Married Musician Duo takes Their Love to the Stage

By Nurul Jannah Bte Ismail

Married couple spills the beans on their style as musicians and performing for Music Matters Live 2014.

Not many people have the best of both worlds when it comes to balancing their work and love life. However, for these two musicians- Endah Widiastuti and Rhesa Adita- both 31 years of age, they are more than lucky to be able to live in these two worlds and that is – music and love.

Hailing from the suburbs of Indonesia in the South of Tangerang, the married couple has been playing music together for a decade now. Going by the name of Endah N Rhesa, the duo shares a passion for music and, of course, undying passion for each other.

They have been known to bring out music that is a fusion of folk and ballad. For a more organic ‘feel’, they include many different entertaining styles to interact with their different audiences.

Endah conveyed, “When we play music, we see it as our playground so we can put this and that together. There are many parts and styles. That’s how we develop our music. So it not only sticks to one influence. There are many genres mixed together.”

“He influenced me in many ways. And so, I also influenced him with the different genres I did. So it is kind of mixed up now with many stuff. It’s kind of like mashed up.”

Not only do they have to work alongside each other, but they also have to inspire each other musically.

Before their debut, Endah used to sing genres closer to rock and also played the electric guitar. However, ever since collaborating, Rhesa, has influenced his wife to make music leaning more to blues, besides playing the acoustic guitar to deliver a different sound.

Lovers at Work: Endah N Rhesa talks about how they inspire each other while joking on the topic of working together. PHOTO CREDITS: NADIA AL-INSYIRAAH BTE ISMAIL

The collaboration definitely poses a challenge when it comes to being professional in their work at times. However, for Endah and Rhesa, that does not stop them from doing what they love, and with who they love.

According to Endah, she revealed that both of them are “control freaks and perfectionists”.

“I think it’s very good for us to measure and challenge ourselves. If we want to make an album and make music, we have to measure our skills. And it is easy for us because as husband and wife, there are no hard feelings.”

For Rhesa, working with his wife is fantastic.

He added, “We have communication 24/7 so we can talk about music anytime. It is an interesting life that not many people have.”

JPSNGRLS' Awsme Set

By Lee Joon Lei

Come for the handsome Pewdiepie lookalike, stay for the breathtaking show.

Embodiment of Enthusiasm, Energy and Everything Else: Vocalist, Charlie
Kerr, during their set at KURO, a bar at Clarke Quay.
PHOTO BY: MARCUS MARK RAMOS

“A band. Not pornography.”

The description on JPNSGRLS’s (pronounced “Japanese Girls”) Twitter page might leave some wanting, but one can be forgiven for thinking those two things are one of the same. After all, although a show from the indie-rock quartet is hardly objectionable material, it can’t help but share some of its qualities. It is visceral, it is often viewed in the dark - and it sure is addictive as heck.

Don’t believe me? Then you probably weren’t at their performance at KURO, one of the many bars at Clarke Quay, on Saturday, 24th May 2014.

We were surprised at the number of hands that went up when the band’s vocalist, Charlie Kerr, asked the crowd if they had seen them play before. The funny thing is, Music Matters Live 2014 was their the reason for their very first trip to Singapore, meaning that the gaggle of screaming fans that sardined the front-end of the stage most likely saw them play as recently as the night before, and were already back for their next gig. (Did I mention they were addictive as heck?)

Such is the magnitude of their appeal- with every show, the Vancouver-based quartet adds ardent members of the crowd to their ever-growing fan base- and it is happening at a rate that surprises even the band itself.




Drummer, Graham Serl, said, “The reception we have received in Singapore has been A-MAZING. I’ve never had this many people ask to take pictures with the drummer before. It’s been insane.”

“I could understand seeing a band I like perform once a month or something, but some of them just saw us perform yesterday and they’re already back tonight. I’m blown away to be honest,” Guitarist, Oliver Mann, mirrored the sentiments of his fellow band mate.

Harkening to indie-rock’s halcyon days, the band delivers a tantalising switchblade of progressive nuances and catchy hooks that endear themselves quite nicely to fans and critics alike. Their sound struck me as a mixture of Arctic Monkeys and Fall of Troy, with Christopher deCinque’s stage presence. Take that formula and give it the right mix, and it results in what the lucky audiences at Music Matters Live 2014 got - a firecracker of a show that blows you away, then makes you come back for more.

An accent of the band is definitely the charisma of vocalist Charlie Kerr, lookalike of renowned video game commentator on Youtube. Drawing influences of seminal frontmen like The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Julian Casablanca from The Strokes, he has developed a spellbinding stage persona that will no doubt become the band’s hallmark. Prancing and shuffling about the modest stage like a champion stallion, he works the crowd expertly with his magnetic presence. Together with bassist and partner-in-crime Chris McClelland, their on-stage enthusiasm brims with artful tendencies and rhythmic vocal tangents. Thoroughly bewitching - as many of the band’s fangirls would attest.

While the duo may have stolen the show, guitarist Oliver Mann also deserves special mention. In a performance filled with flamboyance and finesse, he sat back and ran the show with technical impunity, exuding the quiet confidence of a stage veteran and pumping out impeccably infectious riffs that had a slew of musicians thinking, “Why can’t my guitarist do the same?”

His acute technical ability, coupled with Serl’s rock-solid timekeeping, creates a firm sonic platform that allows the other half of the band to flourish theatrically without sacrificing the band’s overall cohesion. The pair’s shrewd musicianship was, at least for me, the most impressive part of the performance.

The guys from JPNSGRLS weren’t just good musicians. They struck us as the nicest guys too with how accommodating they were to their fans - taking photographs, making small talk and just generally hanging out with the many that stayed on to meet them after their set. Also, they took time to step away from their adoring fans to allow us (the journalists) to do an interview with them (and believe me, they were swamped).

Speaking with both humility and grace, they were quick to heap praises on the local music scene that took to them so well during their short stay here.

“Singapore’s been great to us, the fans here have been the most loyal ones yet and we are so thankful for the reception we’ve received,” said Charlie. “Some of the bands are great; we saw Take Two the other day and they gave an awesome performance. The singer didn’t sing a bum note. We can’t wait to come back here as soon as possible,” he added.

A Ying(hao) to our Yang

By Lee Joon Lei

Despite its initial obscurity, Singapore’s “only Chinese Heavy Metal band” is starting to warm up the local music scene with its unparalleled concept.

Young Yet Traditional: Ying Hao, the frontman of namesake band Yinghao sings in a bar at Music Matters Live 2014. PHOTO CREDITS: MARCUS MARK RAMOS

Let’s face it, the hardest part of starting a band is most likely trying to find a workable yet unpretentious band name that doesn’t shortchange your lofty ambitions. And over the years, there has been a whole slew of tragic examples to take heed from. Some names are clumsy and generic, while others run like forgettable tongue-twisters that leave rookie emcees scratching their heads.

If there’s one inescapable truth about local band names, it would be that there will always be at least one on the set list that is embossed with some obscure French or Latin shorthand that most people have trouble pronouncing, let alone understand.

Some laugh these names off. While other, more concerned parties lament the Eurocentric adoption of Western languages and express worry for the country’s traditional cultures that are fast-diminishing at the hands of our generation.

And it is with this sense of urgency that 23-year-old Tan Ying Hao embarked on his latest musical project, a Mandarin and Hokkien metal band whose conventional sound is infused with that of traditional Chinese instruments.

Formed in October 2013 and going by the confident moniker of Yinghao, the singer has been turning heads of late with his audacious brand of music that breaks the monotony of a Western-dominated genre.

“Preserving my Chinese roots is something that is huge to me, and the band’s language and sound are a reflection of who I am. As a songwriter and musician, I think that it would be more interesting and fresh to others if we brought out our own ‘unique difference’, expressing them in our music, rather than sticking to the same formula all the time,” said the frontman of the band.

Citing bands like Testament and X-Japan as influences, the band marries the accessibility of radio-rock with the technical freedom of 80s-influenced heavy metal, allowing the technically gifted bunch to switch between soaring guitar runs, dizzying drum fills, and that signature oriental vocal-style that has been getting them unprecedented attention.

Casper Francis, the band’s keyboardist, commented, “I wouldn’t say that singing in Chinese or Hokkien gives us an advantage in the conventional sense, but I guess it does help people remember us easier. They might not remember our names but they will remember us as the band that sings in Hokkien because that’s what sets us apart.”

Because of this, Yinghao has enjoyed a fairly great start to its musical endeavours. Apart from the successful launch of its debut ‘Black Panther’ EP earlier this month, the sextet has also played at Music Matters Live 2014 and appeared on local Chinese radio station, Capital 95.8FM.

“It was encouraging to see 100 supporters turn up to show their support during the album launch; it was a hard-rocking, head-banging session and we had a lot of fun!” remarked Ying Hao.

He added, “The radio station wanted to interview us as they found the concept of our band and the fact that we have a Javanese Guzheng player very interesting. It’s nice to see the Chinese stations supporting local Chinese music and we were very flattered by their interest.”

But it has not always been smooth-sailing. Because of their unique musical approach, the band feels like they might have been overlooked for certain shows, with some organisers unwilling to gamble on the pulling power of this new concept. However, they remain optimistic that these teething problems are only short-term.

“We may have missed a couple of opportunities due to the nature of our band. Perhaps people need a bit more time to get accustomed to our brand of music, and we hope that we will get more opportunities as time passes,” expressed Nathan, the band’s bassist.

It may have only been mere months since its inception, but Yinghao is already looking towards the future. And with the band’s unapologetically oriental name and mandopop-esque album art, there'll be no prizes for correctly guessing where the band plans to be headed next.

Ying Hao stated, “We are looking at expanding into markets like Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, where they are more accustomed to mandarin. We see our future fans as a good mix of those who like old school rock and those who are into Chinese music.”

The Peak is Nearing

By Rachel Chua

Garnering more than 100,000 YouTube hits on his single ‘Until We Die’, singer-songwriter Joel Tan, also known as Gentle Bones, is one to watch out for in Singapore’s local music scene. We had a chat with the rising star after one of his gigs at Fern & Kiwi.

All (Gentle) Smiles: Joel with his violinist, Josh Wei, at his cosy acoustic set in Shuffle Bar. PHOTO CREDITS: NADIA AL-INSYIRAAH

Many would think that Gentle Bones is the name of a full set band. Only those who are familiar with the local singer-songwriter, Joel Tan, would know that the ‘band’ consists of just him. Just like other curious souls, we jumped at the chance to ask why he chose the name ‘Gentle Bones’.

But apparently, there is no reason behind it.

“I created it when I was 16. It doesn’t make much sense, but the whole idea was to make Gentle Bones meaningless, so that I wouldn’t hate it in the future,” Joel admitted that he is someone who tend to hate things pretty fast and it was brilliant of him to decide on such a name, if we do say so ourselves.

The 20-year-old musician has been highly successful in his musical career to date, clinching the #1 spot on the local iTunes Chart for his first single and the top five for his second one. Still, he remains modest about his accomplishments so far.

“Oh, I’m still too busy to take it in. Ever since “Until We Die” came out, it’s been a roller-coaster ride, so it’s been crazy but I’m really honoured to have even one person come to my show and sing along.”

We spoke to one of his fans that turned up for his set at Fern & Kiwi, Diane Toh Yun Jing, 18, and asked her what she loved about his music.

“His music is just very chill, and although all his songs have the same feel, it’s still somehow different.”

With fans like Diane supporting the local music industry, it is no wonder that it is booming right now. Plus, the social stigma about local music being subpar is slowly ebbing away, with local acts stepping up their game to make a name for themselves both locally and internationally. Paving the way for newcomers are bands like The Great Spy Experiment and Electrico, who are known as some of the pioneers of popular local music.

As a result, opportunities to perform on stage have been popping up from companies who are looking to recruit local musicians. Even Joel himself has benefitted from this.

“A lot of companies are more open to recruiting local acts for their performances, so that’s a real plus. Plus, I think the listenership as well; they’re way more open to listening to local bands,” he said.

Joel has been working on his music since 2012, and being a perfectionist, he only chooses the best for his fans. And it seems that his hard work is paying off when he proved his popularity by filling up Paulaner Wirtshaus for his opening set at the Made in Singapore showcase. Most came down specially to see him perform, and the venue resounded with voices singing along to two of his most popular songs, “Until We Die” and “Elusive”.

He also performed new tunes like “Settle Down” and “Lost” from his upcoming EP, which will be released this August. Bonus tracks will be included when you purchase it, so definitely look forward to that!

A Ballad of Awesomeness

By Marcus Mark Ramos

Brothers On Stage, Brothers Off Stage: ORANGECOVE has stuck with each other for almost a decade already, through thick and thin, all the possible ups and downs along the way. PHOTO CREDITS: MARCUS MARK RAMOS

Offstage, these four chaps would immediately come across as a high-spirited, friendly and playful bunch. On stage, this disposition does not deviate one bit – they interacted with the audience, sang their hearts out and jumped non-stop while they rocked out the stage.

“The crowds that jump and sing with us are the best. They make every musician's dream come true,” said Kenneth, the lead vocalist of ORANGECOVE.

Charisma, co-ordination and flair are the reasons why they were so well-received by their audience at Music Matters Live 2014.

With influences like All Time Low and We The Kings, the quartet possesses a pop-punk and chord-driven sound which perfectly matches their persona. If there had to be a Singaporean Alex Gaskarth, Kenneth would probably be the one.

Throughout the night, they performed their biggest hits, such as I CAN DANCE, YOU CAN DANCE and LA LA LADIES NIGHT, which naturally hyped up the crowd as they got on their feet and started moving to the beat.

It’s not easy for any band to stay together for long, but ORANGECOVE has been inseparable for a remarkable eight years. Being a musician myself, it somewhat made me wonder, “What’s their secret?”

Kenneth mentions that there’s none to it – just pure dedication.

“We do almost everything together. We do have quarrels here and there, but at the end of the day, we see each other as brothers, play music together and mostly importantly, work as a team. At the end of the day, it’s the fruits of our labour that puts a smile on our faces and keeps us going.”

They possessed an admirable sense of camaraderie and trust which was not taught, but developed through their years of friendship and mutual dependence instead.

When ORANGECOVE was first established, they were young and inexperienced, but they were ambitious. It was almost seven years ago when they started performing at free mini concerts and charity shows, mostly playing simple acoustic covers of tracks from their own favourite bands. Today, the beach-loving bunch are living every local band’s dream, playing their own music at large concerts and events such as *SCAPE Confessions, 2XU Compression Run and TONES 2014.

And of course, there’s Music Matters Live 2014. Here, it was their first time playing alongside the numerous bands that had flown in from all over the world.

“It’s amazing to see all the international and local acts playing together at one concert. It’s really an eye-opener for us,” exclaimed Alvin, the lead guitarist.

Through their incredible journey, they’ve also inevitably warmed up to the other fairly well-renowned local bands as well – some of which got their own chance to be part of the large-scale music festival.

  “We had the opportunity of playing amongst so many other great local bands like our friends- Asian Chairshot, WYD:SYD, Gentle Bones and Take Two, which makes it really awesome,” added Kenneth.

These pop-punk aficionados possess just about every trait that makes a successful band, and I for one can’t wait to see what they have to offer in the near future.

Be sure to catch their EP release on June 29 2014 at one of the biggest alternative music festivals, where you can see both local acts and their foreign counterparts perform: Baybeats 2014. You won’t regret it!

"Electrolove" for Singapore

By Nadia Al-Insyiraah

Named Best Untapped Newcomer at the Calgary Folk Festival, Sidney York, an indie pop duo from Canada – no, they are neither from New York nor Sydney – popped by the sunny island of Singapore for Music Matters Live 2014. The unexpectedly bright and chatty girls, opera singer Brandi Sidoryk and bassoonist Krista Wodelet sat down with us and shared how they met and what they thought of this year's festival.

SIDNEY YORK: Krista Wodelt (left) and Brandi Sidoryk were in town for Music Matters Live 2014 held at Clarke Quay. Photo by: Nadia Al-Insyiraah

Back then, flight attendant Brandi Sidoryk was looking to recruit a bassoonist for her band when she encountered her soon-to-be music partner’s sister in an airplane.The two girls who lived parallel lives eventually met and that was when they realised that they had so many things in common.

“It’s really funny that we didn’t meet before that. We did a lot of the same things: grew up in Alberta before we moved and did a lot of similar activities in music as kids. We even ended up going to the same university in music school, but never met! So, we had a thousand mutual friends but somehow, my sister was the random encounter that brought us together!” stated Krista.

What began as a long-distance music-writing collaboration soon resulted in two individuals coming together to form a duo.

The three-hour time difference between Toronto and Calgary was never an excuse for Sidney York to produce subpar works together. They would write songs in their iPhones, transfer it to Garage Band and email each other back and forth. Plus, they would fly a four-and-a-half hour flight every two to three weeks to meet and get their songs done.

It was unusual for sure, but they mentioned that collaborating always came very naturally to both of them and they find it very easy to write together.

“We don’t sit down and say ‘we’re going to write songs together.’ We just did.”

This was the first time the duo visited Singapore and they were delighted to receive a very warm reception. They sang praises for the country and their fans, even mentioning that the artists from the Singapore music industry that they met have been “very welcoming”. When asked to pick their favourite acts that they had watched perform at Music Matters Live 2014, Brandi exclaimed that they are extremely in love with home-grown indie band, The Sam Willows, besides Season 3 Singapore Idol champion, Sezairi.

“Our friends who came over to Singapore last year told us that we need to meet The Sam Willows. We had a show with them yesterday and they were amazing! And for Sezairi, he is just the sweetest. We caught a few songs of his on the main stage too and he seems like such a great guy,” chirped Brandi.

The talented duo took the Fountain Stage of Music Matters Live 2014 on the 24th May, garnering a crowd of fans and passer-bys who was obviously charmed by their tracks. They flashed their instruments such as the ukulele- and for Krista, the bassoon, providing a refreshing visual due to the more obscure nature of these instruments as compared to, say, the guitar and the likes of it.

When asked for advice to give to budding musicians, the pair encouraged them to “just go for it”. They also mentioned that the music industry is known to be tough and “it is all about making a long string of fortunate mistakes to fully unleash one’s potential.” It takes a brave heart to be a risk-taker, but, like many other artists, Sidney York admitted that it was particularly challenging to get to where they are at today.

They can closely relate to rookie musicians who are afraid to let people listen to their music. There was a plethora of reasons, such as the initial fear of failure and rejection that held them back from taking up music as a career, but they strongly believed that it was important to push through all the challenges in order to reach success, or, at least- to where they are right now.

Jaw-dropping Juveniles

By Marcus Mark Ramos

Not Quite Juvenile: French band, Juvenile, may be a new kid on the block but their presence on Clarke Quay’s fountain stage certainly didn’t give them away. PHOTO CREDITS: MARCUS MARK RAMOS

Standing together in cliques, the crowd seemed like mere groups of curious onlookers before French electronic-pop band Juveniles stepped onto Clarke Quay’s fountain stage on 22 May 2014. But when the opening riff to their first song ‘Through the Night’, blared out from amplifiers, the crowd instantly eased up and swelled to an enthusiastic collective that filled Clarke Quay’s main square to the brim.

This being the first time that the unique sounding quartet had charmed Singapore with their scintillating performance, the response they received came as a pleasant surprise to them.

“This is the first time we’ve ever been here, and people actually checked out our name. Some people who came down and saw us said they knew us even before today’s show, which is amazing,” remarked Jean Sylvain Le Gouic (JP for short), the band’s lead vocalist.

Hailing from a northwest region in France named Brittany, the band is currently on its world tour. They have brought their addictive sound and catchy tracks to various places like China, Hong Kong, and of course, Music Matters Live 2014 in Singapore.

The band stood out not because it was the only band that originated from France, but because of its nostalgic synth-pop sound, which one would usually only hear in cheesy love songs from the ‘80s.

That didn’t matter, though- the French band’s sumptuous synthesizer and keyboard textures were awesome, and it definitely attracted the crowd with ease.

On the night of its performance here in Singapore, Juveniles performed infectious tunes such as Truth and Strangers, tracks which had no difficulty making everyone want to simply let loose and groove to the beat – which was exactly what the masses did.

Just watching the band from amongst the crowd, one can’t help but notice JP’s voice. A departure from the tenor-dominated vocal style of the genre, Jean’s boisterous vocals swells over the electrifying synth-driven soundscape of the band. With a distinctive baritone vocal style which was particularly soothing and bewitching as it echoed throughout the vicinity, his melancholic lyrics didn’t matter one bit. He could have strung incomprehensible sentences together and I would still be allured.

With such an interesting sound, one of the things that I wanted to find out the most was their inspiration. Just what was it that motivated them to proceed in such a bold direction? It wasn’t easy, but I managed to catch up with JP for a mini interview just before the band left the venue.

When asked about his influences, this was what he had to say, “Well, it’s funny you should ask. Just three days ago, I was with Andy Rourke, the bassist for The Smiths. I told him that he was a very big influence for me. The guys from The Smiths, they did something new back then. Morissey is clearly a big vocal influence for me.”

But of course, the biggest game changers in the indie scene during the 1980s: The Smiths. You could easily spot the similarities between JP’s singing to that of the legend that is Morissey.

When asked about his thoughts on the local music scene, JP had nothing but praises. One that stood out was how he described Singaporeans as “curious” – a trait that serves foreign bands well, when the latter is invited to perform here.

Without even two years under its belt, Juveniles has already garnered millions of YouTube views and also created a name for itself in the French music scene.

Needless to say, the band’s raw talent and passion for music will only further surpass expectations all over the world in the long run.

Music Matters Live 2014: Studio Crew Talks About Their Experience

By Nurul Jannah Bte Ismail

Wardah Irfatt, 18, Judith Ann Kumar, 20, and Cherylynn Poh, 20, from Republic Polytechnic share their moments and experience of being in the studio.

Working Together: Studio crew for Music Matters Live 2014 PHOTO CREDITS: NADIA AL-INSYIRAAH BTE ISMAIL

Music Matters Live 2014 kicked off to a good start with bands from all over the world performing in Singapore, for music festival goers over the course of four days. With over 60 bands rocking out on stage and in bars all around Clarke Quay, the event was a great feat in itself, which could not possibly have been accomplished without the commitment and help of Republic Polytechnic’s student volunteers.

The studio was where all the magic took place. All the bands and musicians were scheduled to be interviewed there, for their individual segments to be projected on the main stage during their performances.

Cherylynn Poh, 20, Year 3 student from Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences, stated, “I am the studio producer so I need to know and coordinate everything that is happening in here. Basically, I have to make things run, and, not just that, but I need to take care of my crew as well; for everything, you need someone to point you in the right direction or you will feel very lost and wonder what is going on.”

Not only did students get to be on the frontline, they also had the chance to brush shoulders with different bands and musicians ranging from the likes of South Korea’s Sultan of The Disco, to Tully on Tully from Australia.

Most of the studio crew’s members had to learn to operate the camera and it was definitely an eye-opening experience for them.

Judith Ann Kumar, 20, Year 3 student from Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences expressed, “It is my first time operating a huge camera, and it’s live. The first time, we were terrified. We were really lucky to have our mentor, Chris, guiding us along so we could grasp everything quickly.”

Behind the Scenes: Judith Ann Kumar, 20, operating the camera and interviewing one of the bands in the studio. PHOTO CREDITS: ARIANI BTE ADAM

However, they did not only face technical problems, but also language barriers when interviews had to be conducted.
Cherylynn particularly expressed her regret with not being able to have held a more casual interview with The Oral Cigarettes due to her lacking in Japanese, which resulted in the crew having to require a the assistance of a translator.

In overcoming the obstacles, the crew got to know more about all the different bands present and also bond with them.

A bright-eyed Judith commented that there were a lot of bands which the crew had never heard of. Hence, being able to receive some of their CDs as gifts naturally fired up their excitement.

Not only did the students get to learn more about the musicians’ personalities, but they also managed to forge relationships, albeit brief, with them too.

For Wardah Irfatt, 18, Year 2 student from Diploma in Interactivity Design, one memorable experience was when Mark Hogan, one of the members of Hogan, promised to return and gift the crew with CDs. “He waited for us outside the studio because we were busy shooting, and he brought a whole stack of CDs for the five of us. It was very sweet of him!”

Without a doubt, it has been a great opportunity for the students of the studio crew to be involved in Music Matters Live 2014.

To Judith, Music Matters Live was “really interesting” and enabled her to discover new bands.

“It’s really amazing! I would love to be part of it again.”