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If Indonesian music fans paid close attention to the credits of songs released over the past year, they would likely come to this same conclusion: Songwriter and producer Lafa Pratomo is one of the busiest, most prolific musicians in the industry.
Lafa's rhapsodic fingerprints were everywhere, from the pop realm and beyond. He was the force behind standout tracks like Sal Priadi’s "Zuzuzaza", Raisa’s "Si Paling Mahir" (The Most Skilled One), Faye Risakotta’s "Berdua Saja" (Just the Two of Us) and Feast’s "Ouroboros", among others.
In 2024, Lafa was your favorite artist's favorite artist.
A banner year
When I sat down with Lafa a few days before Christmas, I assumed he must have felt as if he were walking on air. But as he looked back on his remarkable year, he had a more grounded response.
"Well, the first word that comes to mind is exhausting. Like, in a physical sense," Lafa quipped.
"It was the year during which I could count my days off with my fingers."
Still, he acknowledged it had indeed been a pretty good and exciting year.
"I had the chance to [work] with such a wide range of artists. It was fun to have like an infinite playground. I could [work] with a pop artist today, then a metal artist tomorrow."
Following the footsteps of Pay Burman and Yovie Widianto, he is now recognized as the Lafa Pratomo, not just another nameless figure behind the scenes.
“While I came from the indie scene, I am, nonetheless, a very 'regular' pop music listener." - Lafa Pratomo
"It feels like, 'Oh, finally!'" Lafa gushed. "Because this is exactly where I wanted to be."
Indie roots
For years, Lafa made a name for himself in the indie scene, particularly thanks to his frequent collaborations with Danilla.
Then in 2024, his career reached a turning point. Nadin Amizah’s 2023 album Untuk Dunia, Cinta, dan Kotornya (For the World, Love, and Its Messiness), a record that Lafa helped co-write and produce, became a crossover hit, putting his name on the radar of major labels across Indonesia.
Though indie music producers rarely work with major-label pop artists, Lafa embraced the new opportunities.
“While I came from the indie scene, I am, nonetheless, a very 'regular' pop music listener,” he admitted.
"I used to listen to the radio and watched MTV a lot. Now the [pop] music barometer is TikTok, I guess. It's the same thing, though. I still observe how music is being consumed and what the music patterns are like."
To his surprise, his peers in the indie scene celebrated his foray into the world of major labels.
"I was seen as a versatile musician," he recalled. "That's how I realized I'm capable of going either 'left' or 'right', that I could be in two different places at the same time."
The youth whisperer
And then, Lafa's major-label voyage took a pretty peculiar turn.
He found himself working with pop newcomers, co-writing or producing the songs that helped launch their careers, like Rony Parulian’s "Tak Ada Ujungnya" (Without an End), Nabila Taqiyyah’s "Hanya Lolongan" (Just a Howl) and bungareyza’s "Nomor Satu" (Number One).
One standout song, "Mundur Perlahan" (Retreat Slowly), even earned Nyoman Paul the AMI Award for Best New Artist.
It seems Lafa has a canny ability to connect with younger artists.
"They often don't really know which direction they want to take," he said of the rookies he has worked with.
"But what's great about them is how they're open to trying any suggestions I give them. It's easy to discuss with them because they're keen on trying new things. The challenge, though, is that—I won’t call this a 'generation gap'—they have a pretty different communication pattern."
Meanwhile, Lafa maintained his indie connections, producing hits like Bisma Karisma’s "Malam" (Night) and Feby Putri’s "Dunia" (World).
When asked which artist impressed him most in 2024, he named heavy metal band Avhath. Collaborating on their mini album Ephemeral Passage with experimental act KUNTARI, Lafa found the experience exhilarating.
"Their process was intense," Lafa explained. "It was one of the most fun recording processes of 2024. It was a new playground for me."
Midas' bucket list
So, what does 2025 hold for Lafa Pratomo?
“I've very much idolized [music] producers like Erwin Gutawa, Andi Rianto and Yovie Widianto. My goal is to have a similar profile and branding as they do."
As for upcoming projects, he coyly divulged that he is working on more new music for Raisa and Nyoman Paul, as well as upcoming releases by Hindia and Bilal Indrajaya, to name a few. He is also planning to work on his own solo album.
Last year proved that Lafa is both a hitmaker and a star-maker. This year, he teased that his work will be "pretty colorful".
"Especially after looking at some of the stuff that I've completed, you'll see,” he hinted.
And his dream collaboration?
“It's on my bucket list, I've always wanted to work with Ari Lasso. Dewa 19, back in the Ari Lasso era, was like my life-saver," he answered.
Well, Mr. Ari Lasso, if you’re reading this...
