Kai Mata is an Indonesian Singer-Songwriter known for being Indonesia’s openly out lesbian musician.
When a video of her coming out as proud to be both “Indonesian and flaming gay” went viral on Twitter, it sparked national controversy and backlash, yet also propelled her voice to the international community, opening doors to international collaborations and worldwide media attention from the South China Morning Post, Pink News, The Guardian, and Buzzfeed News, to name a few.
She’s recorded with Grammy-Award winning musician Kipper Eldridge, performed across three continents, and continues to proudly represent LGBTQ+ Indonesians through painting musical stories of the queer experience.
Kai Mata is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ Rights and Representation, and is known for “being the first openly gay musician in Indonesia” (The Diplomat). Her mission is to ensure everyone feels loved, valued, and cherished by fostering connection and cultivating empathy.
Heard in her music, a message of love and compassion rings in the air through her lyrical content, using her platform as a space to promote empathy and to raise awareness regarding the void of LGBTQ+ Rights in Indonesia.
In February 2020, a video of her merely stating, “Hi, my name is Kai Mata. I am Indonesian, and I am also flaming gay,” went viral on Twitter. Though doing so has opened the floodgates of hateful messages and death threats, the impact it has had on Indonesia’s closeted souls keeps her momentum moving forward in this mission for visibility.
She’s buzzed across international media, with op-eds on South China Morning Post (both online and in print), Pink News, Bi Pride UK, Magdelene, Coconut Co, Indie Shuffle and much more.
Kai Mata’s vocal presence as an LGBTQ+ Indonesian has lead to her involvement speaking, presenting, and performing at various schools, non-profit organizations, and corporations. With a heavy emphasis on continuous self-reflection of one’s identity and intrinsic motivation, tied into the exploration of cultural complexities regarding sexual orientation, nationality, race, and gender, her engagements are known to be insightful, candid, and a live showcase of empathy, as she turns adversity into advantage.
Contact Kai Mata directly at info@kaimatamusic.com to bring her to speak at your event.