The Lantis and Indonesia's New Wave of Indie Rock
The Jakarta band The Lantis talks about 'Bunga Maaf,' family roots, Beatles influence, and building an audience beyond Indonesia.
A Band Built on Family and Melody
The Lantis has been building momentum with melodic indie rock that draws from The Beatles, Radiohead, and Indonesian pop instincts without sounding trapped by any one reference point. The Jakarta band also carries a family story in its name: cousins Giri and Ravi named the project after their grandfather, Ahmad Lanti.
When their song "Bunga Maaf" began travelling across charts in Asia, the attention was new, but the band itself was not. They had already spent years writing, recording, and figuring out what kind of group they wanted to be.
We spoke with Giri, Ravi, and Ojan about the band's origins, the meaning behind "Bunga Maaf," and what it means to build an audience from Indonesia without sanding off what makes the songs local.
The family connection
Magz: How did The Lantis start?
Giri: I am the bassist and lead vocalist. Ravi and I are cousins, and we share the same grandfather, Ahmad Lanti. Back in 2019, we started the project and needed a name. Using our grandfather's name felt natural.
Ravi: We were also listening to a lot of The Beatles at the time, so the naming style made sense to us. It felt familiar, but personal.
Magz: So the band name is both a family reference and a musical clue.
Ravi: Exactly.
The influences behind the sound
Magz: The Beatles come up quickly when people hear your music. What else is in the mix?
Ravi: The Beatles are a real foundation for us. A lot of the songwriting starts there.
Ojan: Radiohead too.
Giri: And for me, there was also My Chemical Romance, Blink-182, Avenged Sevenfold. That whole emo and pop-punk period mattered when I was learning guitar.
Magz: That mix makes sense in the songs. The melodies feel classic, but the mood is not only retro.
Ojan: We never wanted to sound like one thing only.
"Bunga Maaf" and personal writing
Magz: For readers outside Indonesia, what is "Bunga Maaf" about?
Ravi: It is about regret, especially in my relationship with my grandfather. I lived with him for years and I do not think I was a good grandson. Now he is older and sick, and there are things I should have said earlier. "Bunga Maaf" means "apology flowers."
Magz: It is a very direct subject for a song.
Ravi: That is the only way it worked. If it is not real to us, it does not hold up.
A song travelling across Asia
Magz: "Bunga Maaf" ended up charting alongside major acts from around Asia. How did that feel?
Ojan: Surprising, honestly.
Giri: We were grateful, but also confused for a while. These are artists we grew up with. Seeing our song in the same space felt strange.
Ravi: It still does.
Magz: Why do you think the song connected?
Giri: Maybe because it is specific. People do not need to understand every word to understand regret.
On singing in Indonesian
Magz: Did you ever feel pressure to write in English for a wider audience?
Ravi: Not really. Indonesian is how the songs arrive. If we forced another language in too early, the writing would probably get weaker.
Giri: Listeners can feel emotion even if they do not understand every lyric. A lot of us listen to songs in languages we do not speak.
Ojan: If the song works, it works.
Jakarta and the Indonesian scene
Magz: What should people outside Indonesia understand about the music scene in Jakarta?
Giri: There is a lot of talent here, but it can still be hard to break out internationally. Infrastructure is improving, but bands still have to do a lot themselves.
Ravi: The internet changed a lot. Streaming and social platforms made it possible for people outside Indonesia to hear us without a traditional gatekeeper.
Magz: Are there other Indonesian acts international listeners should pay attention to?
Giri: Definitely. There are many. That is one of the good things happening right now. More people are starting to look.
How the songs are made
Magz: What does your writing process look like?
Ravi: Usually one of us brings a lyric, melody, or chord idea. Then we shape it together.
Giri: "Bunga Maaf" started from Ravi's story. That gave the song its emotional center, and the arrangement followed from there.
Ojan: We try not to overwork things. Some rawness helps.
Handling attention without chasing it
Magz: A viral song can help a band and trap a band. How do you think about that?
Giri: We talk about it, of course. We want people to stay with the band, not only with one song. But we also do not want to chase the same result in an artificial way.
Ravi: The goal is still to make good records and play good shows.
Ojan: If another song connects widely, good. If not, we still have to stand behind the work.
What comes next
Magz: What are you aiming for now?
Giri: More songs, hopefully an album, and eventually touring more of Asia.
Ravi: We are still taking it step by step.
Ojan: We want to keep building something durable.
Magz: Dream cities?
Ravi: Tokyo. Seoul. Singapore. Eventually the UK and the US too.
Giri: But first we want to keep growing properly where we are.
Why The Lantis matters right now
What stands out about The Lantis is not only the Beatles influence or the chart movement around "Bunga Maaf." It is the band's steadiness. They sound like musicians who know where the songs come from.
That matters. In a period where many artists are pushed to flatten themselves for reach, The Lantis is writing in Indonesian, leaning into melody, and building patiently from home.
Their music suggests something simple but important: songs can stay local in detail and still travel far.
Follow The Lantis:
- Instagram: @thelantis
- TikTok: @thelantis
- Facebook: The Lantis
- Streaming: Available on all platforms
SplitFire Magz covers artists, scenes, and music culture from around the world. Have a band or artist we should feature? Contact us at magz@splitfire.ai
Special thanks to Joey Chou and AsiaPop40 for introducing us to The Lantis.