut style within Orkes Melayu music – the drum was changed to double drum, the electric guitar's role was expanded, and the suling, or bamboo flute, adopted a style reminiscent of Bollywood music. He also recorded pop Indonesian music during this period with the Zaenal Combo and Galaksi, while the album Ingkar Janji was recorded in 1969 with Orkes Melayu Chandraleka.
Early 1970s: Soneta Group
Once Oma broke from recording with the Purnama Group, he formed Orkes Melayu Soneta (taken from English word sonnet), which became the first dangdut group in 1970. The subtitle, the sound of Moslems was added in 1973.
The group featured Oma Irama and Elvy Sukaesih as singers, both solo, and duets. Their first album, Volume 01, Begadang ("Stay up all night"), released in 1973, featured four songs by Oma Irama, three by Elvy, and three duets. The song featured Oma Irama wearing tight trousers and holding an electric guitar. His choice of pose showed the influence on his music of Western bands, influences which also found their way into his music – Orkes Melayu was in his opinion was too soft, too acoustic, too polite, and unable to compete against the power and energy of rock music, and so the music was electrified, with keyboard, two electric guitars, electric bass, as well as the traditional suling and gendang. He has stated that he took his guitar style from Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple. In addition to Western and Malay influences, Hindi composers were credited for some of the band's songs.
The Begadang album ranked No. 11 on Rolling Stone Indonesia's "150 Greatest Indonesian Albums of All Time" list. Furthermore, the main single "Begadang" reached at number 24 on the magazine's "150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time" list.
His 1973 hit "Terajana", one of the best-known dangdut songs of all time, was the first to use the newly coined, and arguably derogatory, term dangdut, distinguishing the Javanese Orkes Melayu music, heavily influenced by Indian Bollywood records, henceforth dangdut, from the established Orkes Melayu, associated with North Sumatran Malays.
Once Soneta was established in the early 1970s, Oma changed his name to Rhoma and went on a decade-long run of successful hit records and films, all of which starred Rhoma playing himself while performing all of his hits. He wrote the classics "Kereta Malam" (night train) and "Kuda Lumping" which were sung by Elvy Sukaesih.
Performing live, he adopted many of the props of stadium rock, including large audiences, powerful sound systems, complex sets, fireworks, flashing lights, and smoke machines. He is also notable with the use of some notable musical instruments including various models of Steinberger guitars. This particular guitar was shown off in his posters, leaflets, movies, and pin-ups.
Late 1970s onward: Islamic pious music
Following his 1975 hajj, he took the name Rhoma Irama, which is an abbreviation of "Raden Haji Oma Irama" (Raden is an aristocracy title for Javanese and Sundanese cultures). Following this pilgrimage, he took on a more explicit Islamic moral tone, adopting Islamic dress, shorter hairstyles. He also resolved that his music should instruct, and not merely entertain, a form of devotion waged through music. Themes in his music included government corruption and gambling. The song "Haram" for instance, warns against gambling, while the song "Keramat" asserts the instructions in Islam to honor mothers.
His 1982 movie Perjuangan dan Doa (Struggle and Prayer) was described as the world's first Islamic rock musical movie.
Politics
During Suharto-era
Rhoma Irama campaigned for the Islamic party PPP from 1977 to 1982, and as a result he was banned from state television and radio by the Suharto regime, which was at that time enforcing separation of religion and state, and some of his songs were also banned from sale. The ban was lifted in 1988, and with Suharto himself moving towards Islam in the 1990s, dangdut became of the establishment.
Indonesian presidential election, 2014
At the end of 2012, Rhoma Irama, stated his intention to contest the 2014 presidential election. The Wasiat Ulama association and the Indonesia Malay Musicians Association (PAMMI) have endorsed him.
By December 2013 Rhoma Irama is proposed as one of the Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB) presidential candidate along with Jusuf Kalla and Mahfud MD.
Peace and Safe Islamic Party
On 14 October 2015, Rhoma declared the Peace and Safe Islamic Party (Indonesian: Partai Islam Damai Aman), abbreviated as Idaman. Idaman Party's attempt to participate in the 2019 Indonesian general election failed after its registration was declined by the General Elections Commission (KPU) and its initial attempt to appeal to the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) was defeated. The party attempted their second appeal to the State Administrative Court, and was defeated as well. After Idaman Party exhausted all possible appeal methods and failed to overturn the rejection, Rhoma declared the party merged to the National Mandate Party (PAN) on 12 May 2018.
Discography
Pre Soneta
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With OM Soneta
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With Soneta Group (Volume Series)
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Movie soundtracks and compilations
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Rhoma Irama solo albums
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Filmography
- Oma Irama Penasaran (1976)
- Gitar Tua Oma Irama (1977)
- Darah Muda (1977)
- Rhoma Irama Berkelana I (1978)
- Rhoma Irama Berkelana II (1978)
- Begadang (1978)
- Raja Dangdut (1978)
- Cinta Segitiga (1979)
- Camelia (1979)
- Perjuangan dan Doa (1980)
- Melody Cinta Rhoma Irama (1980)
- Badai di Awal Bahagia (1981)
- Sebuah Pengorbanan (1982)
- Satria Bergitar (1984)
- Pengabdian (1984)
- Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga (1985)
- Menggapai Matahari I (1986)
- Menggapai Matahari II (1986)
- Nada-nada Rindu (1987)
- Bunga Desa (1988)
- Jaka Swara (1990)
- Nada dan Dakwah (1991)
- Tabir Biru (1992)
- Dawai 2 Asmara (2010)
- Sajadah Ka'bah (2011)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Result |
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| 1992 | Indonesian Film Festival | Citra Award for Best Leading Actor | Nada dan Dakwah | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: Rhoma Irama para niños
