Dewa 19 (pronounced “Dewa Sembilan Belas” in Indonesian) has always been known for their powerful vocalists — so when singer Marcello Tahitoe AKA Ello announced that he will be joining the iconic rock band as their new vocalist over the weekend, Indonesians were rightfully surprised.
The 39-year-old singer took to Instagram yesterday to express his gratitude, along with a number of photos of him jamming with Dewa 19’s main creative force and founding member, Ahmad Dhani.
“I had never expected that I’d be able to join @officialdewa19. For a long time, I only listened and idolized their works, but I finally got this opportunity. It feels like a dream. I know for sure that I will never be able to replace their previous vocalists, but I will give my best for this band. And for my new family @baladewafamilia, I ask for your support to start my new life journey with you, ” Ello wrote in the caption.
Petra, Ello’s manager, said that the singer has actually been affiliated with Dewa 19 since October of last year, after Dhani invited him to perform together.
“He joined [the band] but he’s not in Dewa 19’s [main] structure. Ello can still do his solo projects, singing his own songs,” Petra said, adding that Ello is one of several rotating vocalists in the band, like fellow soloists Virzha and Pamungkas.
Ello said he has started learning to perform Dewa 19’s old songs for future gigs. The band, which has a back catalog spanning all the way back to 1992, will also embark on a new project specifically with Ello.
The son of musician-songwriter Minggus Tahitoe and late pop singer Diana Nasution, Ello first rose to fame in 2005 through a single titled Pergi Untuk Kembali (Leaving to Return), which was an old song written by his father. Pergi Untuk Kembali was initially popularized by legendary singers such as Melky Goeslaw and Broery Marantika. Ello’s take on the evergreen song was met with positive reviews and catapulted his debut.
Ello has released six albums so far. He changed his musical direction from pop and R&B to rock in 2015 and started to perform under his birth name, Marcello Tahitoe, as well as changing his clean-cut appearance to a grungier look with long hair.
The Dewa 19 project is the latest step towards redemption for the musician’s career. Ello made national headlines when he was found guilty for weed possession back in 2017, after which he was sent to rehab for nine months in early 2018.
Dewa 19, which is considered as one of the greatest rock bands in Indonesian musical history, has had a number of lineup changes since its inception in 1986. Their eras were notably marked with their lead vocalists, with Ari Lasso fronting the group throughout the ‘90s and Once Mekel throughout the 2000s.
Reader Interactions