Thee Marloes: The Story Behind “Soulrabaya”

Last Updated on 2026-05-21 by a-indie

Why the Word “Soulrabaya” Was Born — Thee Marloes on Their Second Album

“We just do what feels natural to us” — so why did a band that says this end up being discovered by a prestigious New York label, and how did their music reach listeners around the world?

Thee Marloes, a trio from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, quietly crosses genre boundaries with lyrics that blend Indonesian and English naturally, and a sound that revives the intimate atmosphere of 1960s soul for the modern era.

Their new album 『Di Hotel Malibu』 is a collection of memories from the road — riffs that came to life during soundchecks and long journeys on tour.

No matter what kind of music you love, the gentle sway this album carries will find its way to you.

Thee Marloes Interview

Artist: Sinatrya Dharaka, Natassya Siantury　Interviewer: Wakiki　Translation, Editing, and Proofreading: BELONG Media / A-indie

Formation and Membership

— Wakiki: Could you start by telling us about how Thee Marloes came together? Each of you came to music through different paths. When you first met, what were your initial impressions of each other’s musical sensibilities? And how did the particular atmosphere that only the three of you can create begin to take shape?

Sinatrya: At first, it was really just a pandemic experiment. Raka had a few music drafts that had been sitting around for quite a while. Since the three of us were always exchanging all kinds of music references with each other, when we finally tried making music together in the studio, everything just happened naturally.

The Origin of the Band Name

— Wakiki: Could you tell us about the origin of the name Thee Marloes? There is something nostalgic in the sound of it. As the band has grown, has the meaning or feeling the name carries changed for you, or perhaps deepened?

Sinatrya: It was actually pretty simple. We were trying to find a name that, if you searched it on Google, wouldn’t already be connected to music. One of the names we found was “Marloes,” which is actually the name of a place. Then we added “Thee” because at the time we were listening to Thee Midniters quite a lot.

Sound and Identity

— Wakiki: The music of Thee Marloes blends the atmosphere of Indonesia with elements of soul, R&B, and Chicano soul, producing something with a truly distinctive nuance. For some listeners, parts of it may sound unfamiliar or far away. Within all those layered influences, if you had to describe your music in a single word, or even invent a new one, what would it be?

Sinatrya: “Soulrabaya,” maybe (laughs). It might sound a bit cheesy, but it actually came from our friends. We never really wanted to label our genre or put a name on the way we make music. We just do what feels natural to us and what we genuinely love, based on all the references we grew up listening to. So we’d rather leave it to the listeners and friends who really spend time with our music. And so far, that’s probably the most unique one we’ve heard.

Meeting Big Crown Records

— Wakiki: Your music, made in a home studio, eventually reached Big Crown Records all the way in New York, and they got in touch. What was that moment like for you? If there is a particular story behind how it happened, we would love to hear it. How did that experience change the way you approach your work and your relationship with music going forward?

Sinatrya: Even before all of this happened, we were already huge fans of Big Crown Records and listened to their artists all the time. Then one day, out of nowhere, we got an Instagram DM asking if we had some songs they could listen to. Honestly, that night felt like a dream come true. After that, we sent over our songs by email, which eventually turned into a video call, and not long after, we officially signed with Big Crown. Since day one, they’ve treated us like family. They always encourage us to give our best when making music, and they’ve also helped make touring feel a lot smoother for us. We’ve learned so much from them, especially about producing music more effectively and understanding our own potential as a band. We honestly just feel really lucky to have Big Crown as part of our journey.