16 Facts About Nike Ardilla

Usually referred to as the Lady Rocker and the Queen of Rock by the Indonesian media, Nike was instrumental in the return of teen pop rock to the country's music scene and had a dominant presence during the first half of the 1990s.

Nike Ardilla has sold more than 30 million albums to date, making her the best-selling Indonesian artist in history and her 1990 album Bintang Kehidupan which has sold over 6 million copies in Southeast Asia, holds the title of being the best-selling Indonesian album of all time.

Raden Nike Ardilla Ratnadilla was born on 27 December 1975 in Bandung, West Java, the youngest child of three siblings of Raden Edi Kusnadi and Nining Ningsihrat.

Nike Ardilla had Dutch, Swedish, and German ancestry from her maternal grandmother, who was descended from the Geesdorf family.

Nike Ardilla's father worked for the Indonesian Railway Company, which caused the family to move periodically throughout her childhood.

Nike Ardilla moved from Blackboard Records to Musica Studios for her record Biarkan Cintamu Berlalu, which debuted at number one and earned her the 1994 HDX Best Selling Album award.

In 1990, Nike Ardilla starred as the main character in the movie Ricky Nakalnya Anak Muda with actor Ryan Hidayat which became a box office hit.

Nike Ardilla continued to produce successful films throughout the period of the late 80s to early 90s.

Nike Ardilla was successful in several soap operas, including NONE, one of the highly rated soap operas directed by Putu Wijaya.

In 1990, Nike Ardilla won a modelling competition Gadis Sampul and a "Best Model Catwalk" award in the "LA Model Contest" in Bandung two years prior.

Nike Ardilla spent the early hours of the next day with friends and later left a hotel at 05:15 AM to go home with her female companion and bodyguard, Atun Sofiatun.

Nike Ardilla was buried on the same day in Ciamis, West Java, in the presence of family, friends, fans, reporters as well as tens of thousands of mourners.

Every year, thousands of fans commemorate her death by visiting her grave and the Nike Ardilla Museum constructed in her memory.

Nike Ardilla compared the people who made pilgrimages to Nike's grave to those who often make pilgrimages and pray at the tombs of saints such as the Wali Sanga, and mentioned Nike as the only pop culture figure who has achieved such an honour.

Nike Ardilla helped Melly Goeslaw, one of her closest friends who she had known since childhood, build her musical career.

In 1993, Nike Ardilla funded the construction of a special school in Bandung for deaf and mentally handicapped children.