Music and Environmental Activism: Songs for Change

Music is the art form that combines rhythm and sound to form a functional melodic line. Music itself transcends time, space, and cultures. At the core of our everyday experience with music, we use it to relax, express ourselves, come to terms with our emotions, and generally improve our well-being. Moving forward it has evolved into a tool for healing and self-expression, often dictating how we, as individuals, take steps to impact society. But music isn’t just about the melodies, it has the power to connect with and influence people in a way that feels fundamentally different from other forms of communication. Humans often feel that “no one understands them” or knows how they “truly feel.” Many resort to music to find connections with others to express themselves or find a sense of understanding among peers.

Given this emotional and social power, it is no surprise that music has historically played a role in shaping national consciousness and social movements. For example, Hati Yang Luka (A Wounded Heart) by Bethria Sonatha as a rare example of an Indonesian song that is both commercially successful and lyrically controversial, a pop hit with explicit lyrics of domestic abuse. In most cases, pointed socio-political lyrics will emerge from artists who specialise in protest music. In the late 1990s, when students took to the streets of Indonesian cities to demonstrate against the corruption and military brutality of President Suharto’s regime, they chanted the lyrics to Bongkar (Tear It Down), written by the country’s biggest protest singer Iwan Fals. Some of the protesters also used another of Fals’ songs titled Wakil Rakyat (Parliamentarians) to lambast members of the New Order era House of Representatives who acted only as a rubber stamp for the corrupt policies of Suharto’s regime.

If music could help shape the fall of a regime, what might it do for the future of a city, a city like Jakarta.

Today Jakarta faces a lot of environmental and social challenges such as flooding, pollution, urban sprawl, and displacement. In envisioning Jakarta in 2050, we must imagine a city that is clean, equitable, green, and resilient to climate change. The role music might play is in raising awareness or inspiring collective action for sustainability.

Protest songs and environmental anthems could push for better urban policies. Local artist might rally citizens around eco-friendly practices, equitable development, and climate action. Music festivals should become the platforms for environmental education. In addition, social media could amplify music campaigns for cleaner air, green public spaces, and responsible water management. In this way, music becomes a unifying force, helping Jakarta imagine and build a better future together.

In 2050, may Jakarta become a city whose heartbeat is not just traffic or technology, but in the rhythm of its people demanding change through music, art and activism. Let songs of today become the anthems of a cleaner, greener, and more hopeful tomorrow.