Aziz Hedra – from song covers to his own viral single

There are many ways to kickstart a career in the Indonesian music scene. From showcasing talents in talent shows and performing at cafes and weddings, to independently producing singles and albums, or even covering popular songs and sharing them on social media. Aziz Hedra, an aspiring musician, chose the latter approach, and his captivating performances caught the attention of Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia.

This fruitful encounter led to the release of his debut single, “Somebody’s Pleasure,” in 2022. The track has rapidly soared to the top, recently claiming the coveted #1 spot on both the Spotify Philippines Viral Charts and the Spotify Global Viral Charts.

Rising Indonesian artist Aziz Hedra

“Speechless, actually, because I never thought it would come this far. I never thought it would touch the Philippines as well. It is such a big achievement for me and it is also one of my dreams,” Hedra said in a Zoom interview with Music Geek when asked about his reaction to this achievement.

Hedra wrote this song exactly a year ago, but he wasn’t planning to release it on the social media platform. As he is searching for his first single, the 23-year-old immediately thought of Somebody’s Pleasure, by changing its arrangement from instrumental piano into a full song.

“This song,” as explained by the pop and R&B enthusiast, “tells the story of someone in the lowest point of his life. Sometimes we’re going through a phase where we’re struggling so much in every aspect of life, and none of those problems are going away. Everything comes at once like a hit of a wave. However, we need to remind ourselves that we’re not alone in this life. We have friends and families ready to support and help us. Besides, everyone has a problem, so don’t ever think that we have it the hardest. The problem might be different, but it weighs just as much for everyone. The point is, don’t let ourselves get carried away by the problem. Just focus on the solution or the way out.”

Having been interested in music since childhood, Aziz finally expressed it by making song covers and uploading it to YouTube or TikTok. He is grateful because his friends, family and loyal fans on social media kept cheering him on, giving him support. His effort eventually paid off when Sony Music scouted him.

“Such an honor for me and I’m so glad and grateful that I joined this new family,” Hedra said.

Here’s more of the interview with this promising Indonesian artist, made possible by Chen Cornelio of Sony Music Philippines:

How was the transition from covering songs to recording an original song?At first, I felt a lot of pressure because usually I cover other artists’ songs but now, I should introduce to people that this is my story and this is my song. It’s kind of hard but I worked with a great team.

Do you feel pressured now to beat that single when you release another one? A little bit, because I know people may be waiting for the next single or saying “where’s your another masterpiece?” But I still gonna do my best and I will put a lot of effort in my next one.

What is your creative and songwriting process? At first, I talk to my friend and tell my story. Then, I have this mindset that if I turn this into a song, I think it would be great. So, I contact my musician friend and collaborate in the song. Before Somebody’s Pleasure, I never wrote a song. I learned so much from doing this project.

How important is it to you that your music be heard not just in Indonesia but all over the world as well? It is important to me because we get connected through music.

What is music to you?Music for me is connecting through emotions.

Any artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?I would like to collaborate with anyone who wants to collaborate with me as well. I also want to collaborate with Teddy Aditya and Christian Bautista.

What challenges are you facing after this breakthrough in your career? My biggest challenge is consistency.