The Indonesian songwriter and musician Yovie Widianto was born in Bandung in 1968 into a family which had strong musical connections. His cousin was Elfa Seciora, one of Indonesia's most respected musicians and was the person responsible for introducing the young Widianto to jazz. After studying piano at high school his first gig was as a piano player at the Bandung Savoy and from here he progressed into entering national music competitions before going on to form his first band Kahitna.
Kahitna's debut album 'Love Story' was released in 1994 and they went on to become on of the country's best known bands. In 2000, whilst still an active member of Kahitna, Widianto launched his solo career with the release of 'Collection of the Best Works of Yovie Widianto' and during the next few years performed a series of collaborations with other popular Indonesian artists which established the pianist as one of the country's most influential musicians.
