Students of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) gained a lot of academic and non-academic achievements. Recently, a student of Department of International Relations of UMY Sasmi Azizah won a dangdut  at the Pekan Seni Mhasiswa Daerah (Peksimida) organized by Indonesian Student Art Development Board (BPSMI) of Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) on Monday (3/9) at Sekolah Tinggi Pembangunan Masyarakat Desa (STPMD) APMP Yogyakarta.

In an interview on Friday (13/9), Azizah told that she did not have not a lot of preparation for the competition. However, due to her talent and strategy, she won over the other 34 participants from higher education institutions in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY). “There were a number of contests at the Peksimida 2018. My coach recognized to win one of the contests, namely a dangdut contest. Alhamdulillah, I became the winner,” she expressed.

Additionally, Azizah who is also a member of UMY choir club Sunshine Voice (SSV) stated that it was her first dangdut contest since she had previously participated in it. “My background is Keroncong. Dangdut is new for me. I think not all singers can sing dangdut well because dangdut singers have to have different voice characteristics,” declared Azizah.

Winning the dangdut contest at the Peksimida, Azizah passed to the national Peksimida (Peksiminas) to represent Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta in October (2018) conducted at Sekolah Tinggi Pembangunan Masyarakat Desa (STPMD) APMP Yogyakarta.