Photo Credit: Evan Mulling (@evanmullingphoto)
By Alissa Arunarsirakul // February 14, 2020
At just 19 years old, Stephanie Poetri is easily one of Indonesia’s best rising talents. Poetri acknowledges the lack of organic musical arrangements in modern day music, so the passionate songstress typically crafts her discography to be more natural by way of a trusty acoustic guitar. One of 88rising’s most promising artists, Poetri is dropping two intimate singles this Valentine’s Day: “Do You Love Me” and “Touch.”
In “Do You Love Me,” Poetri is desperate to know if her crush feels the same butterflies she does. We’ve all wondered if we’ve even crossed our crushes’ minds at one point, so this lovely track is really speaking our minds for us. Directed by Jason Ano (Joji, August 08), the accompanying music video shows shows Poetri literally plucking flower petals as we’re charmed by her alluring stage presence.
On “Do You Love Me,” Stephanie Poetri shared,
“You’re picking flower petals and wondering if this person loves you or not. Either way, I’m still fighting for you in weird ways. The meaning is actually quirky and funny, in my opinion. It questions if the romance is real, so we’re ironically releasing it on Valentine’s Day.”
Poetri takes it down a notch with “Touch,” which has simmered instrumentals paired with Poetri’s always stunning vocals. Although this single shifts the focus onto a lost love, it’s just as fitting for Valentine’s Day. The colorful “Touch” visual mesmerizes us as Poetri looks back on memories that were once shared with a mannequin-like figure.
On “Touch,” Poetri reflected,
“‘Touch’ shows a more mature side of losing somebody. It’s more intimate [than ‘Do You Love Me’], as if the song is coming from inside your head. That’s why the song sounds a little bit more quiet and emotional.”
The Hidden Hits 