| Koplo | |
|---|---|
 Koplo singer in Yogyakarta | |
| Other names | Dangdut koplo |
| Stylistic origins |
|
| Cultural origins | Early 2000s, Jarak, East Java[1] |
| Typical instruments | |
| Derivative forms |
|
Koplo or dangdut koplo is a subgenre of dangdut, Indonesian popular dance & folk music, that originated in East Java during the early 2000s. The genre gets its name from the slang term "koplo" which refers to a hallucinogenic drug that is sold cheaply in Indonesia.[2][3] Dangdut koplo is played at a faster tempo than the standard dangdut music and said to make listeners "feel high" thus gives the same effect of consuming koplo pills.[2][3] Koplo also differs musically from the regular dangdut in the dominant role of the drummer, which plays more complex drum patterns.[1]
Traditional koplo in East Java is notable for the live performances, on which female singers dance erotically by shaking their hips and chests in revealing clothes. The audience also gives money directly to the singer on stage. These characteristic performances have given the notion of koplo as "immoral" music in the eyes of traditional dangdut musicians.[2][3] Rhoma Irama, one of the most influential dangdut singers also known as "the king of dangdut", repeatedly criticized koplo during the early 2000s and attempted to distance it from the general dangdut genre.[1]
Nevertheless, koplo has become one of the most popular musical genres in Indonesia, especially with the advent of pop koplo which does not employ overtly sexual performances. Some of the pioneering koplo musicians include Inul Daratista who popularized koplo in the 2000s. The derivative genre of pop koplo is popularized in the mid-2010s by artists such as Via Vallen and Nella Kharisma.[1][4]
- ^ a b c d Dangdut Koplo Puncak Evolusi Dangdut. Tirto.id. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c Weintraub 2013.
- ^ a b c Amzy, Pramudita & Pratama 2019.
- ^ Inilah Sejarah dan Perkembangan Dangdut Koplo di Indonesia. Antivklik.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.