Though she may face prosecution due to alleged violation of Indonesia’s harsh anti-pornography law, Vierratale vocalist Widi Soediti Nichlany says she’s not fussed about the trivial matter of taking her top off on stage.
In November 2022, Widi and her band played a gig in Palu, Central Sulawesi. At the end of the show, the 32-year-old took off her t-shirt, revealing a black sports bra underneath. She then tossed the t-shirt into the crowd before walking backstage, as can be seen in the video below.
Soon after the show, a group that calls themselves the Sulawesi Youths Forum reported Widi to the National Police’s Crime Investigation Agency over what they perceived as an affront to their religious and cultural norms. The group said they were worried Widi’s stunt would invite God’s wrath onto Palu.
Incidentally, Palu was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2018, killing an estimated 4,340 people.
Months have passed since the Palu concert, and yet Widi didn’t seem to know anything about the police report when asked about it today.
“I had no idea. We’ve been busy touring, so I heard no news about it,” she said in Jakarta today, as quoted by Detik.
“The audience [in Palu] were just fine [when I took off my top].”
Widi noted that such interactions between musicians and fans are not out of the ordinary, what’s changed is that these days footage can spread via easily through social media and offend outside parties.
Under Indonesia’s strict anti-pornography law, acts of public indecency are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
