'Funny Guy' to Modern Renaissance Man

The moment Jamie Aditya Graham sat down in front of our JIS Podcast microphone and strapped on his headphones, he captivated our hosts with his smooth-as-butter singing voice and absorbing stories of his life and career.

You can blame it on his tacit charm as a consummate entertainer, his catching enthusiasm, his genuine responses, or all of the above; whatever it is, it’s the same ineffable quality that turned him into a beloved, recognizable pop-culture figure across Asia. Television presenter, musician, actor, radio host, Indonesian Idol judge — Jamie’s long, prolific career in the entertainment industry is a vibrant mosaic of resilience, collaboration, and diversity (values JIS Dragons are more than familiar with).

If you grew up in the region as a teen or young adult of the 1990s, you likely know him as the singing, multilingual VJ (like DJ but for video, for our younger readers) on MTV Asia and MTV Indonesia. His energy and visible love of Indonesian culture and music made him an instant favorite among viewers, who thought he was all that and a bag of chips. 

In a very special episode of The JIS Podcast, he tells our podcast hosts, Morgan Banino (center) and Mindy Slaughter (right), the funny yet little-known story of how he landed the highly coveted job, and how he was committed to using his newfound platform to highlight, with reverence and respect, the rich cultures of Asia and its flourishing musical landscape.

He gives us a glimpse into his move from Australia to Indonesia at the age of 4 (“I immediately felt at home”), his early days at JIS at Pattimura Elementary (PEL), his unique family history and relationship with his grandfather (his “best friend and a renaissance man”), and growing up in Jakarta in the 1970s.

“I loved growing up in Jakarta in the ‘70s. Jakarta was a beautiful city in the ‘70s; there were big trees everywhere.”

We also get to learn about the ups and downs of his eclectic career, including his efforts to bring world music into a mainstream spotlight dominated by Western acts, and his fascination with fusing sounds from different cultures. This episode is more than just a story about a “funny guy speaking in silly voices''; it’s the compelling journey of a modern renaissance man, much like his grandfather, who was determined to make an impact — one way or another — with everything he did by being “honest, [...] authentic, and brave”.

Listen now to this can’t-miss episode of The JIS Podcast with Jamie, hosted by Mindy Slaughter (right) and Morgan Banino.

And as a teaser, enjoy this wonderful impromptu moment of musical magic — "Ain't Misbehavin'" — with Morgan at the piano and the wonderful Jamie Aditya Graham! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jakarta Intercultural School (@jakartainterculturalschool)