Born in Pontianak, Indonesia, on November 16, 1977, songwriter Pongki Barata logged more than a decade as the frontman of bands like Jikustik and The Dance Company before embarking upon an acclaimed solo career during the 2010s. His first group, Jikustik, formed in 1996 and released the debut album Seribu Tahun in 2000, scoring radio hits with "Seribu Tahun Lamanya" and "Saat Kau Tak Disini." Barata continued serving as the band's lead singer and chief songwriter for eight years. After 2008's Malam, he left Jikustik's lineup and joined a different pop/rock act, The Dance Company, whose self-titled debut arrived in 2009. While remaining a member of the band, he also launched a solo career with 2011's Sunrise. Happy Together, his final album with The Dance Company, followed in 2013. One year later, he worked with a number of Indonesian stars — including Tulus, Blink, and Mike Mohede — for an album of duets entitled Pongki Barata Meets The Stars. Another solo record, Rahasia, followed in 2016. Meanwhile, Barata continued writing songs for other artists, too, penning material for Puput Melati, Edwin Manansang, and Anang Hermansyah.
