A year had passed since the 30-day adventure that shook (in a good and hilarious way) the State Palace and the corners of the Archipelago. The life of President Nisa Farha and First Gentleman Reza Satria slowly returned to the normal rhythm of state affairs, although their version of "normal" now felt slightly different. There was more laughter in the private pavilion, there was a mixed playlist of Reza's chill electronica and The Corrs' folk-pop often playing, and there was a slightly crooked gold-framed certificate for "Best (and Most Patient) Tour Guide in the World" proudly (and amusingly) displayed in the corner of Nisa's study. The frequency of a new harmony in their lives felt so real.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, amidst the characteristic Irish drizzle, The Corrs were not idle. The inspiration they gained from their month-long trip to Indonesia turned out to be more than just sweet promises at a farewell. After months of locking themselves in the studio (interspersed with several video calls full of laughter with Nisa, Reza, and Alex for 'lyric consultation' or just checking in), they finally released their much-anticipated new album.
The album title? "Nusantara Whispers."
And the album... was truly different. It still had The Corrs' signature vocal harmonies and Celtic touches, but this time wrapped in arrangements rich with Indonesian sounds. There was the faint sound of Balinese gamelan in a ballad, the rhythmic beat of Dayak drums in a more upbeat song, the melancholic melody of a Sundanese flute in the intro of an acoustic track, and there was even a sampling of the "klotok... klotok..." sound of a boat engine in one of the instrumental pieces.
The lyrics were no less unique. Besides the usual songs about love and life, there were several tracks clearly inspired by their experiences in Indonesia. There was a song titled "Ode to the Stingless Jellyfish" (a soothing ambient track), "Sandalwood Horse Serenade" (an acoustic folk song), "My Arsik Heart" (a cheerful pop song about the best food they had ever tried), and of course, the hit single whose music video caused a sensation: "Lost in the Floating Market (Where's My President?)"
The music video for "Lost in the Floating Market" was truly a masterpiece of comedy (perhaps unintentional). Directed again by Caroline with long-distance help from Alex, the video showed The Corrs trying to interact at a floating market in Kalimantan (perhaps when they stopped briefly before or after Tanjung Puting). In the midst of the market chaos, there was a scene where Nisa, trying to buy rambutan fruit from a boat, suddenly her boat was carried away slightly by the current, drifting away from the group. Nisa's panicked (but still trying to be graceful) expression as she tried to paddle her boat back using a fruit hook, while The Corrs waved frantically from another boat, became the peak of the video's humor. Coupled with translation subtitles that were sometimes deliberately made slightly exaggerated or out of context by Alex, the music video successfully went viral worldwide, making people laugh while also curious about Indonesia (and its President who apparently can get lost too).
Nisa and Reza watched the music video for the first time while relaxing in the pavilion. At first, Nisa slightly protested ("Alex! Why did you include that embarrassing scene?!"), but she eventually couldn't help but laugh at her own facial expression in the video. "Oh well," she said resignedly. "Just consider it free tourism promotion. 'Visit Indonesia, where even the President can get lost in the floating market!'"