Ellya Khadam's 93rd Birthday

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Semarang, Indonesia-based guest artist Fatchurofi Muhammad, celebrates Indonesian singer, songwriter, and actor Ellya Khadam, who is widely considered a pioneer of dangdut, a genre of folk music popular in Indonesia that blends local musical traditions together with diverse styles such as Western rock-and-roll and Indian film scores.

Ellya Khadam was born Siti Alya Husnah on this day in 1928 in Jakarta, Indonesia. During her teenage years, Khadam was neighbors with a singer of the Malaysian pop music style known as deli. She developed her musical talent by imitating this genre, which allowed her to make a name for herself by first singing at weddings and later joining local musical outfits. 

She rose to prominence as a singer in the Kelana Ria Malay Orchestra during the 1950s, a musical collective that drew much of its inspiration from Indian culture and music. Khadam’s career reached its peak with the release of her 1956 break-out hit song “Boneka India” (Dolls from India) now considered a touchstone of the dangdut genre. She expressed her love for Indian customs not just through using Indian tabla rhythms in her songs but also by donning traditional Indian saris and wearing a sindoor on her forehead.

In addition to her musical output, which popularized dangdut and inspired the younger generation to take the genre to new heights, Khadam starred in dozens of films into the late 1970s. Today, dangdut showcases the nation’s culture on a global scale as one of Indonesia’s most popular musical styles—even making a historic on-stage debut in New York’s Times Square earlier this year!  

Happy birthday, Ellya Khadam—thank you for giving a voice to a new wave of Indonesian culture!

Guest Artist Q&A with Fatchurofi Muhammad

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Semarang, Indonesia-based guest artist Fatchurofi Muhammad. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?

A. Working on this Doodle is nostalgic for me. I grew up listening to the radio as a source of entertainment and news. My family didn't have a TV until I was 9 years old. And Ellya's songs were definitely something I heard on repeat as she's very popular, especially with the "Boneka Cantik Dari India" title. So now, working on this Doodle and listening again to her songs, brings up all my childhood memories.

Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?

A. Excited! It's got me singing her songs out loud!

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A. Mainly, the Doodle was about Ellya's stage identity and celebrating her career and productivity. Her pink sari spreads wide, underlying objects from her career, from music (records) to acting (movie roles). Her tambourine, tabla, and serunai—musical instruments from Orkes Melayu, a genre that popularised her. And there are  strong visual and color  hints of India to represent her primary source of inspirations and stage identity.

Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A. Be productive. Great works live forever. Inspiration comes from anywhere.

Early drafts of the Doodle below