Afgansyah Reza (Afgan)

Jakarta, C&R Digital - Penyanyi, Afgan Syah Reza saat ini tengah berbahagia. Ia baru saja masuk World Music Awards untuk kategori World Best Male Artist.

"Aku nggak nyangka juga bisa masuk nominasi, tentunya ini akan jadi sesuatu yang baik untuk karir aku ke depannya," kata Afgan saat ditemui di konser ulang tahun ke-23 SCTV, Sabtu (24/8).

Para pemenang ajang ini terpilih berdasarkan vote dari masyarakat melalui situs worldmusicawards.com.

"Aku juga udah minta dukungan vote dari fans di twitter aku. Mereka antusias kasih ucapan selamat ke aku. Rasanya senang banget," kata Afgan.

Untuk kategori World Best Male Artist, Afgan berhadapan dengan nomimasi yang cukup berat seperti Adam Lambert, Akon, Avicii, Andrea Bocelli, Bruno Mars, Calvin Harris, David Bowie, David Guetta, hingga artis asal Korea Selatan Siwon member Super Junior.

Selain Afgan, ada juga Agnes Monica yang masuk WMA di kategori World Best Female Aritst untuk ketiga kalinya. Agnes bersaing dengan Adele, Alicia Keys, Anggun, Ariana Grande, Avril Lavigne, Ayumi Hamasaki, Britney Spears, dan Taylor Swift.
- Yahoo Indonesia

Jakarta - Penyanyi solo pria muda nan ternama, Afgan Syahreza, dalam rangka menyambut Hari Valentine kemarin merilis album terbaru bertajuk L1ve to Love, Love to L1ve di bawah naungan Trinity Optima Production dan didistribusikan lewat Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Penggarapan album tersebut memakan waktu yang cukup panjang, yaitu dua tahun. Hal tersebut disebabkan oleh pencarian lagu yang sesuai dengan karakter suaranya serta kegiatan kuliahnya yang mengambil tempat di Universitas Monash, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tajuk album yang menyelipkan angka ‘1’ tersebut diselaraskan dengan dua titel album penuh Afgan sebelumnya, yaitu Confession No. 1 rilisan 2008 serta The One yang dikeluarkan pada 2010.

“Saya ingin tetap jadi yang terdepan, tetap jadi yang pertama,” kata Afgan pada konferensi pers peluncuran album tersebut seperti dikutip oleh Tempo.co.

Afgan menjanjikan ragam musik yang berbeda-beda pada album penuh ketiganya ini, bahkan ada lagu berirama dance, jenis musik yang diakui belum pernah ia coba, dengan “Without You”.

Selain itu ada pula “Demi Kamu dan Aku” yang meleburkan rock dengan orkestra. Lagu tersebut menampilkan duetnya bersama Sherina yang menjabat sebagai penyanyi tamu.

Kibordis NOAH, David, juga terlibat dalam album ini dengan menyumbangkan lagu ciptaannya yang berjudul “Untukmu Aku Bertahan”. Afgan juga bekerja sama dengan Inu Numata dan Nino RAN dalam menulis lagu “Pesan Cinta” selaku single perdana dari album ini. - RollingStone Indonesia

A video has surfaced of Indonesian singer, Afgansyah Reza, relentlessly swinging a baseball bat at photos of his girlfriend. Thankfully, it was a complete fabrication that made up part of the story line for his latest music video, “Jodoh Pasti Bertemu”. Afgan admitted it was a difficult video to make, having to put all emotion aside while filming the scene in reaction to his girlfriend played by Karina Nadila. The video has already proven to be a favourite of the year to no surprise.

Afgan, 24, has enjoyed another milestone this year since releasing his debut album Confession No 1 in 2008. His new film, “Refrain”, in which he stars alongside rising star, Maudy Ayunda, was released to positive reviews this week. In response to the audience’s reception at the film premiere Afgan excitedly retweeted, “Finally!!! At the end of the show the whole cinema applause: O speechless”.

Catch Afgan at the Grand Ballroom in Cirebon on the 7th July. - Music Weekly Asia

Culture, Interviews, Pop — August 20, 2013 at 2:45 pm
An Intimate Interview with Afgan
by Selenna

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The story of the musician discovered on YouTube has exploded and launched many fairytale music careers in the past decade. But it is more recently that the once-unconventional portal for finding new musical talent has since become the norm. In today’s hustle to strive for immediate fame, how does an aspiring young singer obtain a stand-out story of discovery amongst fellow starry-eyed hopefuls?

Afgansyah Reza had no intention of making it big but was blessed with one of those ‘right place at the right time’ scenarios. Casually singing karaoke with friends, he was spotted and soon picked up by a record label. Contrary to the 15-minute buzz that surrounds viral videos, this was only the beginning of Afgan’s story. The buzz has continued on for two albums and has advanced into an acting career, both of which have been acknowledged with dozens of awards and nominations.

Afgan joins us for an intimate interview and opens up about earning his successes and whether his career was really handed to him on a silver plate.


Culture, Interviews, Pop — August 20, 2013 at 2:45 pm
An Intimate Interview with Afgan
by Selenna

10

EmailShare

The story of the musician discovered on YouTube has exploded and launched many fairytale music careers in the past decade. But it is more recently that the once-unconventional portal for finding new musical talent has since become the norm. In today’s hustle to strive for immediate fame, how does an aspiring young singer obtain a stand-out story of discovery amongst fellow starry-eyed hopefuls?

Afgansyah Reza had no intention of making it big but was blessed with one of those ‘right place at the right time’ scenarios. Casually singing karaoke with friends, he was spotted and soon picked up by a record label. Contrary to the 15-minute buzz that surrounds viral videos, this was only the beginning of Afgan’s story. The buzz has continued on for two albums and has advanced into an acting career, both of which have been acknowledged with dozens of awards and nominations.

Afgan joins us for an intimate interview and opens up about earning his successes and whether his career was really handed to him on a silver plate.
Afgan for Telkomsel / Mojopia © Naya Nurindra.

Afgan for Telkomsel / Mojopia © Naya Nurindra



How does it feel to have your fans watch you grow up in the public eye?

It feels like they’ve known me over the years and they’ve come to realise that I have grown up alongside them. I have become this more mature person and it feels like they are my friends. To have them watch me grow up in the public eye makes me even closer with my fans. They know me very well and I also know what they want in terms of my music. I have a very close relationship with my fans and it’s because they were able to watch me grow up.



Very few artists have achieved the amount of success you have in your career and you have managed to do it in such a short time. What goals have you set yourself from here?

I’m very fortunate to have able to achieve what I have right now. I have made a lot of sacrifices to get here. After I finish university, the next goal would be to continue making music and albums. My biggest goal is to have a big concert not only in Jakarta but probably in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei too. That is one of my dreams. I also hope someday that I will be able collaborate with other musicians that come from other countries, so that people will know that Indonesia has a variety of great musicians.



Do you ever feel undeserving of your success, having not experienced the ‘struggle’ of an independent artist?

Earlier on in my career I started on an independent label;I was not found by a major label. Basically I had to struggle from the beginning. Nobody knew who my label was and of course that made it harder for a new artist to break into the industry. I was considered an independent artist back then. I feel like I have earned the success that I have right now.



You were discovered when recording a karaoke CD. What’s your go-to karaoke song?

My go-to karaoke song has always been John Legend’s “Ordinary People”. That is the reason why my producers back then realized that they want to produce me and sign me on their label because I sang that song.

What was it like making the transition from musician to actor?

It’s hard because when you do something for a very long time you get comfortable and you start to do things your own way. And when I first decided to be an actor, it was kind of difficult because you can’t be yourself. The movement, the way you talk, everything must change and it’s a little bit harder than singing. It takes a lot more time. Shooting takes time and it takes months to finish a movie. I guess it’s a whole different world and I enjoy both.



Wha - Music Weekly Asia

Singer Afgan won the AMI Award for best male solo artist on Wednesday night at Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium in Jakarta.

He said that he felt blessed just to be nominated along with such talented artists. The other nominees for best male solo artist were Iwan Fals, Marcell, Elfonda “Once” Mekel, Sandhy Sondoro and Vidi Aldiano.

“I am very proud to have won this award,” Afgan said in accepting the trophy. “I had expected Om Iwan to win. But I got lucky. I was shaking as I walked up to the stage.” This is the second AMI Award for Afgan for best male solo artist, following his win in 2009. - The Jakarta Globe

The US has Justin Timberlake, Indonesia has Afgansyah Reza.

With a more melancholic and modest approach, the 23-year-old R&B songster is the local ultimate male popstar. His ample baritone vocals and geek chic image have captured the hearts of teens and young adults who adore his dimple-cheeked smile.

He won the prestigious Anugerah Musik Indonesia (AMI) Award for Best Male Solo Artist last year — for the second time, the first was in 2009 — in which new Asian pop sensation Agnes Monica earned the Best Female.

In tune with the mainstream vigor for melodic songs, Afgansyah, better known as Afgan, is famous for his ballads — “Terima Kasih Cinta” (Thank You Love), “Klise” (Cliché) and “Sadis” (Cruel) — similar to the sounds of R. Kelly and Boyz II Men.

But it is his capability to embrace a wider range of music that has seen him grace the stages of different music scenes. He appears on merry brass dance tunes in “Tanpa Batas Waktu” (Timeless) and a rendition of Chrisye’s “Panah Asmara” (Arrow of Love) as well as genre-bending jams — once dressing up a malay-style pop song with jazz — on television shows.

After two years, Afgan is back with his third album, L1ve to Love, Love to L1ve, in which he experiments more with his vocals, evinced in his upbeat first single from the album, “Pesan Cinta” (Love Note).

“It’s different this time. I usually choose a ballad as my first single,” says Afgan, who looks sharp in his signature preppy look — sleek hairdo, glasses, checkered shirt and jersey jacket — during the album’s launch.

“Pesan Cinta”, a song written by Afgan in collaboration with Mahavira “Inu” Wisnu Wardhana of Numata band and Anindyo “Nino” Baskoro of the group RAN, tells about his feelings for a girl. In a part of the song’s music video, Afgan performs on a Motown-esque stage, sporting a blue suit and black bowtie.

“We wrote the song during a random jam session. But at that time, I was indeed feeling a bit, you know […] I was happy,” says the shy guy with a little laugh, referring to a possible romantic experience. “For the music video, I was inspired by Motown because I’m into some of the old stuff — you’ll see me dancing a bit for the first time.”

Like any magical pop music formula, Afgan chose a ballad for his second single, which is entitled “Jodoh Pasti Bertemu” (We Shall Meet, If It’s Meant to be).

In his first album, Confession No. 1, Afgan made fans hysteric over “Sadis”. This time he promises that the upcoming single will be an anthem for his fans, known as “Afganisme”.

“‘Jodoh Pasti Bertemu’ is definitely a good one,” says Afgan, referring to a song lyric from the song that tells the story of someone who always prays for his loved one, yet does not hold out too much hope for being loved back.

Beginning to fond of electronic dance music, Afgan makes a bold move by mixing his soulful voice with club anthem-like song “Without You”, which was music produced by local DJ hero, DJ Soemantri. The song was composed by Afgan, Inu and Simhala “Mhala” Avadana of Numata.

For “Demi Kamu dan Aku” (For You and Me), Afgan collaborated with another Indonesian singer, Sherina Munaf. “Sherina is really awesome because she did musical arrangement. I was in a bit of an edgy mood when we wrote the song — it turned into more of a rock song.”

Afgan admits that the latest album demanded more hard work in comparison to his previous ones because he had to split time with his studies at Monash University in Malaysia. “That’s why it took me took me two years to complete. I spent five days a week in Malaysia and two days here to work on the album.”

Despite the challenges, Afgan says that he is proud of his new album. “This is the most sincere album I’ve ever made because I wrote my own songs.

“There are various genres represented on the album, from up tempo, ballads to R&B and dance music. I’ve never had this much variation before. You’ll learn that I’ve developed into a mature artist, especially lyric-wise.” - The Jakarta Post

Jakarta, GATRAnews - Penyanyi Afgan masuk menjadi salah satu nominator World Music Awards tahun ini, di kategori Best Male Artist. Menyusul kesuksesannya ini, Afgan mengaku tak mempermasalahkan akan menang atau tidak karena ia merasa sangat bangga bisa bersaing dengan para penyanyi idolanya di ajang penghargaan internasional tersebut. "Nggak nyangka jadi perwakilan Indonesia, bahagia banget ada kesempatan walaupun ribet soal hal teknik di belakangnya," komentar Afgan saat ditemui di KFC Kemang, Jakarta, Rabu (4/8).

Bersaing di kategori Best Male Artist sebagai satu-satunya penyanyi Indonesia, Afgan mengaku bangga karena menunjukkan industri musik luar sudah mulai melirik Indonesia. Ia berharap bisa datang langsung ke acara tersebut dan bertemu langsung dengan nominator lain dari berbagai negara.

Memang tak main-main karena Afgan bersaing dengan kompetitor macam Justin Timberlake, Psy, Bruce Springsteen, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, dan Eminem. "Speechless. Itu selama ini bintang idola yang jadi inspirasi saya. Saya merasa kerja keras sangat diakui," kata pria yang mengaku dekat dengan Maudy Ayunda ini.

Bersaing dengan banyak penyanyi hebat, Afgan mengaku tak berharap menang. Namun ia juga tetap meminta dukungan voting online dari Afganisme di situs www.worldmusicawards.com, serta cukup rajin memberi info via Twitter-nya. "Saya nggak mikir menang. Achievement udah saya syukuri banget. Saya pengen menunjukkan ke dunia, musik Indonesia variatif dan penuh kekayaan budaya. Saya bangga jadi orang Indonesia," ujar Afgan.

"Musik itu bukan seperti lomba lari. Itu sesuatu yang dekat dari hati," demikian Afgan. (*/Ven) - Gatra News

Jakarta, GATRAnews - Penyanyi Afgan masuk menjadi salah satu nominator World Music Awards tahun ini, di kategori Best Male Artist. Menyusul kesuksesannya ini, Afgan mengaku tak mempermasalahkan akan menang atau tidak karena ia merasa sangat bangga bisa bersaing dengan para penyanyi idolanya di ajang penghargaan internasional tersebut. "Nggak nyangka jadi perwakilan Indonesia, bahagia banget ada kesempatan walaupun ribet soal hal teknik di belakangnya," komentar Afgan saat ditemui di KFC Kemang, Jakarta, Rabu (4/8).

Bersaing di kategori Best Male Artist sebagai satu-satunya penyanyi Indonesia, Afgan mengaku bangga karena menunjukkan industri musik luar sudah mulai melirik Indonesia. Ia berharap bisa datang langsung ke acara tersebut dan bertemu langsung dengan nominator lain dari berbagai negara.

Memang tak main-main karena Afgan bersaing dengan kompetitor macam Justin Timberlake, Psy, Bruce Springsteen, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, dan Eminem. "Speechless. Itu selama ini bintang idola yang jadi inspirasi saya. Saya merasa kerja keras sangat diakui," kata pria yang mengaku dekat dengan Maudy Ayunda ini.

Bersaing dengan banyak penyanyi hebat, Afgan mengaku tak berharap menang. Namun ia juga tetap meminta dukungan voting online dari Afganisme di situs www.worldmusicawards.com, serta cukup rajin memberi info via Twitter-nya. "Saya nggak mikir menang. Achievement udah saya syukuri banget. Saya pengen menunjukkan ke dunia, musik Indonesia variatif dan penuh kekayaan budaya. Saya bangga jadi orang Indonesia," ujar Afgan.

"Musik itu bukan seperti lomba lari. Itu sesuatu yang dekat dari hati," demikian Afgan. (*/Ven) - Gatra News