Nasida Ria has been played on NTS shows including Paradise Bangkok , with Wahastuni first played on 17 October 2017.

Nasida Ria is an Indonesian qasidah modern musical group consisting of 9 women from Semarang, Central Java. The band was founded in 1975 by H. Mudrikah Zain, but is now managed by Choliq Zain. It is one of the oldest qasidah modern musical groups in Indonesia.

Its members are Mudrikah Zain, Mutoharoh, Afuwah, Rien Djamain, Nurjanah, Nurhayati and Nadhiroh.

Mudrikah Zain, a teacher of qira'at (how to read the Qu'ran), had previously had experience with the mixed-gender group Assabab. He assembled nine of his students for the band: Mudrikah Zain, Mutoharoh, Rien Jamain, Umi Kholifah, Musyarofah, Nunung, Alfiyah, Kudriyah, and Nur Ain. The group initially only used the rebana to provide music. Later, then-mayor of Semarang and fan of the group Iman Soeparto Tjakrajoeda donated an organ to aid the group, also facilitating their musical studies. The group later acquired a bass, violin, and guitar. Nasida Ria's debut album, Alabaladil Makabul, was produced three years later and marketed nationally by Ira Puspita Records. Their songs were entirely based in dawah and drew influences from Arabic music. The following three albums were similarly themed and included much chanting in Arabic. After a suggestion from kyai Ahmad Buchori Masruri that the songs would be more effective if entirely in Indonesian, Nasida Ria changed its style; Masruri also contributed songs under the pseudonym of Abu Ali Haidar. Nasida Ria's new style was shown to be popular, with several of the group's songs, including "Pengantin Baru" ("Newlyweds"), "Tahun 2000" ("Year 2000"), "Jilbab Putih" ("White Hijab"), "Anakku" ("My Child"), and "Kota Santri" ("City of Orthodox Islam"), gaining much airplay in both rural villages and urban areas. They also appeared on national television and toured the country. In 1988, Nasida Ria performed in Malaysia to celebrate the Islamic New Year on 1 Muharram. Six years later, they performed in Berlin, Germany in Die Garten des Islam (The Islamic Cultural Exhibition) under invitation from the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. In July 1996, they returned to Germany for the Heimatklange Festival, performing in Berlin, Mülheim, and Düsseldorf. After 2000, the group saw less success. Several members were replaced, having died or left to further other goals. Nasida Ria is now headquartered in Semarang. The current manager is Choliq Zain, son of their original manager.

Style According to Suara Merdeka, a Semarang-based newspaper, Nasida Ria mixes classic Arabic styles with modern, Western instruments. Songwriters for the group often adapt traditional Arabic rhythms. Their songs, although involving dawah, also touch on subjects like the press, justice, environmentalism, disasters, gambling, and warfare; Masruri notes that even songs with worldly themes have their root in the Qu'ran.

Awards and recognition Nasida Ria has won several awards, including an award from the Islamic Cultural Center in 1989. Their song "Perdamaian" ("Peace"), written by Masruri, was a "radio staple" during the Eid ul-Fitr season for several years and was covered by rock band Gigi on their 2005 album Raihlah Kemenangan (Reach for Victory). "Kota Santri" has been covered by Krisdayanti and her ex-husband Anang. The Indonesian newspaper Republika notes that Nasida Ria was followed by other qasidah modern acts in the 1990s, including Haddad Alwi and Sulis, while in Malaysia the genre has been popularized by groups such as Raihan, Rabbani, Hijjaz, and Saujana.

Discography As of July 2011, Nasida Ria has released 35 albums, including two Arabic-language ones. This includes 350 songs.

Bibliography

"Kasidah, Ya Nasida Ria… [Qasidah? Get Nasida Ria…]" (in Indonesian). Suara Merdeka. 31 July 2011. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011. "Musik dalam Peradaban Islam " (in Indonesian). Republika. 10 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011. Nursanti, Ida (20 August 2004). "Grup Kasidah Nasida Ria Tetap Eksis [Nasida Ria group still exists]" (in Indonesian). Suara Merdeka. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2011. Taufiqurrahman, M. (22 October 2006). "Rock bands turn God-loving during Ramadhan". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011.