"Not fame, but impact." Sound familiar? That’s a line Jason Ranti used to wrap up the first ten episodes of Manusiawi, a segment by Pophariini. Making an impact on others feels like a universal calling, doesn’t it? This article follows that spirit, inspired by the ongoing journey of bands, artist managers, roadies, music promoters, label teams, and budding musicians—all striving to make a living from their art.

It all starts with one big question: How can musicians actually make money from the music they create? This includes royalties, the challenges in Indonesia’s music scene, and the over-reliance on live performances as the main source of income. It’s a tough situation that became painfully clear during the pandemic. Streaming payouts, which many find frustratingly small, are also part of the conversation, along with alternative ways to monetize music beyond just gigs and royalties.

Enter Candra Darusman, a legend in Indonesian music and the perfect person to weigh in on this. The first question was simple but essential: How can musicians live off their work?

"Musicians fall into two groups: performers and creators," Candra explained. "Performers, like instrumentalists and session players, rely entirely on gigs—whether that’s in cafes, nightclubs, or hotels. Their job security is always uncertain. As the chairman of the Indonesian Music Union Federation, my focus is their welfare. The pandemic hit them especially hard."

For creators, like songwriters and arrangers, it’s a bit different. They get copyright protection for their songs. "Anyone who uses a song must get permission from the creator. That includes usage rights and moral rights. A song can’t be altered without approval. The creator’s main job is writing music, while a manager or publisher takes care of the business side—selling the songs, managing royalties, and handling admin," Candra added. He also explained how collecting societies gather royalties for songs played in restaurants, on TV, and even on airplanes.

Candra compared Indonesia’s system to that of developed countries. "Indonesia is still catching up. Take my son Rino, for example. He’s a music producer in Australia and got financial aid from the Melbourne government during the pandemic when there was no work. He sent in a request, and a few days later, he got support. Imagine if we had something like that here!"

In the middle of all this, one name stood out: Raisa. She’s a great example of success with royalties and live shows. Her digital streams hit the millions, and she almost pulled off a massive solo concert at Gelora Bung Karno stadium. Unfortunately, the pandemic forced her team to postpone, leaving her manager Boim and the crew to regroup and bounce back.

For more insights, check out the full article here.