Writer
A multiple award winner for both her successful musical and literary careers, Dewi “Dee” Lestari is one of the most widely recognised story-tellers in Indonesia. Initially known for her time as part of the girl-band trio Rida Sita Dewi, in the early 2000s she pivoted into writing books. Lestari has been critiqued for her complex narratives, particularly on subjects such as spirituality and shamanism, but she has also been celebrated.
Born into a deeply Christian family, the artist was brought up around religion and music, attending Parahyangan Catholic University in Bandung and graduating with a degree in International Relations. Lestari released her first novel, Kesatria, Putri dan Bintang Jatuh, in 2001, and now has multiple best-sellers and sequels under her name. Five of her books have been adapted into award-winning movies.
In 2008, Lestari married stories and songwriting together with a collection called Rectoverso, which paired each written piece with a musical track. In 2021, she released Rapijali, which follows the same concept of integrating her writing with music.
Awards
2016
Book of The Year for Inteligensi Embun Pagi—Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI) Awards
2016
Song of the Year for “Kali Kedua”—Indonesian Choice Awards
2017
The Most Influential Person in Publishing—IDEA FEST
2018
Book of the Year for Aroma Karsa—Indonesian Publishers Association (IKAPI) Awards
Did You Know?
Hardcore fans of Dee Lestari call themselves “Adeection”. Only two of her books have been translated into English.