Melly Goeslaw

Beginning in 2020s, Goeslaw composed a song for a child singer Izellah Conelly entitled "Hello". Then, Goeslaw released a single entitled "Siap Terluka" ("Ready to Be Hurt") will became a theme music for Istri Kedua (Second Wife) aired on SCTV. Since May 2020, Goeslaw returned to release another religious single entitled "Berkumpul di Surga" ("Gathering in Heaven").

On late 2019, Goeslaw held a concert entitled Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? 2 Live in Concert, which is includes soundtracks composed by herself from other films and TV series, such as Pernikahan Dini (from Pengantin Dini), Tegar (from Suami, Istri dan Dia), Hati Yang Terpilih (from Cinta Suci), Cinta (from Sayap Ibunda), Cinta Sejati (from Putri Mahkota), Ku Bahagia (from Ada Apa dengan Cinta?), Bintang di Hati (from Dancing in the Rain and Samudra Cinta), and also Atas Nama Cinta (from Cinta Fitri).

On early 2018, Goeslaw moved its recording label from Aquarius Musikindo to 100% Productions due to its deals ended. In February of the same year, she composed soundtracks to a new film directed by Rizal Mantovani, entitled Eiffel I'm in Love 2. In May of the same year, Goeslaw collaborated with Hedi Yunus via song entitled "Lagu Religi" ("Religious Song"). On July 2018, Goeslaw released a single that be dedicated to World Head and Neck Cancer Day entitled "Cahaya dalam Cahaya" ("Lights in Lights"). Goeslaw also announced as song filler titled "Hara" created by herself, produced by Rinaldy Yunardi. On September 6 of the same year, Goeslaw released a soundtrack for a new film directed by Rudi Aryanto, called Dancing in the Rain, entitled "Bintang di Hati" ("Stars in Heart"). A year after it, this song also became a theme music for TV series directed by Gita Djun, called Samudra Cinta (Ocean of Love).

From September through November 2015, Goeslaw served as a judge on the reality television series La Academia Junior Indonesia for its second season.

Goeslaw is also active scouting for new singers and assisting others, having supported the careers of pop singers Irwansyah and Acha Septriasa. In 2011 she invited aspiring singers to post videos of themselves singing her songs to YouTube or her Facebook profile, later noting that she had already discovered several new talents in that manner. As of 2011, she has written over 500 songs. Goeslaw released a compilation album, Balance, in January 2013.

After initially refusing to perform solo concerts because of creative differences with the event managers, in 2009 Goeslaw held her first concert, "Glow, Melly Live in Concert", at Senayan Stadium in Jakarta. The concert, directed by John Fair Kaune and presented by Krisdayanti's KD Productions, featured a "virtual duet" with Goeslaw's deceased father and was divided into two portions, one featuring songs from her time with Potret, and one with songs from her solo career. It also featured new songs written by Hoed especially for the concert. The following year she was head of Kampung GASS, an organising committee for a concert celebrating the 200th year since the founding of Bandung.

In 2009, Rolling Stone Indonesia listed two songs that Goeslaw performed while with Potret in its list of the 150 Best Indonesian Songs of All Time, both of which were from the album Potret II. "Salah" ("Wrong") was ranked 74th, being noted as the best example of Goeslaw's "fresh, direct, and often provocative styles" when writing songs and writing that her "sweet" vocals challenged the paradigm that a singer singing about an affair should be either a victim or full of revenge. The other song, "Bunda" ("Mother") was ranked at 110; it was noted being capable of making anyone, "even the most cruel man", pause for a moment to think of their mother. Rolling Stone Indonesia noted a decrease in the quality of Goeslaw's songs since Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?.

In 2005 Goeslaw released a collection of short stories that she had written to celebrate her tenth year as a singer. One of the stories, "Tentang Dia" ("About Him/Her"), was later filmed by Rudy Soedjarwo, the director of Ada Apa dengan Cinta?. In 2008 Goeslaw wrote and sang "Dibius Cinta" ("Drugged by Love") for the soundtrack of Cicakman 2: Planet Hitam (Cicakman 2: Black Planet) with Malaysian singer and director of the film Yusri, from the band KRU. Melly requested permission to help with the scoring after watching the original Cicak Man.

Goeslaw's onstage persona has been compared to Björk, with "eccentric" costumes, heavy make-up, and "wild" hair colours. Her early songs have been described by The Jakarta Post as being "deliberately antagonistic", with controversial themes including materialism, sadomasochism, and violence against women. Two of her songs with Potret, "Salah" and "Bunda", were selected by Rolling Stone Indonesia as some of the best Indonesian songs of all time, while her work with Ada Apa dengan Cinta? garnered her and her husband a Citra Award at the 2004 Indonesian Film Festival. However, Rolling Stone notes a decline in song quality after Ada Apa dengan Cinta?. According to The Jakarta Post, Goeslaw is one of the most sought after movie songwriters in Indonesia.

Goeslaw later provided the soundtracks for 2003's Eiffel... I'm in Love, 2005's Apa Artinya Cinta? (What's the Meaning of Love?), 2007's The Butterfly, and 2009's Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (When Love Prays). She considered the writing of songs for Ketika Cinta Bertasbih to be more difficult than her previous work in teen romances, as it was a religious film. As such, she felt that she had to be extra careful.

In 1999, Goeslaw started her solo career with her self-titled debut album, which sold well. Her second album, the soundtrack for the 2002 teen movie Ada Apa dengan Cinta? (What's Up with Love?, literally What's Up with Cinta?), in which most songs were sung by her and written by her and her husband, led to her being more popular as a solo artist than with Potret; she was also given the nickname the Queen of Film Score. Ada Apa dengan Cinta's soundtrack later won Best Soundtrack at the Indonesian Film Festival.

After replacing a backing vocalist for Katon Bagaskara's promotional tour for the album Dinda, Goeslaw met Anto Hoed and his friend Arie Ayunir. After marrying Anto later that year, they went on to form the band Potret. The band's first album was released in 1995, with the song "Terbujuk" ("Seduced"), dealing with "the ultimate material girl", becoming instantly popular. The band was very popular between 1995 and 1998. While with Potret, Goeslaw wrote numerous songs. Some were written conservatively as they were ordered by singers such as Krisdayanti and Ruth Sahanaya; other songs, generally the more "biting" ones, were used for Potret's albums.

Goeslaw's songs have won awards. In the first Indonesian Film Festival (after the festival's twelve-year hiatus between 1992 and 2004), Goeslaw and her husband won Best Soundtrack for their work in Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?; it was one of three awards won by the movie at the festival, which covered films from 2002 to 2004. The Jakarta Post calls her Indonesia's most sought after movie songwriter, and notes that her songs have been successfully covered by other singers. Her work as a songwriter has led to her becoming an active proponent of intellectual property rights.

Goeslaw is known for wearing "eccentric" costumes when performing, leading to her being compared to Icelandic singer Björk, whom she admires. She also dyed her hair in "wild colors" and applied heavy stage make up in the late 1990s, when contemporary Indonesian singers were focusing on "conventional" beauty. In 2008, Goeslaw said that her make up and hairstyles used to hide her insecurity when she was first starting. She has continued to use them because it is "part of the package", although she now discusses ideas with her creative team.

Melliana Cessy Goeslaw (born 7 January 1974), better known by her stage name Melly Goeslaw, is an Indonesian singer, songwriter, composer, producer, writer and actress. She began singing while in the fifth grade, then began writing songs and took work as a backing vocalist for Elfa Secioria in high school. This led to her family and her moving to Jakarta to further her career. While providing backing vocals for a promotional tour by Katon Bagaskara, she met Anto Hoed and Andi Ayunir. After marrying Hoed, the three formed the band Potret in 1993. Their 1995 debut album was well received, bringing Goeslaw and her bandmates to fame. After releasing several albums with Potret, Goeslaw attempted to begin a solo career, releasing her self-titled debut album Melly in 1999. Although Melly sold well, she became more popular as a solo artist after providing the soundtrack for the 2002 hit film Ada Apa dengan Cinta? together with her husband. Her later releases include solo albums and soundtracks. In 2005, she released a collection of short stories to celebrate her tenth anniversary as a popular musician; four years later, she directed a concert to celebrate the bicentenary of Bandung city. As of 2011, she has written over 500 songs.

Goeslaw was born in Bandung on 7 January 1974. She is the daughter of Melky Goeslaw, a singer and songwriter, and his wife Ersi Sukaesih. After her parents' divorce, Goeslaw was raised by her mother; her sister Yuli, who now serves as her manager, was born from a second marriage. While in elementary school, she enjoyed writing poetry, later recalling that she "was happiest when doodling on paper, writing [her] poetry". While she was in the fifth grade, she began singing after being convinced by her mother, who was convinced that Goeslaw could sing like her father; originally she did not want to be a singer.