Festival Lagu Populer Indonesia 1985
“Selamat Datang Cinta” (Welcome, Love) is a landmark song in Indonesian pop music history. Composed by Elfa Secioria with lyrics by Wieke Gur, the song was performed soulfully by Harvey Malaiholo and won first prize at the Festival Lagu Populer Indonesia (FLPI) 1985—a national song competition that showcased original compositions and rising vocal talent across the country.
The win cemented Harvey’s status as one of Indonesia’s top vocalists and marked the beginning of a long and successful creative partnership between Elfa and Wieke. Their collaborations would continue to dominate FLPI in the years that followed.
Musically, the song features Elfa’s signature elegant pop arrangement, while Wieke’s poetic lyrics capture the wonder and excitement of newfound love. Harvey’s emotional performance made the song a jury and audience favorite.
“Selamat Datang Cinta” was also selected to represent Indonesia and compete in ASEAN Song Festival 1986 in KL. The compilation album 12 Lagu Terbaik Festival Lagu Populer Tingkat Nasional 1985 (12 Best Songs of the 1985 National Popular Song Festival), was then released by Irama Asia Records, featuring the year’s top 12 entries.
Decades later, “Selamat Datang Cinta” remains beloved and is often featured in lists of iconic Indonesian songs from the 1980s. This song has been performed and recorded by other artists such as Elfa Singers and Sherina.