After the release of her debut EP Kenduri in June 2021, hara is back with her first release of the year, a song titled Seroja (Lotus). Seroja is a song written by Rara Sekar to celebrate the life and art of a close friend and mentor, Gunawan Maryanto, who suddenly passed away in October 2021. In Seroja, hara shares her experience going through grief as it is, without the need for her to present it as either a beautiful or romantic feeling. “Grief is something inevitable in life, everyone has or will experience it. But the loss of Mas C (or Mas Cindhil, Gunawan Maryanto’s nickname) was my first time losing a close friend. Losing him made me realize that however frequent we experience loss, grief is always new, always heartbreaking.”

And each tear

is a bud of prayer
And grief
is love that couldn’t have been

Bringing color that is slightly different from previous hara songs, in Seroja hara invites Lafa Pratomo (Co-producer of Danilla Riyadi/Swadaya Insani/Ruang Waktu Music) to fill in the guitar arrangement and performance and Indah Wulandari to join in on the trumpet. In producing this song, hara was mostly inspired by sad... more
lyrics
Seroja - hara

Bunga seroja
mekar mengabarkan duka
Ragamu usai
hanya namamu tertinggal

Terang, terangkan
mengapa
di antara sejuta
kau yang diambilnya?

Dan air mata
adalah sekuncup doa
Dan duka cita
cinta yang tak sempat ada

Sampai, sampaikan padaNya
antarku jauh
semakin jauh dan
jatuh di tempat yang sama
denganmu

Untuk jeda yang tiba-tiba
Cerita cinta bisa jadi apa saja
Ingatan jumpalitan berebut tempat
Rebut saja yang sanggup
Ambil saja yang mewujud
Hari ini mungkin pertama
Malam ini mungkin terakhir
Ambil seluruh yang mungkin
Waktu sedang cemburu
atau membencimu
Tapi demikianlah
Ini semua berlangsung
dalam jeda yang ajaib.

English translation:

Lotus - hara

The lotus flower
blooms to tell a story of loss
Your body is no longer
only your name remains

Enlighten, enlighten me
why
in a million
you were the one taken?

And each tear

is a bud of prayer
And grief
is love that couldn’t have been

So tell, tell Her
to carry me far,

farther, then
release me
wherever
you are now

In an unforeseen interlude
A love story can be anything
Memories somersaulting, fighting for a place
Seize whatever is possible
Grab whatever is left
Today may be the first
Tonight may be the last
Take in all that is possible
Time is envious
or it maybe loathes you
But alas
It’s all progressing
Within this magical interlude.
credits
released April 10, 2022
Written by Rara Sekar Larasati
Performed by hara
Produced by Rara Sekar Larasati, Lafa Pratomo
Guitar arrangement by Lafa Pratomo
Vocals by Rara Sekar Larasati
Electric and acoustic guitar by Lafa Pratomo
Trumpet by Indah Wulandari
“Jeda yang Ajaib”, a poem by Gunawan Maryanto
Mixed and Mastered by Lafa Pratomo

Artwork by Rangga Kuzuma
Profile Photos by Ben Laksana

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