Ratu (band)
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Maia Estianty |
| Headquarters | Indonesia |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Ratu was an Indonesian musical duo established in 1999 by Maia Estianty, who was married to musician Ahmad Dhani at the time, playing instruments, alongside vocalist Pinkan Mambo. Their debut album, Bersama (meaning Together), was released in 2003. After Pinkan Mambo left the group in 2004, Maia brought in Mulan Kwok as the new singer. This formation reached higher acclaim with popular tracks such as "Teman Tapi Mesra" ("Friends with Benefits") and "Lelaki Buaya Darat" ("Womaniser"), both phrases becoming widely used in Indonesian vernacular. Their sophomore album, No. Satu (Number One), launched in 2006, achieved sales of 200,000 copies on its first day—a milestone for an Indonesian female ensemble. The duo parted ways in 2007.
During the 2000s, Ratu stood out as Indonesia's leading female music group, recognized not only for their songs but also for their media impact and trendsetting influence on fashion, notably introducing Harajuku style to the Indonesian audience. They earned numerous accolades, including being the first act to win "Artist of the Year" and "Group/Duo Artist of the Year" twice at the MTV Ampuh Music awards, paving the way for many future groups.
Origins and debut album
Maia Ahmad, then married to musician Ahmad Dhani, had served as a backing vocalist for his band Dewa 19 since 1993 but aspired to be a lead performer. Under Dhani's mentorship, she created Ratu in 1999 as a duo combining vocalist and instrumentalist roles, drawing inspiration from international groups like Roxette and Savage Garden. Maia handled keyboards and sought a complementary singer.
Pinkan Mambo, who sang at cafés and aimed to establish a professional music career, met Dhani in 1999 and impressed him with her vocal confidence. After persistent communication, Maia invited her to audition and promptly accepted her as Ratu's frontwoman. Before joining Ratu, Pinkan had trained as a backing vocalist for Dewa 19.
After three years of preparation, Ratu launched their debut album Bersama in January 2003 through Sony Music Indonesia. The record contained ten songs—seven penned by Maia and three by Dhani—with Maia also responsible for arrangements and backing vocals. The album blended R&B styles with piano melodies to create a feminine sound. Singles included "Aku Baik-Baik Saja," "Salahkah Aku Terlalu Mencintaimu," and "Jangan Bilang Siapa Siapa." Selling over 250,000 copies, it introduced a fresh voice into Indonesia’s male-centric music industry. Ratu earned Best Newcomer at the 2003 Clear Top Ten Awards and later secured top honors at the 2006 MTV Ampuh awards.
Following Bersama, Maia and Pinkan began preparing a second album expected for release in 2004. However, Pinkan departed in October 2004 amid media attention regarding her pregnancy outside marriage and reported tensions with Maia’s strong leadership. Maia confirmed that Ratu would persist and initiated auditions for a new vocalist. Meanwhile, several singers performed alongside Maia without official membership; finalist Tia from Akademi Fantasi Indosiar was considered but unavailable due to contractual restrictions.
Change in lineup and rise to prominence
While searching for a new lead singer, Maia came across Mulan Kwok, a vocalist performing at a café in Bandung, in December 2004. Maia recounted their initial encounter as immediately motivating. After an audition process, Mulan was chosen and officially announced as the new member on 7 April 2005. This change brought a transformation in the group's image from "elegant" to a more "flirtatious and provocative" style, alongside a musical shift from piano-driven R&B to a guitar-heavy rock sound.
On 30 August 2005, Ratu launched the compilation album Ratu & Friends, which included two fresh tracks: "Teman Tapi Mesra" ("Friends With Benefits") and a rendition of Vina Panduwinata's "Di Dadaku Ada Kamu" ("In My Chest There Is You"). The single "Teman Tapi Mesra" rapidly gained popularity across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, resonating with a wide audience. The acronym TTM became widely used to describe physical relationships without emotional involvement. Its ringback tone topped Malaysian charts for several weeks and surpassed one million downloads in Indonesia. The album achieved over 400,000 sales, earning double platinum certification. Riding this wave of success, Ratu embarked on a forty-city tour throughout Indonesia alongside the band Radja, commencing at the Jakarta Convention Center on 20 February 2006.
Ratu's second studio album, No. Satu (Number One), was released on 22 May 2006. Maia was the primary songwriter, with Dhani contributing three compositions and Mulan co-writing "Seribu Cinta" ("A Thousand Loves"). The album featured collaborations with notable musicians such as Yoyo from Padi, Denny Chasmala, Tepi Item, and Bintang. Singles like "Lelaki Buaya Darat" ("Womanizer") and "Dear Diary" became chart-toppers; notably, the album sold 200,000 copies on its first day—a record for an Indonesian female group. Despite efforts to rename it, "Lelaki Buaya Darat" was banned in Malaysia due to its negative implications; however, some Malaysian radio stations continued to broadcast the track.
Throughout 2005 and 2006, Ratu maintained a dominant presence in Indonesia’s music industry and frequently featured in commercial endorsements. Maia ventured into acting by appearing on Trans TV’s comedy program Extravaganza, while Mulan starred in television movies. Their Harajuku-inspired fashion sense influenced teenage streetwear trends significantly. Media attention often centered on Dhani’s relationship with Mulan; Maia acknowledged that entertainment news outlets played a role in amplifying the band’s visibility through gossip coverage.
During this era, Ratu garnered numerous accolades. At the tenth Anugerah Musik Indonesia, they received Best Produced Work for "Teman Tapi Mesra". Maia and Mulan won Top Singer at the SCTV Awards, outperforming established artists such as Agnes Monica and Krisdayanti. They earned two nominations at the MTV Indonesia Awards and secured Artist of the Year and Group/Duo Artist of The Year titles at the MTV Ampuh Awards—becoming the first group to win both honors twice.
Dissolution
By late 2006, Ahmad Dhani issued an ultimatum threatening to disband the group unless Maia reduced her performance commitments, citing concerns about her busy schedule impacting their children. Although he later retracted this threat, as manager he restricted the group to a single performance per week. Dhani subsequently dismissed the group's manager, Vita Ramona, who responded with legal threats over alleged defamation. Tensions escalated when Mulan publicly expressed grievances regarding unpaid earnings and lack of transparency from management. After receiving no reply to her open letter, she resigned on 30 January 2007 and pursued legal action against Dhani, resulting in her contract fee being refunded.
Following Mulan’s exit, Maia continued performing under the Ratu name as a solo act, participating in the A Mild Live Soundrenaline tour alongside artists like Shanty and Bunga Citra Lestari. However, ongoing disputes between Dhani and Maia culminated in the group's eventual breakup. By late 2007, Dhani asserted ownership of the "Ratu" trademark—having officially registered it—and barred Maia from using the name while she searched for a new collaborator.
Subsequent Endeavors
At the beginning of 2008, Maia introduced Duo Maia alongside new collaborator Mey Chan, emphasizing vocal artistry. Concurrently, Mulan joined Republik Cinta Management, led by Dhani, and unveiled her solo project titled Makhluk Tuhan Paling Seksi (God’s Sexiest Creature) that same year, performing under the name Mulan Jameela. Prior to this, original vocalist Mambo had released a solo album called Aku Tahu Rasanya (I Know How It Feels) in 2006. In 2009, Ratu’s popular track "Teman Tapi Mesra" was adapted by the Swedish girl group LadyLike for European audiences, retitled as "Dreaming of the Time."
Ratu served as an inspiration for many Indonesian duos aspiring to achieve similar success. Toward the end of the 2000s, Ahmad Dhani mentored duos such as MahaDewi and The Virgin; however, none attained the level of influence Ratu had established. By 2011, boy and girl bands influenced by Korean pop dominated Indonesia’s music scene. Maia credited Ratu’s achievements to its role as a trailblazer in the nation’s pop duo genre.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Certifications | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bersama Together |
|
Silver | 250,000 |
| No. Satu Number One |
|
Silver | 200,000 |
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Certifications | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ratu & Friends |
|
2x Platinum | 400,000 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Salahkah Aku Terlalu Mencintaimu" "Blame Me for Loving You Too Much" |
2003 | Bersama |
| "Aku Baik-Baik Saja" "I'm Fine" | ||
| "Jangan Bilang Siapa-Siapa" "Don't Tell Anyone" | ||
| "Teman Tapi Mesra" "Friends With Benefits" |
2005 | Ratu & Friends |
| "Di Dadaku Ada Kamu" "In My Chest There is You" | ||
| "Lelaki Buaya Darat" "Womanizer" |
2006 | No. Satu |
| "Dear Diary" |
Concert Tours
- Rock in Love (2005–2006)
- A Mild Live Soundrenaline (2007)
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Anugerah Musik Indonesia | Best Newcomers | Template:Nom | |
| Best Producer | Template:Nom | |||
| Clear Top Ten Awards | Best Newcomer | Template:Won | ||
| MTV Ampuh | Artist of the Year | Template:Won | ||
| Group/Duo Artist of The Year | Template:Won | |||
| 2006 | Anugerah Musik Indonesia | Best Album | No. Satu | Template:Nom |
| Best Duo/Collaboration/Group | Template:Nom | |||
| Best Produced Work | "Teman Tapi Mesra" | Template:Won | ||
| SCTV Awards | Top Singer | Template:Won | ||
| SCTV Music Awards | Top Singer/Group | Template:Nom | ||
| Best Video Clip | "Teman Tapi Mesra" | |||
| "Artist of the Year" | Template:Won | |||
| "Group/Duo Artist of The Year" | Template:Won | |||
| "Most Favorite Group/Band/Duo" | Template:Nom | |||
| "Video of the Year" | "Lelaki Buaya Darat" | Template:Nom | ||
| "Top Singer/Group" | Template:Nom | |||
| "Top Video Clip" | "Lelaki Buaya Darat" | Template:Nom |
References
- Footnotes
- Bibliography
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