Mayang Anjarsari won first place in the Sinden Idol 5 competition organized by Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) for the Rembang area, which was held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. 19 participants from different parts of Central Java took part in the audition at Sambongan Cultural Park.
Mayang achieved the highest score with 270 points, followed by Lila Pangastuti as the second-place winner with 260 points. Both finalists were considered to possess strong vocal abilities and sinden expression, as well as proficient technical mastery. They will both advance to the final round, which will take place at the UNNES Auditorium on May 31, 2025.
“Mayang demonstrated a keen appreciation in performing the song. She appeared confident and was able to maintain the distinctive vocal color of a Javanese sinden,” said Dr. Widodo, M.Sn, one of the jury members.
The judging was conducted by three experienced panelists in the field of traditional performing arts: Dr. Widodo, M.Sn; Imroatul Firdaus, S.Sn; and Rusmin, S.Sn. The three judges assessed vocal ability, interpretation, performance, and mastery of rhythm in determining the winner.
Sinden Idol 5 UNNES is a talent search event for young sinden performers, held as part of efforts to preserve and develop traditional arts, particularly the art of Javanese karawitan. This year, auditions are being held in several regions, including Yogyakarta (May 6, 2025), Surabaya (May 9, 2025), Ponorogo (May 10, 2025), Sragen (May 15, 2025), Semarang (May 22, 2025), Online (May 23, 2025), and Banyumas (May 25, 2025).
This event is hoped to produce a new generation of sinden who not only master vocal techniques but also possess a deep understanding of the philosophy and values within Javanese songs (tembang Jawa).
