Grrrl Gang spends a lot of time online. “It’s just too much sometimes, to be honest,” says bassist Akbar Rumandung. But, the inspiration for the band’s latest release, Online 24/7, hit IRL via a photoshoot at a friend’s gallery. One shot of the Indonesian punk band, taken through a window with a sticker that read, “Online 24/7” on it, stood out. It looked as though people were watching the band through their phones.
“That photo it reflects what we actually feel as a band nowadays,” says Rumandung on a recent video call from Jakarta, “where people try to categorize us through social media through what they see about us through social media, where they don’t actually know us, they don’t actually understand what this band is actually about.” It also, coincidentally, fit the music that Rumandung’s bandmates, Angeeta Sentana and Edo Alventa, had been writing, which reflected what they were seeing online. “Before that, we didn’t know what we should name the maxi-single. There are so many options, but we didn’t feel it yet,” Rumandung adds. “After the photos… we knew that this was our title for the maxi-single.”
A good example of how internet life inspired Online 24/7 is “Lapdog.” It opens with deep, doomy drums and electronic screeches somewhat reminiscent of the sound of an old modem. Singer Angeeta Sentana opens with the lines, “Once upon a time, they promised you a pot of gold/It really will always be full of meat, rice and cake.”
“We see a lot of things on the internet talking about how capitalism treats us as a person and how we have to bow to someone who is not actually thinking about you, but that’s how the system works,” says Rumandung. “We are actually the victims of that. We feel like the needs of juggling between bands and working, sometimes it makes us feel like it’s not a decision that we made, but a decision that we have to make because of the system, because of the situation that we face right now and that is basically ‘Lapdog.’”
Via email, Sentana adds, “The track came from a place of anger and dissatisfaction towards the dog-eat-dog world that we live in. It seems that by choosing to take certain actions at the expense of other people, you could go far in life, for example garnering/hoarding more wealth and having a higher social standing. I used that anger in a sort of humorous, but dark, way through the scene that I set and the vocal delivery in the song–it’s as if ‘the system’ itself is seducing you to become a lapdog and then taunts you in the end.”
Formed in Yogyarkarta, Indonesia when the band members were college students, Grrrl Gang’s sound is informed by classic punk and ‘90s indie. Their 2023 debut album, Spunky!, drew critical acclaim and, while the music on Online 24/7 isn’t a major departure from their previous work, the themes they address reflect the life changes they’ve experienced in the past few years.
“Back then, it was music, music, music, party and the back to music again and then party again and then go to class sometimes,” says Rumandung of their days as a college band. Now, the members of Grrrl Gang are living in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city, and working regular jobs. “We are here for work, so this situation is kind of tough for us actually as musicians. We need to juggle.”
That impacts band logistics, like when Grrrl Gang can play shows and how often they can tour, as well as the music itself. “It’s harder for us to make a decision, sometimes, in creative manners while living in Jakarta. I’m not saying that we have more pressure here, but how we see and how we produce music and other stuff, or art, it’s kind of different now,” says Rumandung. “It’s more self-reflective, I think. It’s more on how we grew as a person in the city. That is the thing that we try to apply in our music now, while, back then, it was just partying and music. We created music and lyrics that is more free, young and explosive. But, right now, it’s not more calm. It’s actually more punk than Spunky or other releases, but the themes, the way we approach it is more calm now and deep and self-reflective than in Yogya.”
Grrrl Gang have toured throughout Asia, as well as in Australia. When I spoke with Rumandung, who is also the band’s manager, Grrrl Gang were preparing for their first ever U.S. tour, which would include a stop at South by Southwest before hitting nine cities from coast to coast. They’re set to play The Smell in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 22.
“I’m pretty excited for The Smell,” says Rumandung, who adds that this is the band’s chance to play venues that they only know about from the internet. It’s also a chance for them to connect IRL with bands they’ve only known about through online channels. “We always love touring because we get to meet other people and this time it’s another part of the world where we’ve never been before,” he says. “It’s pretty exciting.”
Grrrl Gang plays The Smell on Sunday, March 22, with support from Kuromy. Advance ticket’s available via The Smell’s website. Online 24/7 is out now.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
Listen to Beatique, March 2026 featuring music from Grrrl Gang, Peaches, Charli xcx, The Smiths and more.
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