On Friday, August 8th, 2025, President University held the 11th President University Lyrics Unplugged (PULU) at the President Executive Club (PEC), featuring a special guest, Arya Novanda, widely known as Indonesia’s Prince of Blues. Born in Jakarta on November 21, 1997, Arya has proven his talent on various prestigious blues stages, including the International Blues Festival in Jakarta and Bali. The evening’s atmosphere grew warmer with the presence of international guests from America, Italy, China to Timor Leste, culinary delights such as fried rice and steak, and the attendance of prominent campus figures including Prof. Justin and Prof. Irene.

Arya, known as a guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer, has long been in love with blues music. While he does not close himself off from other genres, he admits that blues holds a special place in his heart for its honesty and spirit. Growing up, Arya was exposed to rock music, studied classical guitar formally, and later developed his skills independently. He has been involved in several music projects, including Blues Conspiracy, which carries a hard heavy blues rock style, and The Krankers with Pamungkas, performing rock & roll. His musical inspiration comes from various life experiences, including his school and university years.

For Arya, being a blues musician means being a good listener. He believes that musical expression is born from the experience of listening both to music itself and to life. In his career, he has written Indonesian-language songs and released one single titled Setan, with plans to release new work next year. Citing his musical influences, Arya mentioned Angela by Jimi Hendrix, Continuum by John Mayer, and works by Gary Clark Jr. The 11th PULU was not only a music performance but also a platform for sharing inspiration and positive energy from a young musician who continues to keep the spirit of blues alive in Indonesia. (Roffizul H, PR Team. Photo: Roffizul H)