Dangdut

Dangdut is a genre of Indonesian popular music that is partly derived from Malay, Arabic and Hindustani music. It developed in the 1970s among working class Muslim youth, but beginning in the late 1990s reached a broader following in Indonesia, Malaysia and the southern Philippines.

A dangdut band typically consists of a lead singer, male or female, backed by four to eight musicians. Instruments usually include a tabla, mandolin, guitars, and synthesizers. The term has been expanded from the desert-style music, to embrace other musical styles. Modern dangdut incorporates influences from Middle Eastern pop music, Western 'rock,' house music, hip-hop, R&B, and reggae.

Culture

Most major cities, especially on Java, have one or more venues that have a dangdut show several times a week. The concerts of major dangdut stars are also broadcast on television.

Beginning in 2003, dangdut became the focus of a national controversy in Indonesia over religion in public life and images of sexuality in media in response to performances by singer Inul Daratista that religious conservatives described as "pornography". Street protests called for Daratista's banning from television, and legislation, not passed as of 2007, was introduced in the People's Consultative Assembly calling for the abolition of a broad range of activities described as pornography.

Because the popularity of the genre, some movies and TV show use Dangdut themes such as Rhoma Irama's movies and Rudy Soedjarwo's Mendadak Dangdut.

Performance artists

Leading dangdut artists include:

• Rhoma Irama (The "King of Dangdut")
• Elvy Sukaesih (The "Queen of Dangdut")
• Inul Daratista (Creator of Goyang Inul which sparked an anti-pornography controversy)
• Evie Tamala
• Iis Dahlia
• Mansyur S.
• A. Rafiq
• Dewi Persik
• Fahmy Shahab
• Meggy Z.
• Camelia Malik
• Dorce Gamalama

See also

Music of Indonesia