JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Kai Mata is an openly gay woman who lives in Indonesia, is trying to label all LGBTQ+ people as deviants dangerous to society, legally requiring us to go to conversion therapy.
But when she was challenged on Podsongs to write a song inspired by the work of English author Dorian Lynskey’s two books—one about protest songs and the other about George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984—she responded to the request, and to the times, with a type of anti-protest song, calling for peace in the streets.
To those who call for uprising
And bloodshed to begin
Who holler that the system
must be torn down from within
If you want to drive out the dark
Stand up with light in your heart
The chorus asks how bad things really are that we need to have a civil war? Violence cannot be met with violence. Only peaceful actions can lead to true peace. And this is coming from a singer who lives in a country where her own government are so very clearly oppressive.
You’re acting like it’s Nineteen Eighty-Four – And you need a revolution
Screaming for a storm rage and a war – trying to tear down institutions
Preaching hate, liberate, anger bait nothing more – we’re in need of resolution
You’re acting like it’s 1984
The lyrics to the second verse bring to mind the lyrics of Imagine or other peace anthems.
An eye for an eye
Makes the whole world blind
With peace in your actions
There’s peace in your mind
If you want to drive out the dark
Stand up with light in your heart
She finishes the song with a call for unity, for all races and minorities to come together and overcome our differences.
In the cacophony, I hear a single melody
So would you come along and sing this song with me?
We can use harmonies to sing of what we dream this little world could be
You can be mad, you can be angry
In this time where words are feeling so unheard
We write songs about our worries
Sing out loud to share our stories
In the hopes that someone near or far can hear our words and feel them in their heart
The books which inspired the song
The first book was 33 Revolutions Per Minute, which tracks the turbulent relationship between popular music and politics, through 33 pivotal songs that span seven decades and four continents, from Billie Holiday singing ‘Strange Fruit’ to Green Day raging against the Iraq war. Dorian Lynskey explores the individuals, ideas and events behind each song, showing how protest music has soundtracked and informed social change since the 1930s. Through the work of such artists as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Fela Kuti, The Clash, Public Enemy and Gil Scott Heron, Lynskey examines how music has engaged with racial unrest, nuclear paranoia, apartheid, war, poverty and oppression, offering hope, stirring anger, inciting action and producing songs which continue to resonate years down the line.
The second book was The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell’s 1984. 1984 isn’t just a novel; it’s a key to understanding the modern world. Big Brother, the Thought Police, Doublethink, Newspeak, 2+2=5 – Orwell’s final masterpiece gains potency and influence with every year. Dorian Lynskey is a writer, author and columnist. His new book examines 1984 and its roots in the utopian and dystopian literature that preceded it; Orwell’s personal experiences in wartime Britain; and the political and cultural phenomena that the novel ignited. Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction and the Orwell Prize for political writing.
As well as writing these books, Dorian Lynskey’s journalism has also appeared in titles such as The Guardian, The Observer, GQ, Q, MOJO, Empire, Billboard, Pitchfork, Spin, The New Statesman, The Spectator, The Big Issue, The Village Voice and BBC Culture. I also host the Oh God, What Now? podcast.
Kai Mata: Musician and campaigner
Kai Mata is an Indonesian Singer-Songwriter with a modern, quirky-folk charm and a vulnerable lyricism that intertwine to cultivate connection. With an emphasis on truthful storytelling, her shows are not solely performance, but also where audiences are invited into the world of sunlight to shadows. Her 2018 debut album, Time to Shine, brought her folksy beats to tour in the US, where she shared her experiences discovering adulthood and love, showcasing her songwriting as her medium for expressive communication.
Kai Mata has opened for Indonesian pop-star Vidi Aldiano, performed at festivals and events worldwide (Ubud Readers & Writers, BaliSpirit, Sonic Bloom, Women’s March Bali), and has been launched into the spotlight as Indonesia’s openly LGBTQ+ Musician. Currently, she works on her second album, a piece that holds presence by exploring new themes, genres, while still anchored in her unifying message of love.
Podsongs
Podsongs is a unique podcast format created and hosted by Jack Stafford, a British musician living in Italy. Musicians interview inspiring people and produce a song inspired by the conversation. It launched in November 2020 after COVID lockdowns forced Jack to look for other outlets for his music, and it evolved into a collaborative project. He produced 100 episodes (interviews & songs) in the first year by himself.
Podsongs was recorded at Goldmine Records in Vallo della Lucania, Italy. Musicians Maurizio Sarnicola played bass and Massimino Voza played drums on the track. And it was produced by Maurizio Sarnicola.
