Jakarta, 4 February, 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (BEKRAF) Irene Umar received an audience with Indonesian singer Saniyah, accompanied by Kevin Hermanto, CEO & Founder of Big Ground Entertainment, at Autograph Tower, Jakarta, Wednesday (February 4).
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar received an audience with Indonesian singer Saniyah, accompanied by Kevin Hermanto, CEO & Founder of Big Ground Entertainment, at the Ministry of Creative Economy Office in Jakarta, Wednesday (February 4, 2026).
The meeting discussed opportunities for Indonesia–South Korea (South Korea) music collaborations, stage-based talent development, as well as strengthening the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights for Indonesian musicians.
On this occasion, the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy emphasized the importance of an equitable and sustainable model for international collaboration. In this way, cross-border cooperation not only opens market access but also strengthens the position of Indonesian musicians and ensures copyright protection.
"Collaboration with South Korea can serve as a strong entry point for Indonesian musicians to rise on the global stage. However, such collaboration must be built on balance to provide long-term benefits for Indonesian talent," said Irene Umar.
The Deputy Minister noted that the South Korean market excels in terms of industry ecosystem and licensing understanding, while Indonesia is supported by a strong market base and a large listener audience. The synergy between the two countries has the potential to create mutually beneficial collaborations. She also highlighted the importance of providing more platforms for emerging musicians through cross-stakeholder collaboration to support sustainable careers.
Document: Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
In line with the Deputy Minister’s efforts to open stages and collaboration opportunities, Big Ground Entertainment CEO & Founder Kevin Hermanto explained the Veiled Cup concept as a talent search format that emphasizes fairness. In this competition, participants’ visual identities are concealed so that judges’ assessments are based purely on vocal quality.
"Through the veil concept, judges only listen to the voice without knowing the participants’ identities. During the event, judges and participants are not even in the same room. This is done to ensure a fair process," Kevin explained.
The success of the Veiled Cup has encouraged further development opportunities for winners, including collaborations between Indonesian and South Korean musicians in song production and co-writing, aligning with the government’s efforts to strengthen the position of local talent on the global stage.
Saniyah herself is one of Indonesia’s talents who has achieved recognition at the international level, including her accomplishments on Asia’s Got Talent 2019 and her participation in the Veiled Cup in South Korea, exemplifying the potential of Indonesian musicians to compete on the global stage.
This audience is expected to serve as an initial step in the development of Indonesian music talent, with the government ready to provide platforms so that local musicians can continue to collaborate globally and compete at the international level.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
