It is not everyday that you get to meet your idol at work.
For Rizqi Ganis Ashari, who works as an officer at Ngurah Rai International Airport’s immigration office, he certainly won’t be looking back at yesterday with anger.
Ganis was performing his usual duties at the airport’s immigration checkpoint last night when he noticed a man clad in a white bucket hat queueing in front of him. Ganis did not realize it at first, until he noticed the name written on the passport.
After reading the passport twice and asking the man to take off his mask to verify his passport photo, Ganis – a huge Oasis fan – realized that right in front of him is none other than William John Paul Gallagher aka Liam Gallagher, English singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the defunct British rock band.
Starstruck and a bit nervous, Ganis – who collected all of Oasis’ albums – politely asked the musician, who is notorious for his brash and abrasive personality, if he could take a photo with him.
“I told him, ‘Wow.. it’s really you,’” Ganis told Coconuts Bali, adding that Gallagher replied with a thin smile.
“I knew [Gallagher] was moody, so I asked for a photo after immigration. [I was surprised] he said yes,” Ganis said. “It’s a shame the meeting was brief. If it were longer, I would’ve had a quick conversation with him.”
Ganis shared the encounter in an Instagram post earlier today on his account @powerrangeritem. Ganis, who aspires to be a music journalist, recalled the short conversation with Gallagher.
G: “Do you mind if i take a picture with you sir?”
L: “No worries, where do you want to take the picture? there?”
G: “Sorry sir, I’m starstruck.. I’m big fan of you, I’ve collected all of Oasis albums..”
L: “Lovely man.. thank you.. Live forever”
No other sightings of the singer have been publicized in Bali, but earlier this week he posted a photo of the sunset on his Twitter, with hundreds of comments speculating his whereabouts on the island.
Coconuts Bali has reached out to Gallagher for comment.
Although it’s unclear whether this was Gallagher’s first appearance in the Island of Gods, it certainly was not his first time in the country.
Throughout 2017, Gallagher expressed his hopes to visit Indonesia, acknowledging his large fanbase in the country, and on Jan. 15, 2018, he held a solo concert in Jakarta.
Gallagher is yet to perform a gig in Bali.
Oasis, led by Liam and his older brother Noel, rose to fame in the musical world throughout the ‘90s with hits like Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger. Ever since the breakup of the iconic band in 2009, Liam Gallagher went solo, releasing a new single this year, Diamond In The Dark, and a new album titled C’MON YOU KNOW.
Liam Gallagher joins the extensive list of celebrities who have visited the island. Entries to the list include the likes of Hollywood actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, who were spotted back in Feb, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher at the airport after having a romantic getaway in 2012, Paris Hilton in 2015 at her “favorite hotel”, and the Kardashian family in 2019, who recorded their drama-filled reality show on the island.
