This study aims to describe the most dominant characteristics of romanticism in a collection of Madurese song
lyrics uploaded to Fajar Syahid's YouTube channel. This study was motivated by the limited research on the aesthetic and
emotional values in regional songs, especially Madurese songs. The focus of the study is on the three most dominant
characteristics of romanticism, namely melancholy or gloom, sentimentality, and individualism. The method used is
qualitative descriptive with a romanticism approach. The data sources were 15 Madurese song lyrics selected through a
reduction technique and categorized based on six characteristics of romanticism, namely return to nature, gloom or
melancholy, primitivism, sentimentality, individualism, and exoticism. The analysis was carried out by identifying,
interpreting, and describing lyrics that reflect the characteristics of romanticism. The results of the study show 42 instances
of romanticism, including melancholy (14), sentimentality (15), individualism (7), return to nature (1), exoticism (2), and
primitivism (3). These findings show that the most dominant characteristics are melancholy, sentimentality, and
individualism. Melancholy is depicted through expressions of deep sadness and loss; sentimentality through outbursts of
love and excessive longing; and individualism through characters who tend to be reclusive and bottle up their feelings.
The results of the study confirm that Madurese song lyrics not only serve as entertainment, but also represent literary
value and emotional depth that are relevant to be studied as part of the local literary heritage based on regional culture.