Ari Bernardus Lasso, better known as Ari Lasso, has had his fair share of ups and downs in his 18-year career as a pop musician and singer.
He first set up the band Outsider when he was still in high school in Surabaya with Wawan Juniarso (drummer) and Piyu (guitarist), then later joined Dewa 19 before going solo up to now.
“What I can conclude from my tough journey through life is that I’m a lucky man,” Ari summed up recently.
The 38 year old has a few reasons to say so: He battled a drug addiction for years, which finally led to his discharge from Dewa, went bankrupt, and almost slid into obscurity.
To overcome his drug addiction, he went through rehab. When asked if he had any regrets, the economics graduate from Airlangga University, Surabaya, said: “I even feel grateful I broke down and was kicked out of Dewa. God had a special plan behind my failure.”
When he realized he was no longer part of Dewa and thus had to struggle for survival, he strove to resolve his issues virtually in solitude. “I had no close ties with, for instance, a priest or figure that could give me some advice. I was all by myself, even estranged. So, the fact that I am here now is a miracle,” he added.
It was after his mother passed away that Ari decided to make a comeback. When Ari was dependent on drugs, his mother was battling her illness, which finally took her life away. He even witnessed her last moments on her deathbed, prompting him to reexamine his life.
“When I die, what will I have accomplished? I’ve got a good voice but I haven’t used it properly,” he murmured at the time. Then Ari promised before her dying mother to stop taking drugs.
“It was a great motivation for me to quit drugs and praise be to God I’ve made it,” said the man born in Madiun, East Java, on January 17, 1973.
His battle against drug addiction wasn’t an easy one. He went through several hospitalizations, house isolation and tried alternative medicine, but to no avail.
“It’s true, when the time arrived, it was easy. My mother’s death became a momentum or turning point: My will to recover grew unusually stronger and motivation was the most effective cure,” revealed the star of a herbal commercial on TV.
His mother had once said, “Ari, God has no bad plan for your voice. You’ve got an exceptional voice so your life should be beautiful. Something must be wrong with the way you live. If you stop your bad habit, you will be an outstanding man.”
So, what’s next for Ari? The singer says he would like to appreciate and take care of everything God has given to him. “I will maintain my voice and my body. And the most precious part of my life is my family, which I must care for,” he said. “Our family is our mirror. I hope I can inspire my family to do whatever they can and provide them with everything they need to grow in a balanced way,” he added.
Ari aspires to be a source of motivation for his children. For example, unless he already has an engagement he cannot cancel, he will help them with their homework, read their school reports and attend their performances. Otherwise, he will apologize and give them a reasonable explanation.
His philosophy on family life is inspired by Five People You Meet in Heaven, a novel by Mitch Albom, about a child who never enjoys special moments with his parents, causing him to lack self-confidence. Ari believes special moments with parents have a strong impact on children, just like the time his father taught him how to swim.
Although he has had a long stint in the music industry, he has also come to realize he won’t be a singer for ever. So he has been looking into entering the band producing business for junior musicians. Asked whether he felt threatened by young musicians, Ari responded the emergence of newcomers, a fact of nature, should not be feared.
He knows deep down his music career will end in due time, regardless of the number of young artists around him.
“I think new artists have nothing to do with outgoing ones. So, I have nothing to lose. I will join the producers’ business because of my long experience in music,” he asserted.
It is Ari’s confidence spurred by his success that helped him surmount ordeals and hard times, which were a lot more demanding than just competition.
“I’ve survived the worst part of my life – drug addiction, bankruptcy and poverty – but I managed to rise again. So there’s no problem with rivalry,” assured the artist, who is preparing his new album and solo concert.
While the title of the album is still kept under wraps, he promises fresher and more powerful hits using simple lyrics.
No comments:
Post a Comment