Nagaswara

Nagaswara, formally established as PT Naga Swarasakti, is an Indonesian music company headquartered in Jakarta. Founded in 1999 by Rahayu Kertawiguna, it began as a producer and distributor of karaoke recordings and dance or house music. The label released dance-oriented music in Indonesia from 2000 to 2003, building an initial position in a market where local labels, radio, television, and physical recordings were closely connected. A significant early development came in 2003, when Nagaswara began working with multinational European labels and obtained principal licensing rights for releasing their artists in Indonesia. This expanded the company beyond its own recordings and gave it a role in bringing internationally controlled repertoire into the Indonesian market. In September 2004, the company worked with Mustang 88.0 FM on the compilation album Gulalikustik. The project introduced or featured artists including Kerispatih, Plus Minus, After, and Gemala. Nagaswara subsequently offered Kerispatih a recording agreement, and the band released its debut album, Kejujuran Hati, through the label in the following year. Over time, Nagaswara developed a broad domestic roster spanning pop, rock, dangdut, urban music, and entertainment-oriented dance releases. Artists associated with the company have included Kerispatih, Wali, The Dance Company, Delon Thamrin, Saint Loco, Siti Badriah, The Virgin, T2, Hello, Merpati, and Zivilia. The company’s work has included recording, release and distribution, artist development, licensing, and music publishing activities. Its repertoire has therefore covered both album-based Indonesian popular music and commercially oriented singles designed for radio, television, and mass-market entertainment. Nagaswara is particularly associated with dancedhut, a hybrid style that combines dangdut conventions with dance-music production. The company promoted this direction through artists such as Siti Badriah, Denias Ismail, and Fitri Carlina. Dancedhut helped connect dangdut’s established Indonesian audience with contemporary electronic arrangements, club-oriented rhythms, and a strongly visual popular-music presentation. The label also created an awards platform for its roster. The Nagaswara Music Awards began in 2010 and recognized the company’s artists through live performances and televised ceremonies. The first event took place at Istora Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta and included performances by Wali, Kerispatih, Ruth Sahanaya, Hello, Mahadewi, The Virgin, and Zivilia, with orchestral support from Magenta Orchestra under Andi Rianto. Later editions were held in Jakarta in 2011 and Hong Kong in 2012, demonstrating an effort to give the label’s artists a larger public showcase. On January 31, 2018, Nagaswara entered a sub-publishing partnership with Warner Chappell Music. Under the arrangement, Nagaswara handled Warner Chappell’s music publishing interests in Indonesia. This complemented its record-label activities with a formal role in administering and exploiting music copyrights. Overall, Nagaswara occupies a domestic Indonesian position built around recorded music, artist representation, licensing, publishing, and genre development, with dancedhut serving as one of its most distinctive musical associations.

Nagaswara was established in 1999 as PT Naga Swarasakti by Rahayu Kertawiguna in Jakarta. The company initially concentrated on karaoke products and dance or house music. Between 2000 and 2003, it released dance music for the Indonesian market. In 2003, Nagaswara broadened its business through partnerships with multinational European labels, becoming the principal licensee for releasing some of their artists in Indonesia. In September 2004, Nagaswara collaborated with Mustang 88.0 FM on Gulalikustik, a compilation project that introduced artists including Kerispatih, Plus Minus, After, and Gemala. The label later signed Kerispatih, whose debut album, Kejujuran Hati, was released the following year. This period marked a transition from a primarily karaoke and dance-music operation toward a wider artist-development and record-label model. Nagaswara subsequently signed or worked with a varied group of Indonesian performers, including Wali, Delon Thamrin, T2, The Dance Company, Hello, Merpati, Zivilia, Saint Loco, Siti Badriah, and The Virgin. Its repertoire incorporated Indonesian pop, rock, dangdut, and dance-oriented material. The label became especially associated with dancedhut, a blend of dangdut and contemporary dance music. Releases by Siti Badriah, Denias Ismail, and Fitri Carlina were among the acts connected with this direction. To promote and recognize its roster, Nagaswara established the Nagaswara Music Awards. The first ceremony took place on December 6–7, 2010, at Istora Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta and featured performances by several label artists, supported by Magenta Orchestra led by Andi Rianto. The event was later broadcast by ANTV. The second ceremony was held from December 1–3, 2011, at the Jakarta Convention Center and aired live on Global TV. The third took place on December 9, 2012, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre with support from SmarTone. On January 31, 2018, Nagaswara entered a sub-publishing relationship with Warner Chappell Music. Nagaswara became responsible for handling Warner Chappell’s music publishing activities in Indonesia. The agreement added publishing administration to the company’s existing recording, licensing, and artist-management functions. Nagaswara is therefore best understood as an Indonesian music company whose activities have covered recorded music, karaoke, licensed international repertoire, artist development, music publishing, and promotional events.

• 2018

  Warner Chappell sub-publishing partnership

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  Nagaswara begins handling Warner Chappell Music’s publishing interests in Indonesia as a sub-publisher.

• 2012

  Third Nagaswara Music Awards

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  The third awards ceremony takes place in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

• 2011

  Second Nagaswara Music Awards

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  The second awards event is held at the Jakarta Convention Center and receives a live Global TV broadcast.

• 2010

  First Nagaswara Music Awards

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  The label holds its inaugural awards ceremony at Istora Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta.

• 2005

  Kerispatih releases debut album through Nagaswara

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  After receiving a recording deal from Nagaswara, Kerispatih releases its debut album, Kejujuran Hati.

• 2004

  Gulalikustik compilation is released

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  Nagaswara collaborates with Mustang 88.0 FM on the Gulalikustik compilation, featuring emerging acts including Kerispatih, Plus Minus, After, and Gemala.

• 2003

  European label licensing partnerships begin

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  The company partners with multinational European labels and becomes a principal licensee for releasing their artists in Indonesia.

• 2000

  Dance and house releases begin

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  Nagaswara begins releasing dance and house music in Indonesia, continuing this focus through 2003.

• 1999

  PT Naga Swarasakti is established

  [1]Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org

  Rahayu Kertawiguna establishes the Indonesian music company that operates under the Nagaswara name.

An Indonesian record label and music company combining domestic artist development with licensed repertoire, music publishing, and commercially accessible pop, dangdut, dance, and dancedhut releases.

• Recorded music · 1999

  Karaoke recordings

  Karaoke was part of Nagaswara’s original business when the company was established in 1999. These releases formed an early product base before the label expanded its emphasis toward artist recordings, dance music, licensing, and broader Indonesian popular music.

• Recorded music · 2000

  Dance and house music releases

  Nagaswara released dance and house music in Indonesia from 2000 through 2003. This early catalog established the company’s connection with electronic and rhythm-driven popular music before it broadened into a larger domestic artist roster.

• Record label releases · 2004

  Indonesian artist recordings

  The label has released and promoted recordings by Indonesian artists across pop, rock, dangdut, dance, and related genres. Its associated roster has included Kerispatih, Wali, The Dance Company, Delon Thamrin, Saint Loco, Siti Badriah, The Virgin, T2, Hello, Merpati, and Zivilia.

• Recorded music

  Dancedhut releases

  Dancedhut combines dangdut with contemporary dance-music production. Nagaswara has emphasized this commercially accessible hybrid through artists including Siti Badriah, Denias Ismail, and Fitri Carlina, making it one of the company’s clearest genre associations.

• Music publishing · 2018

  Music publishing administration

  Through its 2018 sub-publishing partnership with Warner Chappell Music, Nagaswara handles Warner Chappell’s publishing interests in Indonesia. This activity extends the company beyond sound recordings into copyright and composition administration.

• 2010Nagaswara Music Awards

  Indonesia

  Nagaswara launched an annual awards and live-performance platform to recognize its artists and showcase its roster. The first event featured multiple Nagaswara-associated acts and orchestral support from Magenta Orchestra.

  Outcome. The event received television exposure through ANTV, and subsequent editions were held in 2011 and 2012.

  Source
• 2004Gulalikustik

  Indonesia

  Nagaswara worked with Mustang 88.0 FM on the Gulalikustik compilation album, using a radio partnership to introduce several artists, including Kerispatih, Plus Minus, After, and Gemala.

  Outcome. The project helped introduce Kerispatih, which later received a Nagaswara recording deal.

  Source

• 2018

  Warner Chappell sub-publishing agreementStrategy

  Background

  Nagaswara expanded its music-industry role from recordings and licensing into publishing administration.

  Action taken

  The company partnered with Warner Chappell Music as its sub-publisher for Indonesia.

  Aftermath

  Nagaswara became responsible for handling Warner Chappell’s music publishing interests in the Indonesian market.

  Source

• 2004

  Release of GulalikustikProduct launch

  Background

  Nagaswara and Mustang 88.0 FM created a compilation to present emerging performers to Indonesian radio and music audiences.

  Action taken

  The partners released the Gulalikustik compilation album in September 2004.

  Aftermath

  The compilation introduced artists including Kerispatih, who later signed a recording agreement with Nagaswara.

  Source

• 2003

  Expand into multinational repertoire licensingStrategy

  Background

  After its initial focus on karaoke and dance or house music, Nagaswara sought a broader role in the Indonesian recorded-music market.

  Action taken

  The company partnered with multinational European labels and took principal licensing responsibility for releasing their artists in Indonesia.

  Aftermath

  The move added licensed international repertoire to Nagaswara’s domestic recording and artist-development activities.

  Source

1. 1Nagaswaraen.wikipedia.org