Societeit de Harmonie (musical group)

Societeit de Harmonie is a jazz musical group from Jakarta, Indonesia, formed in 2024. The group's name is adapted from the elite social club of the Dutch East Indies colonial era in Batavia and Bandung, chosen to reflect their musical identity that is oriented towards the classic jazz style of the 1930s to 1940s.

The group was initially widely recognized through the social media platform TikTok with a close-up camera angles video concept, which became popular under the hashtag #jazzmepetmuka.

History

Formation and social media popularity (2024)

Societeit de Harmonie began actively sharing their work during the pandemic by uploading simple music videos on social media. They rearranged modern pop songs (such as "Rungkad" and "Don't Stop Me Now") into the jazz, ragtime, and bossa nova genres. A warm visual concept, the use of classic attire, dim lighting, and extreme close-up camera angles of their faces (the hashtag #jazzmepetmuka) became the signature traits that made their content go viral on TikTok.

The group's initial line-up was filled by a number of session musicians who had been active in the local jazz scene, including Dave Rimba, Bayu Rusady, Andy Gomez, and Hairul Umam. Along the way, young jazz singer Natasya Elvira joined and became the lead vocalist, strengthening the group's musical character.

Debut single and Maiden Tour (2025–2026)

Societeit de Harmonie released their original debut single titled "Sembilan", featuring Natasya Elvira as the music producer and Pradana Setya Kusuma as the songwriter. The recording process for this single used a single-take live recording method. Their popularity on social media exploded widely after releasing a single titled "Kosong" (also known to the public by the lyric snippet "Paman Dari Mana"). The song adapts the melody of the children's song "Pamanku Datang", which was packaged with social criticism and satirical lyrics.

In March 2026, the group embarked on their first independent tour titled "Sowan Jogja", which kicked off with a limited studio session concert at Ruang Bunyi Studio, Condongcatur, Sleman, Yogyakarta. During this tour, they introduced a new single titled "Jogja" and recorded their performance using analog reel tape to maintain a vintage sound aesthetic. Throughout this tour series, the double bass position was filled by Harly Yoga Pradana.

Prambanan Jazz Festival 2026

In July 2026, Societeit de Harmonie was selected as one of the performers at the 12th Prambanan Jazz Festival. In addition to performing as an act on the second day, the group was also entrusted to produce the festival's official theme song titled "Kembali ke Prambanan Jazz". The song is a rearrangement and full development of the song "Jogja", with special lyrics added at the request of the festival organizers.

Musical Style and Influences

Societeit de Harmonie embraces the classic jazz subgenres, specifically ragtime and 1930s to 1940s swing. Their piano playing style is dominated by upbeat, fast tempos paired with a monotonous double bass beat. Their audio production character is intentionally crafted to resemble the lo-fi recording quality of yesteryears by cutting the vocal microphone frequencies within a specific range.

In terms of musicality, the group members are influenced by legendary international jazz musicians such as Teddy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London, Nancy Wilson, Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins, Art Tatum, and John Coltrane.

Discography

Extended plays

Singles

Group Members

Current members

• Natasya Elvira – vocals
• Andy Gomez – piano/keyboard
• Dave Rimba – drums
• Bayu Rusady (Indra Bayu Rusadi) – double bass/bass

Past members/Touring musicians

• Hairul Umam – saxophone
• Fany Kuncoro – keyboard
• Alvin Gazalie – guitar
• Harly Yoga Pradana – double bass (touring musician)

Awards and nominations

External links

• Societeit de Harmonie on YouTube