Lucky Widja, vocalist and founder of the band Element, passed away on Sunday night, January 25, 2026, at RS Halim in East Jakarta. His death marks a significant loss for Indonesia's music industry, where he was renowned for his dedication to romantic pop music since the late 1990s. His friend and singing partner, Ferdy Tahier, expressed deep sorrow via an Instagram post.
Lucky Widjatmoko, known as Lucky Widja or Lucky Element, was born on September 1, 1976. He founded the band Element in 1999 and served as its lead vocalist, shaping its identity with romantic and emotional pop music through his strong, distinctive voice. The band became part of Indonesia's golden era of pop music.
Beyond music, Lucky held a degree from Universitas Kristen Indonesia. He took on key roles such as co-founder of MS Musik Indonesia, CEO of The Bencoole, Head of Business Development at Rans Music, and Head of Creative at Pendulum Arta Media. He also appeared in entertainment projects like the ABThree music video.
In 2022, Lucky was diagnosed with kidney tuberculosis, a rare disease affecting the urinary system. This condition led to drastic weight loss, with one kidney shrinking and the other swelling. Despite requiring dialysis and oxygen, he continued creating and performing on stage with Element, demonstrating his high dedication.
His friend and singing partner Ferdy Tahier shared his grief on Instagram @ferdy_tahier: "Selamat jalan sahabat gw, ade gw, partner gw di panggung, lo udah tenang, gak sakit lagi, ga butuh cuci darah lagi, gak perlu oxygen lagi. Lo happy sekarang udah muda lagi, tenang di sana ya ki. Gw sendirian di panggung nanyinya sekarang. Semoga gw bisa ya nyanyi sendiri. Semoga lo husnul khatimah. Sampai ketemu lagi kita ya brader."
Lucky is scheduled to be buried at TPU Jeruk Purut on Monday, January 26, 2026, in the afternoon. His passing leaves a lasting legacy as a humble musician focused on his craft.
