The 2025 Indonesian Music Conference Opens in Jakarta: Minister Fadli Zon Calls Music the Backbone of the Cultural Industry
The Indonesian Music Conference (KMI) 2025 officially opened this week at The Sultan Hotel & Residence in Central Jakarta, bringing together the country’s most influential voices in music, policy, and creative enterprise.
Held from October 8 to 10 under the theme “One Basic Nada” (One Basic Note), the conference gathers musicians, producers, policymakers, and music advocates to discuss the evolving ecosystem of Indonesia’s music industry — from its economic contribution to its growing role in global cultural diplomacy.
Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, who officiated the opening, described the event as “a continuation of a long journey that began in Ambon (2018) and Bandung (2019),” referencing the early initiatives led by the late Glenn Fredly. Zon emphasized that the conference’s mission goes beyond industry development — it aims to affirm music as a cornerstone of Indonesia’s national identity and its contribution to world civilization.
“With the spirit of One Basic Nada, we gather to make the music ecosystem a valuable engine of growth that contributes not only to the economy but also to culture and diplomacy,” said Fadli Zon during his opening address.
Throughout the three-day event, discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities within Indonesia’s creative economy — particularly in nurturing sustainable human resources and strengthening intellectual property systems.
Zon also underlined music’s diplomatic power in shaping Indonesia’s cultural image globally.
“Music is not just an industry,” he said. “It is a form of cultural diplomacy that places Indonesia alongside the great cultural nations of the world.”
As Indonesia advances toward 2030 with renewed focus on creative industries, KMI 2025 is expected to serve as a platform that connects generations of artists and decision-makers, reaffirming music’s role as both a creative and economic backbone of the nation.
Conclusion: Building Indonesia’s Music Future Through Collaboration and Vision
As the 2025 Indonesian Music Conference drew to a close in Jakarta, the spirit of collaboration echoed louder than ever. Deputy Minister of Culture Giring Ganesha, in his closing address at Senayan, announced the formation of a Joint Working Team for the Advancement of the Music Ecosystem in Indonesia — a cross-sectoral coalition of policymakers, musicians, academics, media professionals, and regulators. This marks a pivotal step forward in realizing the proposals discussed during the conference’s three-day run.
The newly established working team will design strategies to translate the many recommendations from KMI 2025 into actionable national policies — ranging from infrastructure development to education reform and the integration of artificial intelligence into creative practice.
Among the key priorities highlighted were the creation of an IT-based national music database, the revision of music education curricula to better reflect Indonesia’s cultural diversity, and the strengthening of royalty governance to ensure fair compensation for artists. Equally significant were calls to provide tax incentives and social protections for music workers, ensuring a fairer, more sustainable creative economy.
“We can only claim success if the results of KMI become policies that truly uplift Indonesia’s music ecosystem,” said Giring, emphasizing that 2025 marks only the beginning of a long-term vision.
The closing sessions also reinforced the role of music as soft power, calling for deeper collaboration between the music and tourism sectors to develop distinct regional musical identities. Through cultural diplomacy and artist exchanges, Indonesia aims to amplify its creative voice on the global stage — positioning its music not just as entertainment, but as a bridge between nations.
In addressing the rise of artificial intelligence, participants urged for national guidelines that safeguard creative integrity while embracing technological innovation. Giring noted that KMI 2026 will take on new challenges, including the phenomenon of “artificial streamers” — AI-generated compositions — calling for closer cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Communication, and law enforcement agencies.
As KMI 2025 concluded, one thing became clear: Indonesia’s music future depends on unity, adaptability, and a collective belief that creativity, when nurtured through collaboration, can become a cornerstone of both cultural identity and economic progress.
