Balada Shalawat

Balada Shalawat
Studio album by Gita Gutawa
Released	2010
Genre	Religious
Label	Sony Music Indonesia
Producer	Erwin Gutawa

Balada Shalawat (Ballad of Salah) is an Islamic religious album released in 2010 by Gita Gutawa. It was arranged, orchestrated and produced by Erwin Gutawa and published by Sony Music Indonesia. Written as a way to "bring people to pray and praise Allah", the album included two new songs and six covers or rearrangements. The proceeds from album sales were to be donated to the poor.

According to Erwin Gutawa, Balada Shalawat was written to bring Allah's word to the public through music, which the orchestral music serving to "bring people to pray and praise His greatness". He also said that it was made as a way to give back to the community after the commercial success of Gita's previous albums, Gita Gutawa and Harmoni Cinta.

Balada Shalawat was arranged, orchestrated, and produced by Erwin Gutawa, Gita Gutawa's father. It was recorded in Aluna Studio. Recording took one year, although it was not intensive.

Gita collaborated with her father in writing two songs, "Lelaki Sempurna" and "Kisah 8 Dirham". Other songs were covers or rereleases. "Ketika Tangan dan Kaki Berkata" was originally released sung by Chrisye for Kala Cinta Menggoda and "Selamat Idul Fitri" had previously been sung in duet with Hadad Alwi for a concert.

The songs "Lelaki Sempurna" and "Kisah 8 Dirham" were both inspired by Muhammad. "Lelaki Sempurna" is based on Muhammad's personality, "truthful, trustworthy, smart, and diligent". "Kisah 8 Dirham tells of a trip made by Muhammad to a market, where he gladly donates all of his money to the poor and is thus unable to purchase new clothes. It was written after Gita heard Uztad Fikri's retelling of the story.

Prior to recording the Arabic-language "Balada Shalawat", Gita was coached by an Ustad, a respected teacher of Islam, in the proper pronunciation.

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Wikipedia