A while ago, social media was filled with discussions about how Indonesian music is hugely popular in Malaysia, while Malaysian musicians themselves struggle to gain traction in Indonesia. The conversation emerged on the social platform Threads, where a user with the handle kay_izwan questioned why Indonesian artists perform so frequently in Malaysia, yet the reverse is rarely the case.
“Are Malaysian bands on the same level as Indonesian bands? But why do Malaysian bands get fewer opportunities to perform in Indonesia compared to Indonesian bands coming to Malaysia? Whether it’s festivals or solo concerts, you could say Indonesian artists perform in Malaysia almost every month. Is there a third party acting as a gatekeeper? Or is it due to poor management and PR on the Malaysian side?” the user wrote.
The discussion on Threads surfaced shortly after the Latihan Pestapora concert, which took place on Saturday (26 July). Organized by Hitman Solutions and Boss Creator, the concert served as a precursor to the Pestapora music festival held in Jakarta last September.
At “Latihan Pestapora Malaysia,” which was initially planned for Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon but later moved to Bukit Jalil Stadium, several top Indonesian musicians, including Hindia, Barasuara, Efek Rumah Kaca, and Kunto Aji, performed for the tens of thousands of attendees.
So, why is Indonesian music popular in Malaysia, but not vice versa?
Veteran Indonesian musician Teuku Dalin has an answer. According to the man known for helping launch prominent bands such as Sheila On 7 and Jikustik, the reason has nothing to do with musical ability. In fact, he believes Indonesian musicians are not necessarily more skilled than Malaysian musicians.
“With the internet era now, technology, everything, the way people play music, there shouldn’t be any obstacles. It can be relatively the same,” Teuku Dalin said in a video uploaded to his Instagram account.
Instead of skill, Teuku Dalin argues that the first factor making Indonesian music more easily accepted in Malaysia is simply the sheer volume of Indonesian acts.
“There are so many Indonesian bands, whereas Malaysian bands might be fewer,” he added.
The second factor, he said, is language. According to Teuku Dalin, the linguistic style used in Indonesian song lyrics is widely liked in Malaysia, but the opposite is not true.
“The lyrical style of Indonesian bands is more favored in Malaysia,” he explained.
Teuku Dalin also offered some advice for Malaysian musicians hoping to break into the Indonesian market.
“So my suggestion is, if Malaysian bands want to enter the Indonesian market, they should study the combination of lyrics or the issues commonly raised by Indonesian bands, things that appeal to Indonesian listeners. But remember one thing: there are so many Indonesian bands that even they struggle to break into their own market,” he concluded.
Malaysian Musicians Performing in Indonesia? Absolutely Possible!
Before “Latihan Pestapora Malaysia,” many Indonesian musicians had already performed in Malaysia. In 2025 alone, artists such as Rossa also held a concert titled Here I Am on Saturday (14 June). At the Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil, where the concert took place, more than 10,000 fans were in attendance.
It's not only Kuala Lumpur, other regions in Malaysia have also hosted Indonesian musicians. Denny Caknan once performed at a concert called Malam Ambyar in Johor, while Bernadya held shows in Kota Kinabalu as well as Kuala Lumpur.
In Indonesia, Malaysian musicians have plenty of fans. In the past, Indonesian music lovers were familiar with and deeply appreciated the works of Siti Nurhaliza and Sheila Majid.
Today, although no Malaysian artist has yet reached the same level of popularity as Siti Nurhaliza or Sheila Majid, it is still not uncommon to see Malaysian musicians performing in Indonesia. For example, earlier this June, solo singer Firdhaus held his Hello Again World Tour 2025 concert at Ciputra Artpreneur Jakarta.
Outside Jakarta, Malaysian artists also have a stage, such as in Tarakan, which in December 2024 hosted a concert by legendary Malaysian musicians Datoe Awie and Zamani.
Written by Aulli Atmam at Good News From Indonesia
