Indonesian metallers Voice of Baceprot who wear hijabs perform at this year’s Glastonbury
The three Muslim girls started playing metal in high school, but never thought they would make history for Indonesia at Glastonbury, the famous English rock festival.
The band they formed, Voice of Baceprot, will play at the festival this year and when they found out they had been invited, they were “confused”.
“Because we didn’t know how exciting the festival was… we didn’t know what to do next,” said the band’s singer Firdda Marsya Kurnia.
The pressure mounted after the trio realized they would be the first Indonesian band to play Europe’s biggest music festival. Headliners for this year’s five-day festival include Coldplay and Dua Lipa.
Voice of Baceprot – consisting of Marsya, drummer Euis Siti Aisyah, and bassist Widi Rahmawati – make up the ensemble. Baceprot (pronounced “bah-che-prot”) means “noise” in Sundanese, one of the most widely spoken languages in Indonesia.
The three women have come a long way from their village school 10 years ago. They have made international headlines for challenging religious and gender norms and have toured internationally, including in Europe and the United States.
They’ve also received praise from the likes of Rage Against the Machine, whose guitarist Tom Morello said he watched one of their videos “10 times in a row and was blown away.” Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers once tweeted, “I’m totally nuts about Baceprot’s Voice.”
Growing up in the rural town of Singajaya in Indonesia’s West Java province, Marsya and Siti became friends in elementary school. They met Widi in elementary school at the guidance counselor’s office, where they were regularly reported for “rebellious behavior.”
Watch the video with commentary by André Forastieri.
André Forastieri is a journalist and entrepreneur, founder of Homework and the content and connections agency Compasso, as well as a mentor to professionals and executives. Find out more aboutandreforastieri.com.br
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Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
