South Jakarta-based unit Katya takes a bold perspective on how grief works in life. While rooted in shoegaze, they hit heartbreak harder than ever. Let’s take a look at their work below.
Breaking into the scene five years ago
Katya is a squad of four wild minds coming together. The lineup: Aqli Akbar Lubis on vocals, Balthazar Tadeo Lubis on guitar, Aldo Caesario on bass, and Sangga Pramananda Ramadhan holding it down on drums. Their first crazy ideas spilled out with ‘Some of Us’ back in 2020, and it grabbed pretty solid attention.
Katya then dropped a single again called ‘Mariticide’, which they say was inspired by a real-life murder. They turned that dark event into distortion and haunting vocals. Well, almost like retelling the shadows of a toxic relationship through sound.
”Three minutes is all it takes for ‘Mariticide’ to punch straight through and make us feel every twisted emotion mixed together.”
Well-executed concept
Concept-wise, Katya puts serious care into their craft. From visuals to lyrics, everything drips with darkness along shattered fear. Even the nickname ‘The Devil’ for theirself, feels like the perfect metaphor for this South Jakarta-based shoegaze unit.
Visually, Katya doesn’t just stick to a style, they own it. Every line, shade, and little detail in their artwork screams their signature. It’s dark, moody, and while you look it more and more, you’ll always see Katya.
As for their main theme, the quartet dives into the dark side of happiness. Take their latest single, ‘Ursula’, they slice through emotions not with pitying lyrics, but with honesty.
In this song, the four devils captures a complicated relationship in the most unfiltered view.
”Sure, a lot of bands are exploring this lane nowadays, but Katya manages to carve out their own space. Making listeners feel like they’re right there, up close, with their music.”
2026 will be Katya’s year?
Next year, Katya is back with new material for the first time in four years.
This time, they are dropping a full-length album. Two new singles are on the way, landing in April and July, leading into the release of their debut album, set to drop in September.
However, Katya is pushing against the new normal of today’s music scene. It’s no secret that full albums are seen as outdated, whether for business, hype, or convenience.
Still, Katya chooses the winding path, committing fully to the long-form statement of an album.
”Aqli, Abe, Aldo, and Apam choose to sharpen their knives in silence. Will it be bloody? You be the judge.”
Listen to Katya’s music here
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