Irwan Danny Mussry

“Music enhances my life”

The love for music has always been a part of Irwan Danny Mussry’s life. The businessman, who was born and raised in Surabaya, spent a good part of his youth being part of a band, and played the pivotal role of the drummer. This role, he says, is crucial. “The drummer is hidden behind the big drums and behind all the front line singers and guitarists, but those in the front rely on the drummer’s beat throughout the entire song,” he said, noting that in essence, that was the symbolic role he enjoyed, and continues to enjoy, even in his business life today.

Irwan’s days are incomplete without taking the time to enjoy music – any kind of music. From classical to jazz, from R&B to pop, even hymns and dangdut; all types of music are part of his repertoire. “Good music is good music, it’s as simple as that,” he said, with a laugh.

When asked what it was about music that he enjoyed so much, he had much to say about the emotions that both the melody and lyrics of songs can bring out. “Great lyrics can inspire and change your whole mindset, and really soulful melodies can touch your heart in a way that nothing else can. You can feel energised or completely recharged just by listening to certain kinds of songs. This is why I am happy to just sit at home and listen to music. It enhances my life.”

To keep his enthusiasm for music alive, Irwan makes time to go to concerts every now and then, although not as often as he would like. “A concert is not only about the artists themselves, but the whole production. From staging to lighting, and how the audience can immerse themselves into that world that the show created, it’s quite magical actually. For those two hours, the mundane routines of life are forgotten, and you come out a whole new person.”