Indonesian Singer Clareesya Apologizes for Controversial Takbir Pose at Music Festival

Indonesian singer Clareesya, a member of the hip-hop dangdut group RoBoKop, faced intense social media backlash on August 13, 2026, after posting a photograph on Instagram and Threads featuring what she termed a “gaya takbir” (takbir style) pose, according to reports from Kompas.com, Medcom.id, and detikHOT.

Clareesya Faces Social Media Backlash Over Festival Photo

The controversy erupted following RoBoKop’s performance at the music festival The Sounds Project. Clareesya, who works as a musician and remix producer for the Jakarta Selatan-based group, uploaded a photo showing her kneeling with both hands raised, accompanied by the caption “Gaya takbir. Love you @thesoundsproject @ghanabanyubiru @renggalihlembahingtyas,” as reported by Medcom.id and detikHOT.

Users on Threads and Instagram quickly criticized the post. According to coverage from Medcom.id and detikHOT, commenters accused the singer of cultural and religious insensitivity, with one writing, “Mau ikut ikutan kasus pelecehan agama juga mba?” and another stating, “Saya gak akan tinggal diam sama orang yang menistakan agama.” The backlash intensified because the image surfaced while the public was actively discussing a separate controversy involving a Quran-recitation challenge tied to an alcoholic beverage brand booth at the same festival, as noted by Medcom.id.

Public Apology and Career Context

Following the severe criticism, Clareesya issued a public apology on Threads and removed the controversial image from her social media accounts, according to Kompas.com and Medcom.id. She clarified that the post was intended solely to express personal gratitude and joy over achieving a long-held career milestone of performing at a major concert.

“Dengan ini saya, Clareesya, menyampaikan permohonan maaf yang sebesar-besarnya atas kegaduhan dan ketidaknyamanan yang timbul sehubungan dengan postingan saya di Threads,” the singer stated, as quoted by Kompas.com and detikHOT. She added that her gratitude was directed strictly at her achievement as a musician and did not intend to offend any religion or belief system. Clareesya also confirmed in her statement, cited by Kompas.com, that she was not the woman involved in the Newport alcohol booth controversy at the event.

Family Intervention and Lessons Learned

In her statements reported by Medcom.id and detikHOT, Clareesya acknowledged that her mother intervened directly after the post went viral. She admitted to her misstep, writing, “Ada beberapa orang yang asbunnya tolol dan aku salah satunya. Tapi untungnya aku masih punya ibu yang langsung ngingetin kalo aku salah. Ini jadi pelajaran ya buat aku supaya lebih mikir sebelum ngomong dan ngetik.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Clareesya?

Clareesya is a singer and remix producer for RoBoKop, a hip-hop dangdut group based in Jakarta Selatan, according to Medcom.id.

View this post on Instagram about indonesian clareesya apologizes controversial, Clareesya gaya takbir

Why did Clareesya face backlash on social media?

According to Medcom.id and detikHOT, users criticized her Instagram and Threads post featuring a kneeling pose with raised hands captioned “gaya takbir” following her performance at The Sounds Project.

Did Clareesya apologize for the post?

Yes. As reported by Kompas.com, Medcom.id, and detikHOT, Clareesya published an open apology, deleted the photo, and clarified that the post celebrated her musical milestone rather than mocking any religion.

Was Clareesya involved in the Newport alcohol booth controversy at The Sounds Project?

No. According to Kompas.com, Clareesya specifically clarified that she was not the woman involved in the Newport alcohol booth incident at the festival.