The author just felt like writing this. #creativeliberty #freewill

You can always tell what a culture is like by the art it produces and consumes, and in the case of Indonesia, nothing captures the soul of a nation quite like music.  While the times may change, one thing has remained constant: the Indonesian music scene has never been stagnant, and it’s worth taking a closer look to get to know both the people who made it great and the culture it cultivated through its greatness.

When an old Supreme fades away, a new one rises. Move over brat girl summer, yeehaw girl spring is taking over. From ”Cowboy Carter” snagging Queen Bey her first Album of the Year to Sabrina Carpenter duetting with Dolly Parton and Chappell Roan’s latest single ”The Giver,” the crossover success of country music into the pop girl bubble is undeniable. But Nashville has long been a genre steeped in conservatism and Whiteness, so how does it thrive today with Black, queer, and female musicians taking the reins of its resurgence?

There’s nothing more exciting for BLACKPINK fans than the members’ solo careers taking off. But not too long ago, the group officially announced that the foursome will reunite and embark on a ten-city world tour. Does this mean the renaissance of JENNIE, LISA, ROSÉ, and JISOO's solo skyrockets are over?

The history of music is the history of Black culture–but the industry would rather keep that buried under the surface. From Motown to disco, hip hop to R&B, Black artists have shaped every sound that defined an era. Yet time and time again, the system finds a way to push them to the sidelines. Why is it that when Black artists break out of the boxes the industry puts them in, they’re called too commercial, but when white artists borrow from Black sounds, they’re called innovative? Music history isn’t just about hits and chart-toppers—it’s about whose stories get told and whose influence gets erased. The blueprint was always Black. The system just doesn’t want us to remember.