The daughter of iconic Batak vocalist Jack Marpaung, Novita Dewi rose to prominence in 2013, following her second-place finish in the inaugural season X Factor Indonesia. She was born as "Novita Dewi Marpaung" in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 15, 1978, and began competing in various talent competitions while still a teenager. Between 1996 and 2005, she placed second on the Cipta Pesona Bintang television show, won an episode of Asia Bagus!, and was crowned the grand champion of the Astana International Song Festival. Even so, Novita Dewi remained largely unknown in her homeland's pop scene. Her debut album — 2008's Sweet Heart — failed to find a wide audience in Indonesia, and her 2010 single "Jejak Luka" was met with a similarly lukewarm reception. Things changed in 2012, when she joined the cast of X Factor Indonesia. Novita Dewi remained with the show until its final episode in early 2013, performing songs by Beyonce, Journey, and Paramore along the way. She was ultimately named the season's runner-up and released a cover of the Script's pop/rock hit "Breakeven" later that year. In 2014, she maintained her place in the Indonesian mainstream with singles like "Ku Menangis Kau Tertawa" and "Hingga Menutup Mata," then returned several years later with the radio hit "Selesai Disini."
