Glenn Fredly Tribute Show; Musicians Unite in Activism, Charity

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amnesty International, in collaboration with Bumi Entertainment, has initiated a tribute show for the late Glenn Fredly titled 'Sounds Right Vol.2; Untuk Glenn', on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, a week after Glenn’s passing. 

As a celebrated figure in Indonesia, his passing has prompted the whole country to mourn. Public figures from different walks of life, ranging from an endless list of musicians, activist organizations, and even the President of Indonesia, have all expressed their condolences.

“My condolences to his family and to all Indonesian musicians,” Jokowi wrote through his official Twitter account @Jokowi on Thursday, April 9, 2020.

The tribute show, broadcasted on Amnesty International’s Youtube Channel, aims to celebrate Glenn Fredly’s impact on the Indonesian music industry by featuring a cast of musicians, such as Efek Rumah Kaca’s Cholil Mahmud, jazz musician Vira Talisa, rock legend Once Mekel, and pop household name Maliq and D’ Essentials. All the musicians and many more performed original arrangements of Glenn Fredly’s music repertoire.

“Glenn's name and achievements will continue to be a blessing to many people, and his message of peace can hopefully continue to resonate and be carried out by all his friends, including my self,” said Cholil Mahmud, who performed ‘Let Go’ during the Youtube stream, on Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

In addition to his glittering musical career, Glenn Fredly had been an ever-present activist, fighting for the rights of many marginalized Indonesians throughout his life. In the same spirit, the tribute show honors Glenn’s activism by fundraising donations for COVID-19 affected workers throughout the country.

On top of that, Amnesty International, in collaboration with the Trade Unions Right Centre (TRUC), has also instigated an open petition, urging the government to protect the rights of workers impacted by COVID-19. 

The petition, which targets 1000 signatures, advocates for the President and the Ministry of Labour to create an inclusive incentive scheme for informal workers, as well as urging the House of Representatives to postpone discussions on the Job Creation Bill (RUU Cipta Kerja).

“I remember Glenn as an activist for marginalized people all across Indonesia. He always has the energy to entertain people, to be there for people. I remember he hosted Bob Tutupoly’s (Indonesian musician) 80th birthday. I wanted to host like him; he left us too soon,” tearily remarked host Arie Untung.

As the stream finished, donations totaling to Rp8,619,249 have been raised through a crowdfunding website, KitaBisa.com, while a total of 401 signatures have been collected. Although the tribute show has ended, links to the donation and petition remain available online through the link, kitabisa.com/untukglenn.

DIO SUHENDA