Nicky Astria
| Nicky Astria | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Nastiti Karja Dewi |
| Born |
October 18, 1967 Bandung, West Java, Indonesia |
| Origin | Indonesia |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | Aquarius Musikindo, Harpa Records |
Nastiti Karja Dewi (born 18 October 1967), better known by her stage name Nicky Astria, is an Indonesian musician.
Born in Bandung, West Java, to a schoolteacher and his musician wife, Astria began singing in 1975 while the family was stationed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After several years of participating in festivals and taking vocal training, in 1984 Astria was signed to AMK Records. Although her first album flopped, she found success with her second and third albums, Jarum Neraka and Tangan-Tangan Setan.
Bruce Emond of The Jakarta Post described her as "one of the biggest [Indonesian] music stars of the late 1980s", while guitarist-cum-songwriter Ian Antono called her "the best female pop rock singer Indonesia has ever seen". Two of her songs, "Jarum Neraka" and "Tangan-Tangan Setan" (both 1985), were listed as among the best Indonesian songs of all time by Rolling Stone Indonesia in 2009
Dewi was born on 18 October 1967 in Bandung to Tatang Kosasih Wirahadimaja, a schoolteacher, and Andrina Heryati, a traditional musician; she was the couple's only daughter, and fourth of five children. Dewi was known as a tomboy in her youth and is of Sundanese descent. In 1972, her father was sent to head the Indonesian school at the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dewi, although of the age to begin kindergarten, was enrolled in the first grade. She reportedly had trouble initially, as her family spoke Sundanese at home, and thus she had difficulty understanding the Indonesian-language lessons.
Dewi sang in public for the first time at Independence Day ceremonies on 17 August 1975. When this was received well, she began singing at different formal occasions, by request of her father. The family returned to Bandung in 1975, and Dewi enrolled at Halimun Public Elementary School. She continued to perform and receive vocal coaching, and by the end of elementary school had already competed in the Children's Pop Singing Festival (Festival Penyanyi Pop Anak-Anak). While still at State Junior High School 13 – where she caught several times skipping school and not paying her school fees – Dewi competed in the Teenage Pop Singing Festival (Festival Penyanyi Pop Tingkat Remaja). Although she intended to be a singer, her father wanted her to find another occupation.
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