Chillin' for Reel

by Charissa Heng

Christiane Mikaela (left), and ANISE (right), came down to RP to have an laid-back, relaxed acoustic session at The Reel Room.

The start of the school week is probably always a hard time for students. Having to get back into the mood of studying, focusing on projects and dealing with difficult people are just some of the things that give us a hard time. Sometimes, we just need a little chill and that’s exactly what IGNITE!’s Chill @ The Reel offered.

Set in Republic Polytechnic’s very own café ‘The Reel Room’, the cosy and laid back feel of the place made it the perfect location for enjoying an afternoon of relaxation, good food and most importantly musical acts such as ANISE and Christiane Mikaela. Students gathered at the café and there was a full crowd by 12pm, settling down with their food, anticipating the performances. With dim lights and a library surrounding the venue there was definitely enough to provide people with what they needed to chill.

Kick starting the event was ANISE. She graced the makeshift stage with her presence, performing some of her songs like ‘Aoraki’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ that were instantly crowd pleasers. Being a freelance designer, she does music in her free time and does it well, preferring the quieter varieties of music. She believes in performing in smaller venues only because she feels that it is more intimate and we totally agree! Having studied abroad for a few years, her song writing has been inspired by her surroundings and how she felt back then. During her set, there were whispers here and there about how good Su Hui’s (ANISE) voice was and it was certainly a treat for us!

Thereafter, it was time for Singapore’s very own part time Pin-Up girl to show us how the blues are done right. Singer/songwriter Christiane Mikaela took the stage reeled in people to the event with her strong vocals and catchy songs all within her set. In between songs, she would not hesitate to share with the audience the song writing process and what the songs meant to her. When asked about her preference for performing venues, just like ANISE, she states: “I prefer this kind of setting because it is more intimate and personal.”.

Although the 2 ladies are into pretty different genres, they share one love for music. With more up-and-coming local artists, the music scene in Singapore is definitely not lacking in.