Dewa 19, often referred to as Dewa, is an Indonesian rock band originating from Surabaya, East Java.

Since the band's formation in 1986 there have been a number of changes to the lineup. The current members are: Ahmad Dhani (keyboard), Andra (guitar), Tyo (drums), Yuke (bass guitar), and Once (vocals).

Dewa was first formed in 1986 by four students from a junior high school SMPN 6 in Surabaya. The name Dewa originated as an acronym of the founding members' names: D from Dhani (keyboard, vocals), E from Erwin Prasetya (bass guitar), W from Wawan Juniarso (drums) and A from Andra (guitar). Dewa is also an Indonesian word meaning 'god', or 'deity'. The band was initially based at Wawan's dorm in the Airlangga University complex.

Wanting to take a different direction, Wawan left the band in 1988 and formed Outsider with Ari Lasso. The name Dewa was changed to Down Beat which became a reasonably well-known name in East Java during that time.

When Slank became well-known, Wawan was asked to rejoin Dewa to rejuvenate the band and Ari Lasso was invited too. As the age of the bands members was 19 years at the time, Down Beat was changed to Dewa 19. Due to the lack of a studio that met their requirements in Surabaya, the band was forced was move to Jakarta where after a number of rejections by record companies, a Dewa 19 master was finally recorded by Team Records.

The Journey: Shock Malaysia with Bintang Lima
THOUGH new album owned group of music DEWA having title “Bintang Lima” has circulated sufficiently long in Indonesia, but in Malaysia is just circularized around two months ago. The album simply gets remarkable greeting from public Malaysia.

This thing is proven when Dewa performs a promotion-tour in Malaysia performed in Hard Rock Café Kualalumpur (January15, 2001). In the concert performance, DEWA greeted by 700 audiences building drug, and noted by around 400 others who beyond the building. Besides DEWA is including group of first band bouncing Indonesian song in Hard Rock Café.

According to the manager of DEWA who escorts the tour, confess has just been is this, there are artist enabled by singing Indonesian songs in one of cafe in Kualalumpur. While the regulation is every coming up artist must bring English-speaking song, without aside. " We really feels is respectable hears explanation from the cafe organizer," express Didit.

From the journey of the promo-tour in Malaysia, confessed DEWA is which is first. Of course the personnel of DEWA surprises with greeting which they received from the the devotees in Malaysia. But the surprise taste becomes separate pride, because some of they have knocked by heart with songs Dewa. (sponsored by Ampeg & Ritmuller Guitars, Cannon, Technics)