Formula Indie Session _ Interview with Asira SW

1. What is your earliest memory connected to music?

My earliest memory of music goes back to elementary school, when I was asked to sing at a math competition because I studied sempoa when I was little. I sang “Ambilkan Bulan Bu” which is a children’s lullaby about a kid asking their mom to fetch them the moon. I remember my microphone wasn’t working, so I ended up singing the entire song by shouting into a dead mic, but I think that moment showed me how natural performing felt to me. Even then, I loved the feeling of expressing myself through music.

2. How did your passion for creating music begin?

It began with writing. I’ve loved poetry, rhyme, and wordplay for as long as I can remember. As an only child, I spent a lot of time alone, and imagination became my closest companion. I wrote stories, poems, anything that let me talk to myself in a creative way. Eventually, that love evolved into songwriting.

Growing up shy also shaped me; music became the space where I could express everything I didn’t dare to say out loud. In sixth grade, I became a vocalist for “The Butterfly,” my favorite band ever in the world, and that was a turning point for me. I had already been in choirs, but stepping into a band made me realize how much I love creating sounds and expressing myself through it rather than just singing melodies.

3. What’s the story behind your current music project?

“White Gold Smile” is about the surreal rush of seeing someone you adore, it flushes your cheeks and freezes your words. The song expresses what it’s like to have a crush you’re terrified to even look at, that’s why a single smile from them feels unbelievable, sending your thoughts spiraling as you wonder why, suddenly, you’re visible to them.

However, my newest project called “i’m ok?” coming out on November 24, 2025, is about surrender, not in a hopeless way, but in an honest way. It’s the feeling of waking up and knowing the day might not go well, yet showing up anyway. People often see me as cheerful or energetic, and that’s a part of me. But I also carry exhaustion, fear, and doubt just like everyone else. So, this project is my way of letting those feelings speak. It’s not a motivational anthem—it’s a confession. It’s about recognizing yourself for being not okay but sometimes “pretending you’re okay” is simply a survival mechanism for getting through the day.

4. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music?

I’d describe my sound as experimental, expressive, and rooted in Javanese culture. It blends pop, rock, sometimes R&B, and lately even jazz, but I also love weaving in subtle touches of Javanese musicality, whether through gamelan textures or vocal colors influenced by sinden. My music is loud in emotion and honest in storytelling, even though not all of my songs are loud in sound.

5. What’s one thing you’ve learned that changed the way you make music?

I learned that complexity is possible and that I shouldn’t limit myself. For a long time, I thought the versions I uploaded on YouTube were the best I could do. But working on “oleander” showed me that I could create richer harmonies, layered vocals, and more intricate arrangements. I realized that production isn’t a barrier, it’s part of the storytelling.

6. What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?

The essentials are the piano and guitar; nearly every song starts with one of them. Vocally, a good microphone changed everything for me. I have a naturally soft voice, so finding a mic that brings out clarity and presence was important. I record with Ableton, and I’ve learned how much gear, mixing, and vocal texture contribute to emotion.

7. Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?

Annabelle Dinda. I adore her writing and her delivery, her emotional sensitivity as well. Her song “Pleaser” is one of my current favorites, it’s underrated, honest, and beautifully crafted. She inspires me a lot.

8. How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

My music is where I allow myself to be honest. In daily life, I often downplay my emotions, especially when I’m overwhelmed by school, organizations, rehearsals, or social environments. I adapt a lot, maybe too much, and sometimes I silence how I really feel. So from there, songwriting becomes the space where I finally let myself breathe. It’s where I admit what hurts, what confuses me, and what I can’t express in conversations. My personal experiences shape my songs because they force me to meet myself again, privately, after a long day of adjusting for my surroundings.

9. What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

Honesty. Self-awareness. And the reminder that you are responsible for taking care of yourself, even when life feels overwhelming. I want them to know that it’s okay to fall apart and to rebuild. I always hope my music reminds them that they can stand up, shower, take a breath, start again, not because someone told them to, but because they chose to show up for themselves. Because when you take responsibility for yourself, then everything else will start to come together.

10. What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?

That every detail matters and that honesty in art is more powerful than perfection. Trying to make a “catchy” or “relatable” or even “trendy” song often kills the truth behind it. When you let the song be what it needs to be, even if it’s strange, quiet, or unconventional, that’s when it becomes real.

11. What is a dream venue or festival you’d love to perform at?

Somewhere around Trocadero or Jardin du Carrousel in Paris. I have loved Paris ever since I was a child. The energy feels magical even looking at it through my phone. I also love New York deeply. It still feels surreal that I went there for The New York Pops 40th Birthday Gala at Carnegie Hall to perform in an ensemble. Moving forward from that, performing all of my self-written music in a major Paris and New York venue someday would be incredibly meaningful to me.

12. If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

From the past, obviously Michael Jackson, he’s the coolest ever no one comes close to him in music, dancing or even style. From the present, definitely Sade and Lorde. Sade’s elegance, tone, and warmth are timeless. Lorde, she’s honest in a way that feels almost spiritual. Both of those gifted women’s performances carry emotion without needing anything dramatic. Every note and gesture shows exactly what they’re trying to say, and you can feel every intention in the smallest thing they do on stage.

13. Where can listeners follow and support your music?

All my music and updates can be found under “Asira SW” on every platform. Spotify, Instagram, YouTube, I’ve been pretty active on TikTok as well lately. Everything is under the name of “Asira SW”.

14. Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?

My biggest dream is to win a Grammy someday. Amen to that, even though I know it’s rare for indie artists. In the near future, I hope to reach one million monthly listeners by the end of 2026. More than numbers, I hope I’m able to keep creating music and expressing things I can’t say in everyday life through the melodies and harmonies of my songs.

15. What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?

I hope they discover my love for Indonesian culture, especially Javanese culture. I hope they understand that my music is rooted in sincerity rather than performance. And I hope they see that behind every smile I give the world, there’s someone who feels everything deeply and, most importantly, loves deeply.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5OiJGU1KwhMVzEuU2cGYkA?si=sVAwJw0vR8CGkPK_OvlukA

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/asirasw/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@asiraswTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@asirasw