I am single.
Oh god.
Is that a answer?
Oh I'm a single lady.
I'm a single lady.
Chris, can your pot touch show bring him at least a girlfriend?
Adi is single.
Check out the biceps man.
Look at the biceps.
That's why I'm single.
And he's got salt and pepper on his head too man.
I mean how sexy can a man get right?
Salt and pepper on the head.
Hey everybody.
Welcome back to the Chris Hansen conversation.
Guess what?
It's Christmas time and it is the time to be jolly, the time to get your egg knocks
ready and it is also my Christmas special and I have two very special people in the
studio which we are also paying tribute to as our tribute to SG's music icons.
And the reason why I got these two here with me is because A, bloody harmony is freaking
amazing.
B, they're so super damn busy I tell you just about everywhere and anywhere you look around
these people are actually performing some fucking place somewhere in Singapore.
I can tell you that much man.
They are so busy because everybody just wants them.
And you know what?
I have got to get them here because A, I'm curious.
I want to find out more.
B, also because these people are real talents man and they're young.
Younger than me anyway.
And there's a bright future in Singapore for music and I like to go on preaching about
that.
This nation needs to keep its soul alive and our music therefore must always continue to
thrive.
So, I have with me on my left, Adi.
Hi.
And on my right, Shidi.
Hello.
And these guys are called Shidi and Adi.
I mean, I mean, what else right?
Thanks for being here guys.
Thank you for inviting us to the show.
No, thanks really, really man.
I mean, I know you guys are really, really busy and to just take the time off just to
be here with me on the show is really pretty freaking amazing.
I get that problem all the time, especially from you from musos who are so sought after.
Oh gosh, you cannot imagine.
Right, Kai?
I tell you man, just to fix schedules down and not people down to come on and come on
to the show.
Okay.
Give me a damn date.
But really thanks so much for being here, man.
Really.
Okay.
I'm going to go this way.
I'm going to go ladies first.
Okay.
I'm going to be asking questions.
Some of them will be for each individual.
Some of it will be for both of you collectively.
Okay.
So you got to go through me to get through her.
She's got to go through me to get to you, right?
Okay.
So, ha ha.
Bloody big brick wall.
Very simple question, which I ask of practically all my guests.
Shirley signing with you.
Can you tell everyone here who Shili is all about?
Who and what Shili is all about?
Sure.
So, who is the half of Shili and Adi?
Well, yeah, that one we know.
So between the two of us, I would be doing half the singing together with Adi.
So that's our concept.
And we always combine our strengths together to overcome our weaknesses.
Wow, you really caught me by that.
Yeah, everybody else actually.
Yeah.
And I also help to take care of the business aspect of the two of us.
Okay.
So in terms of like, like I sing with the clients and also-
The commercial aspect.
Yeah, the commercial aspect.
Right.
Yeah.
And yeah.
You didn't answer my question actually.
So what makes Shili?
Yes.
S-H-I-L-I, five letters.
I know.
Yeah.
But what, what, what are you all about?
What am I all about?
Yeah, you.
The person.
Um, the driving force, I guess, of Shili and Adi.
Oh, wow.
Okay.
Uh huh.
I think.
Right, Adi.
I was talking about you, the person.
By me, as a person?
You, yeah.
What are you all about?
What am I all about?
Yeah.
Hmm.
Passions.
Let's start with that.
I like creating happy moments for people.
Okay.
Yeah.
And so that's why, um, when we decided to take Shili and Adi, like leaving our day jobs
to pursue this like full-time, you know, I actually, um, had on my site, my own events
company as well.
Okay.
Called Mary B's, like an agency.
Ah, that's your YouTube channel too, right?
Isn't it?
Um, not really.
I think that's like the management agency aspect of like us.
I see.
So it helps to schedule us, uh, plan our...
Because you guys pop up all the time on my YouTube feeds, man.
Okay.
That's great to know.
I'll let my team know that.
Yeah.
Yeah, you guys pop up.
I mean, I did a great job because you pop up so often.
So I, that's why I had to ask you that.
Okay.
So that's you.
How about you, Adi?
Wait, firstly, I have to say, right, that has got to be the best introduction we've
ever had of us.
I think we have to re-record that and then bring it, bring you with us everywhere we
go, right?
Yeah.
Whenever we, whenever we have to, they have to introduce us on stage.
Can we just press play to Chris Hansen's recording of our introduction?
His voice.
That one is called, that one is called a voice over charge along with licensing to the voice
of the next six months.
Please, please, please, my business manager over there.
Yeah.
We'll negotiate.
She has revealed herself to be the commercial, commercial person.
Well, I'm glad you like the intro though.
I'm glad you like the intro.
But what about you, man?
I mean, Adi, what are you all about?
Who are you?
Adi, we, Adi is a me.
So I am, I think in the group, I am the music, I am the soul, I am the, well, the soul has
to be the both of us, but I mean, the brains.
Yeah.
The brains.
I'm getting confused now.
You, you, you, now you're saying you're the brains, but you're the one that's saying that
you drive the business.
I drive, but he's the brains.
Okay.
So you're the brains behind the production.
So he's the talent.
You mean the production, whatever you guys produce on stage, you're the brains?
So I think, I think that's why we, you cannot talk about Srilankan ID individually because
we just compliment each other too much.
That's the reason, that's the only reason why I want to split you up.
It's difficult to do that.
It's difficult.
It's really difficult.
I'm splitting you up.
I'm not splitting you up because I want to split you up per se, but because I get to
see the insights of how things truly work.
Yeah.
Rather than me, you know, doing it.
You've been through tons of interviews, I'm sure.
And I'm pretty sure they all kept you guys together.
I'm sorry, but I am just not like any boring mundane piece of shit asking questions, man.
I really want to know why and what make people really tick, you know, and what makes this
outfit, the outfit that it is.
And now you're saying, you said, Shirli, that you drive the business, but you're the brains
in terms of the production and the conceptualization on stage.
Is that it?
I think so.
Because Srilankan ID is all about music.
It's about harmony, right?
So there has to be someone who designs the entire concept, arranges the entire music
production and performance.
So I think that that's where I come into it.
The orchestration, the arrangement, the conceptualization, how you're going to be, you know, as performers,
as entertainers on stage.
Maybe the arts part of it.
The arts part.
The money part of it is that side.
So we are very efficient in that way.
Like he takes care of this, you know, and I don't meddle with it.
I let him arrange it.
And then for me, it's like, I can give some of the inputs if you ask.
And like the commercial aspect of it, like I help him handle it so that he doesn't need
to think about it.
Right.
So vice versa, you leave the commercial aspect mostly to her.
Yes.
Not mostly, all.
I trust her.
Implicitly.
She's just bringing us, you know, to places so I think she's done a very good job in that.
So all I do is just focus on the music and to create this signature sound that Sheeran
Adi is all about.
Right.
Yeah.
Okay.
Thanks for the answer, but you still didn't answer my question.
Just much like Sheeran.
I'm just asking about what makes you tick, man?
What are you about, man?
I am single.
Oh, is that an answer?
Oh, I'm a singleist.
I'm a singleist.
Chris, can your podcast show bring him again?
At least a girlfriend.
Adi is single.
Check out the biceps, man.
Look at the biceps.
That's why I'm saying answer like that.
So it's like bringing the guns out.
And he's got salt and pepper on his head too, man.
I mean, how sexy can a man get, right?
Salt and pepper on the head.
Now, come on, come on.
Okay.
What are you all about, mate?
I mean, what makes you Adi?
So, okay.
Music is one.
Music is one aspect of it.
Okay.
If I have to deep dive into myself, right?
I think family is a big part of it.
Family and friends.
I am a big believer in long time friendships.
So I am, you know, in my secondary school gang and JC gang, I'm always the one who is
the glue of it all.
I mean, I'm the one who...
Initiates.
...all that.
Family during COVID especially.
I mean, we just went through that.
I am the one who initiated, eh, video call, where are you?
And all this.
So, yeah.
So why?
Because I just need that in my life.
So I'm a family guy.
I'm a emotional sentimental guy who thrives on relationships.
Usually good musos are.
Yeah?
Emo guy.
I am the typical emo muso.
Let me just, I'm going to be very brutally frank with my question here.
How old are you, Adi?
38.
Holy crap.
How old are you?
Just turned 39.
Say 38 lah.
38.
Oh yeah, sorry.
We're the same batch.
Okay.
Just turned 39, you're 38.
So that means you're going to be 39 this year.
Yes.
But you guys are so young.
My goodness gracious me.
Thank you, Chris.
It's okay for me asking that kind of question.
No, he's fishing for compliments because he's going to say that my salt and pepper, my hair
is whiter than his.
I'm not fishing for compliments.
The point is that it's good for me to know because, and you shouldn't, my guests shouldn't,
unless they're older than me.
Most of my guests anyway, when I ask that question, shouldn't shy away from it simply
because look man, I mean, you're not, if you're in your thirties or even in your forties in
my book, you're still very young and there's still a lot more that you can do, a lot more
to look forward to, isn't it?
Yeah.
But I asked that question also because this is where it leads me, this part here.
When did you respectively, individually start off your journey into music?
How did it begin for you?
Was there an influence?
Definitely so.
But I think we stumbled upon Shirley and Adi because we met as friends in junior college.
Wait, you see you're going back to Shirley and Adi.
Let's talk about individually respectively.
This is the first for us because we always talk about us as a group.
I'll let Shirley handle this while I think about my answer.
I'm so glad.
I'm so glad because I don't want to be like everyone else and ask the same things.
So I'm going to go this way again.
I have to do it this way.
So okay, to get the best answers.
Shirley, how did it, when did it begin for you?
It began for me when I started singing in the choir.
This was back in MGS days.
School days.
Oh MGS ah.
Yeah.
This is what I'm talking about.
This is the kind of things I want to know.
Okay so you started singing in a choir in school in MGS.
No, no actually we started, I started in the shower.
Yeah.
Well that's a good place.
Yeah, yeah really really.
So I remember like my first CD that my mum brought home was like Winnie Houston's The
Bodyguard right?
Oh wow.
And there were three because we bought a mini compo.
Mini compo yeah.
Yeah yeah that has like two cassette players and then the CD player and then like a bunch
of stuff.
Sounds like a Sony.
Yeah.
So like I think I think I was like six or seven years old.
Okay.
Yeah so that was my first time listening to like CDs and then the other CD was like Win
of Change, The Scorpions.
Oh gosh okay.
And the third CD was.
I hate that song.
Okay yeah.
Yeah the third CD was like Pocahontas, like the soundtracks.
So Colours of the Wind.
Colours of the Wind.
Yeah yeah yeah.
What's her face now?
Denise Williams.
No no no.
Vanessa Williams.
Vanessa Williams yeah.
Yeah yeah yeah.
The most beautiful.
So yeah yeah yeah yeah she was a Miss USA and she was dethroned.
Yeah.
Yeah because of a Playboy thing right?
Yeah so silly yeah.
Wait can we not digress from this musical journey?
Why are we digressing man?
This is a conversation man.
Come on let's not worry.
We don't have to worry about digressing.
What do you think man?
Have you been dethroned because of that or decrowned?
I think at that time you know back in the 90s it was just difficult.
Yeah I know that's why I wish I was in my 20s now.
And I think right because she was also black right?
No I don't think that was the case.
I really think it was because there was the ultra conservatives at the time.
I mean I was I was I was what that was what 1990 something right?
92?
Yeah about there.
I was a young man.
I wasn't born yet I don't know.
I was so like oh my god she's gorgeous man this girl.
She's beautiful.
Oh yeah.
And she sounds great.
Oh yeah yeah oh yeah.
And yeah it was really silly.
It was okay Vanessa Williams the bodyguard.
Well I was working already when the bodyguard came out.
Whoops.
And okay so you you you you you listened to that and you started to what what's the feeling
you got?
Not really actually I never thought I would sing.
Really?
Yeah.
And then what happened?
I think like when I went to uni like I didn't get my scholarship renewed.
So I was looking for like opportunities to like make extra income on the side while seeing
myself through NUS.
Okay.
Yeah so so back when I was doing a lot of choir right then I was I realized that I could
like sing you know and I like singing so much because after MGS I went to VJ for the choir
and then that was when I actually met Adi and then we became friends because we were
part of the committee of like Victoria Junior College Choir and then we represented Singapore
in choir Olympics.
Then in NUS I left choir for to do other CCAs like NUS Jazz Band, the Ken Ridgehall Rockers
and we wrote for hall production and we sang a lot in hall.
Jam and Hopps and all that.
Something like that but they call it something different during my time.
Okay I'm showing my age man.
I think like it was called Talent Quest or like Jam Aloud or something like that.
Jam and Hopps sounds much better.
So it was really really fun like meeting a lot of friends yeah and creating music with
like my band and then we were going out for competitions and all that so I think like
it really was very fun for me to be able to create joy in occasions.
Yeah I'm sorry I just I want to dig deeper.
That point when you said that when I was in the choir I realized that I could sing.
When you say that, that moment in time when you felt that I realized that I can sing,
what was it that made you realize that hey I can sing?
Because the...
What was it?
I remember we were like going for a competition and then like the choral conductor singled
me out and said can you try this line for the solo?
Okay.
Yeah I mean being a choir we sang as a group right but when you are being auditioned for
a solo part and then you realize that out of the 80 girls then maybe you stood a chance.
So and usually the solos are given to like...
The stronger singers.
Yeah like something someone that stands out.
Okay.
Yeah.
So you realize at that point that hey you know what I think I've got this quality?
Maybe.
It was like maybe or maybe I'm just pure like just very loud and they wanted me to single
me out to sing that solo.
Okay then how do you evolve then into shouldy today, the singer you know the person that
you...
I mean you sound really good.
You sound really good.
You're very kind.
No no you sound good.
Look guys let me make one thing very very clear.
The tribute show I don't take lightly.
The people that I invite to give tribute to it's a tribute.
So if you're here...
Thank you.
In my book you're something.
I really don't give a flying fuck what anyone else out there thinks about who I give tribute
to but this is what I feel.
People ought to be recognized right and I love Musos young and old you know and I always
believe that in some way or other I got to do my small little bit to ensure that musicians
are known out there.
Our musicians.
Thank you for doing what you do.
Yeah and I don't want to stop doing that because I think Musos through the years have not really
been so cherished by people in this country.
We have numb nuts in the audiences you know.
I don't care how I say it.
You don't have to repeat after me.
The audience is getting more and more numb nuts but we'll talk about it later on.
So let me just finish with your story then I can go to Adi.
So you realized at that time when you were in a choir you were singled out to do solo
and you got into the bands and you started competing as well?
Yeah.
I had stage fright so I never really thought like I would do this until now.
I thought it was just going to be like a phase that I will go through.
Okay and at that point when you started gigging was because you wanted to make sure that you
can earn extra income because of the scholarship issue in doing your varsity days right.
So at that stage when you started to do your gigging stuff did you at any time feel that
you know I'm going to do this full time?
No.
You still wanted to go and find a day job?
I was determined to join the corporate world.
Determined to?
Yes.
May I ask what was the degree all about?
We both studied the same course in NUS.
Which course is that?
It was called Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Okay.
Wow.
Cheap man.
What the heck is that?
Until today I don't know bro.
I mean I don't know what was the degree.
What the?
You still don't know what?
I still remember my favourite modules.
Yeah like things about ergonomics and stuff.
But there was a lot of maths and programming and optimisation which like was a little bit
too technical for me.
But I appreciate the knowledge that we have learnt lah although I never practised it.
But you were determined to go into the corporate world according to you.
And why?
Why?
I think like when I come from when my upbringing is that you know everybody goes to have a
nine to five job.
Mainstream.
Yeah.
Inventional thinking.
In fact all the time that I was growing up I always thought like I would hopefully be
a doctor, lawyer, accountant or engineer.
That's why I studied engineering.
Okay.
So your idea was to go out there and become an engineer in a corporate world?
Not really.
In a commercial world.
I think like in the university it was a little bit of a different experience for me.
Like I never knew that I could meet so many people by performing.
And being able to make so many friends as well.
So I think I kind of like saw that as a very wonderful opportunity to deviate and get distracted.
But it was a very amazing experience like how everything come together.
Because ironically when we graduated it was you know the Lehman Brothers crash.
So all the companies were not hiring.
And our first job, me and Adi, at that time we were already singing for one and a half
years in bars right Adi?
Yep.
In bars.
Yeah.
Our first place that we performed that was Red Dot Brew House.
Sorry?
At Dempsey.
At Dempsey a bar called Red Dot Brew House.
Red Dot Brew House okay.
Yeah so we were singing there on Saturday nights and we were year three students in
NUS.
Wow okay.
So it was quite near to NUS.
But it's a weekend gig lah?
Yeah every Saturday.
Okay.
So it was a lot of opportunities after that because people who saw us perform there would
invite us to do events like weddings and their private parties and so forth.
So when we graduated a lot of corporate companies were not hiring.
And you know like I think in our batch probably the first class owners you know.
They get the jobs.
They get the jobs first.
Yeah consultancy companies, engineering companies.
But for me it was difficult yeah because my results were like kind of average.
I mean it makes sense because you are multitasking so many things when you're in the uni right.
So it's very hard to focus on being an A student and besides engineering I realized wasn't
really my thing.
Okay but you did get your degree eventually right?
Oh yeah I'm very thankful for Adi for that.
He was my classmate.
Okay so this is now where I switch from you over to Adi.
So Adi how did it all begin for you man?
What was the influence?
So when I was small right my introduction to music wasn't as successful as my parents
would have thought I think.
So as with all other parents at that time they wanted to send their kids to piano, classical,
lessons and all that.
Cillie you also did right?
Yeah I did.
I did my grade 8 as well.
Wow.
Wait wait I have the question actually.
Were you doing it happily?
Like were you happy?
I was just doing it because I was a competitive kid.
I saw all my friends did it, my mom was like yeah you gotta take piano.
I think at least you had that drive right?
So for me...
No I just wanted to get over with the exams.
Okay but at least then it gets you on over it.
But for me I hated my piano lessons.
It was weekly I think it was every Wednesday I remember.
So every Wednesday in my house is a battle between me and my mom or my helper whoever
that was at home to drag me into the car to go to the piano lessons.
I will cry, I will lock myself in the room.
How old were you man?
This was primary one so I was 7.
7 okay.
Yeah I hated it to the core.
I didn't like why does my mom have to...
So oh wait my mom plays the piano.
Okay.
I think she also wants the kids to...
But why did you hate it man?
Looking back I have no reason for that.
Like I think it's just a kid being rebellious to whatever the parent wants to do.
Maybe you felt that it was too mechanical and people were telling you what to do and
you didn't like it.
I think it was because I was told what to do.
If it was my own want then maybe I would like it.
I don't know I cannot...
Anyway you know psychoanalyzing myself right now I'm not sure what the reason was.
It's fine psychoanalyze yourself man, it's very healthy.
I don't know what was the reason but I hated it and then so I think four years down the
road I was grade 6 already.
My mom finally landed because I kept begging please please please I don't want.
But you made it all the way to grade 6 and then you were still banging kicking your feet
and banging tables about this?
Yeah.
Okay.
Winning competition along the way lah.
Holy shit and you were still like please I want to stop this.
Okay.
Still I hated it.
So I think finally my mom looking at my mantel said at that time I guess I find joy somewhere
else that it's not piano.
What is that?
What joy is that?
I don't know.
Study study study.
I think studies was it.
No Adi you just.
It's not that you didn't like piano you didn't like classical piano.
I don't think so.
Really?
Yeah.
It was just because my mom sent me to swimming.
So you didn't know about this either.
Swimming lessons, piano lessons.
I hated both.
Oh I love swimming.
Whatever that my parents don't tell me to do and I find it myself like studies for example
I like it.
So I did damn well in school.
So anyways back to the story.
Yeah that's why you came here on scholarship just like I did.
Wait wait so back to the story.
So grade 6 is finally when my mom relented and I said okay okay okay you can just finish.
Wait wait wait you said something that piqued my curiosity.
You came here on that's why you came here on scholarship.
What do you mean?
Okay this story was happening in Indonesia.
I am from Indonesia.
Ah see Revelation I know that.
Alright Revelation.
Okay that's why I say who is Adi.
So you're Indonesian.
I am Indonesian.
No wonder your accent sounds Indonesian to me.
Yeah.
Orang Indonesia lah bang.
Ah okay Pak.
Alright Pak.
Discovery.
Oh yes yes yes.
Okay so where was I?
Ah so finally I got my mom to release me from my weekly misery of piano lessons.
So and then this is where then I started you know at that time 9596 MTV was huge.
Boy bands who take that Backstreet Boys and all this.
And then in school we had to bring a musical instrument with that's either recorder or
we call it pianica.
I don't think you have it here.
Recorder.
It's a melodian is it?
So it's like a small keyboard.
Yeah with a keyboard.
Melodian.
Yeah.
That's not a recorder.
No yeah it's a melodian.
It's a choice of either the recorder or the.
Melodian.
Pianica.
We just like a piano.
But it has a tube.
Yes.
There's a blowing instrument.
So in school where everybody was in music lesson was learning those most simple the
most the simplest songs whatever it was the very simplest.
I was playing Backstreet Boys or like Westlife or whatever that was.
And then I became famous in my school as that guy who can play anything.
So this school is in Singapore?
I was in Indonesia.
So this was me in Indonesia.
This was you in Indonesia.
Secondary one, secondary two.
So it was in 1997, 1998.
So finally I think this is me psychoanalyzing myself again right.
So finally that is where the first time I realized that I had this drive that came from
that fame you know school-wide fame of being the guy who can play anything you hear on
MTV.
So was that you is that really you you hear a tune a melody and you can actually replicate?
Yes.
So fresh off the classical course which I didn't finish because I only I dropped out
at grade six.
Then I started listening to a song on the radio on MTV and then trying to figure out
the course myself.
So this is me at eight, sorry 10 to 12 years old.
So when I got to secondary one then I was basically showing off to the whole school
about Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Westlife songs and nobody could play that.
Basically top hits.
Yes because everybody was was learning the simple I don't know what what songs we will
play on that recorder but you know yeah so every recess.
Top six.
Every recess I will draw the crowd to just listen to to me play and they will start requesting
for songs.
I didn't play this I wanted that way or whatever it was.
I would just play it.
So I think that was the first time I found that oh what is this fame thing.
And I mean I feel happy that I get recognized by people for being able to play music.
Oh singing comes much later for me so this is just piano.
Playing.
Wow.
How many should we play?
Just one I mean piano and all variations of it you know keyboards organ piano.
And as long as it's got keys on it.
Yeah.
Right.
So what who would you or what would you attribute your journey into music to?
You were against your piano lessons.
Your folks were bringing you to and at the same time you know you begged to get out of
it.
You got out of it at grade six and then you went to this little ridiculous thing.
Pianica.
Pianica and whatever whatever melody or whatever you're playing and go fuck I'm getting fame
playing this shit you know.
And therefore this being the case who or what would you attribute if you had to?
I give tribute to this person or this point in my life.
I know exactly what the answer is.
What is it man?
My mom.
Still my mom.
My mom is the one at that time I hated the most for sending to my lessons.
Now looking back and we do talk about it.
Mom I'm so grateful for that.
So she's your influence then?
Yes.
Okay why you got to that point?
So your influence can't be the mini compo or the CDs or the shower right?
Who would you attribute yours to?
Or what would you attribute yours to?
I think when looking back right if you want to say like the foundation of music right
none of my family members are musicians or musical.
But my mom right she is okay we like to do karaoke.
But like my dad is kind of like tone deaf so he doesn't really get the melody.
But my mom likes to sing very high.
But I find it quite like sometimes annoying.
So we would do family karaoke sessions.
No that's funny sorry.
So she very high very annoying.
But she's in tune.
So I don't know maybe it's from her.
But anyway that's why I end up singing in the showers a lot.
But I never knew that I could sing because I have a younger brother and he's always like
Jack can you please shut up?
So I never really thought like you know I can sing.
That's why the choir thing was very important for me because it was in choir that I realized
like oh maybe I could.
So if you were to attribute your musical journey to someone or something it would be a someone
and could that be or would that be the choir master who singled you out?
Actually I wouldn't say at any particular person.
But if I want to say like someone who really impacted me to change my mind about like corporate
and stuff.
I think it was meeting Adi.
So you would say this man.
I'm just special right now.
So this man is the one that was your influence.
Because when I went to JC right it's exactly the way that he said it.
This has been a counselling session man.
I've known things about her that I've never known.
Yes yes sorry Adi I never told you about this.
But you know right when I went to JC right and you know in VJ we had pianos all over
the school.
Right outside the lecture hall there's one, at the amphitheater there's one and then like
there's outside of the principal's office there's one.
Any Victoria JC audience hopefully will know about this.
So Adi would be playing there and just like how he described his primary school to be
people would gather around him and they would start requesting for songs.
Adi play this play that that that then he would just play.
And I was like holy shit how can anybody and then because he was in the same choir as me
and we were both in committee in the committee right so I was the student conductor and he
was my tenor SL so we worked together.
And he was like actually I only have grade 6 piano.
I'm like dude you play like that and you only have grade 6 piano.
So I was like I was stunned eh for the first time in my life right I met someone right
who didn't have to play the scores and he could do all these like R&B vocalizing stuff
and like straight away just arrange you sing this this this.
I was like whoa so to me that was talent lah.
Yeah it's the kind of talent that you see.
So he's an inspiration he inspired you.
Yeah yeah yeah like that one has a lot of impact.
I need to bring down that story a bit because so Victoria JC teachers used to hate me because
what I do at the end of the lectures like we usually teachers will and maybe 10 minutes
15 minutes earlier.
Then I get out of the lecture hall there's a grand piano there started playing piano
I move the entire hall to be around me and then there will be uh uh for songs that cause
traffic congestion for the next lecture and all this and then the the lectures will know
ah is this id playing again.
So they call him the piano man.
Make it stop make it stop.
Oh wow Billy Joel man.
Make it stop because I need to start my next lecture but I mean years later fast forward
uh years later you know when we bump into our Victoria JC friends on the road we didn't
know each other but until now they still recognize me as that piano man from VJ so that that
brought me oh you know that feels.
Yeah yeah yeah it's a it's a reputation doesn't go away.
Yeah no matter what happens.
To be recognized from something for something that I am I think I'm good at it's something
else.
But those are impressionable years you know where everyone will remember someone for
the stuff they do.
Yeah yeah that's true.
I will always remember Boon Chye for example you know Boon Chye.
You're from my school.
Yes.
A lot of these guys were from my school.
Wait your school is?
St Pat's.
There's a lot of people from your school.
Yeah I know.
In the entire industry is from your school.
I know we took a picture we took a picture last night.
It was so funny you know there was Boon Chye there was Wayne Sands there was Sean DeMello
there was Ignatius Bong and there was me.
So I said guess what there are five guys from St Pat's all playing in different bands.
Not me I was there as a damn in the audience you know.
But we took a shot together.
I'm in the music business of course you know.
So we took a short shot together and and and it was it's pretty amazing because not just
in music but in media as well.
You look at the DJs Glenn is my classmate.
Andre Houdon is my was also from the same school but those are junior.
Joe Augustine is my senior by a year.
Rod Montero same thing.
John Klass my batch.
You know so we all we all come from St Patrick's man.
Yeah.
And I'm pretty proud of that fact.
I think this generation.
You guys are opposite us.
Victoria Junior College.
Yeah I know.
Yeah yeah we know.
If I just digress a bit about that and that the point is I think it's nice for you to
have this camaraderie as as that that that very alumni.
Our batch I mean we all do well of course but in a different field in a whole different
field it's the traditional field of you know finance and corporate and all this.
But I mean to know that so many of you are doing well in entertainment which is people
until today still view as non-traditional.
I think that's outstanding.
Yeah when Boonchai when Boonchai first put on the saxophone man and he played in one
of the school shows you know my jaw fell to the ground.
I was like what the fuck was that.
So many of these guys man so I attribute to all of you boys man I love you guys.
You know so many of them man.
I mean when John Klass went up to sing and there was Sean when he went up to sing and
Bong when he played he's always been that good man.
Kevin Shep you too man I mean so many so many I guess just so many to count.
And the Musos and the talent that came out of the school I'm so proud of them.
I'm so proud of them.
I've never counted myself as one of them though but because these guys to me they were monsters
man monsters.
These guys were great you know they still are they're still great.
And yeah you're right they have a fraternity yeah you know a fraternity of people who love
doing that what they do.
And you know every time we meet them like all these names that you have just said they
very proudly say they are from St. Harris.
That's why we know.
Protests and revolt.
Yes yes.
They make their identity very pronounced.
We are very proud of our school we're very proud to be petitions man.
I mean I still am.
My son's in the school now.
Oh okay.
Yeah well anyway I'm gonna ask you one more question.
These questions are kind of simple actually you know but it makes you think a little bit
about it.
And I'm glad that you guys are hearing things from each other that you've never heard before
which is what I always get going.
And I'm glad it's happening.
This is my question I'm gonna leave it open.
Yeah okay we'll leave it open.
Why do you do this?
Oh wow.
The truth yeah the truth.
Why do you do this?
Why do you do what you do man?
I'm gonna start with adding to Shili's point earlier you asked about what is it what made
you determined to do corporate.
Is that what you asked?
Why were you determined to do corporate?
Because in our time that is the only way we know you know there's no other way.
You graduate university you get your degree and then you get your nine-to-five job.
So we are we were all I don't want to say indoctrinated but I mean you know we that's
the only way we know.
You're indoctrinated into the conventional way of things right?
If Minister Chan Chun Seng is watching this.
I hope he is because this shouldn't be the way.
Yeah I remember the day that I told my mom and my dad that I was gonna leave my corporate
job to do this full-time and it was like at a dinner and then I had Adi join us as well
because we were gonna break that news to her.
I tell you my mom almost flipped the table.
Traditional Chinese family.
Yeah no she's like she's a teacher you see.
So when she retired right she was like she almost like became principal kind and then
she's like very traditional.
My dad on the other hand you know he's like he runs his own small business right so my
dad could understand my dad was like after you leave you're never gonna go back to corporate.
Then I was like yeah I think so.
But my eventually like she was supportive but going back to your question why do we
do this yeah.
So my parents are also the same and but to put a disclaimer to this I mean we don't want
to make them as the villains.
They are not.
In fact my parents are super supportive now.
We know that they mean well.
They're just worried.
We know that us going into this non-traditional route will be somewhat risky harmful for us
in the future and all this.
So the only way they know to make sure that we have a good life is to for us to have a
nine to five job right.
For sense of security.
Yeah yeah.
So now going back to the question the why that we we decided to do this must be strong
enough to go against what they believe it's true and then you know and then.
So why?
Yeah.
I still don't get an answer because why?
Actually to be honest right we are very traditional also.
Okay.
And I think for us if we didn't see the numbers the opportunities and the facts right I don't
think both Adi and I would have gone into this because there were there were a time
also that we were signed to a label right Adi and we had to go all in or like no.
Wait wait wait wait you signed to a label?
Yeah.
Did you sign to a label?
We did.
That was when we left that was when I left my full-time job.
Okay.
In the airport.
As recording artists.
Yeah.
All right and what happened with that?
Nothing happened.
Oh sorry.
Didn't you guys record anything and you publish or release anything?
No.
Holy shit.
Oh I smell a rat somewhere.
No no no there's no rats.
Okay.
No no Adi.
There are nice people.
It was just I think timing.
The timing wasn't you know everything happens with time.
Okay.
It's like the timing that we graduated people were not hiring so we end up doing music right
and then we realized that hey we can actually get paid singing two hours a night for a monthly
salary that was quite cool and then the daytime I had nothing to do and I felt so weird all
my friends are working in the office right so then after that but this time around we
were while we were in corporate we were signed to a label yeah that one was true.
Oh okay.
But I also feel like we learned a lot from the experience.
Okay.
Yeah although we didn't release like any record with that label at that time but we we learned
a lot.
What did you learn?
Okay just name me one don't give me the whole gamut but just one.
What did you learn?
Don't anyhow sign a label.
Actually it's true.
You should always.
That's one of the aspects.
Actually it's true.
It's true.
I should have.
Being signed has its advantages because you get to release whatever it is but then it
also limits you in terms of the number of events you can do and all this right.
So and then at that time we were already in then we just realized oh shoot then we cannot
do this this this.
Yeah we were limited to things that we could do because we had to be confound.
It was more like a.
Confined.
Certain amount of exclusivity.
Yeah yeah definitely because you you you you sold yourself to some organization for sure.
Yeah.
You know where you can't do some certain things without having their their their their their
green light.
However coming back again why do you do it?
Why do we do it?
Why do you do what you do?
So also coming back to the Sheilis point I also agree and I wish I could wait I could
give you a beautiful answer to this but because we were both engineers from NUS
everything had to come down to the numbers. Let me try to clarify my question. Ask me
that question. Why do I do it? Okay. Why do you do it? Because I love it. Yes.
Because I love this. Yes. Because I love the feeling of getting my microphone.
Because I like what I hear. Because I love the audiences. Because what I work
hard on that stage and I work that room and seeing these people's faces light
up, it's like a drug. I want to continue doing it. That's my answer. Yeah. Now I'm
gonna throw it back again to you guys. Why do you do it? For me is I really like
singing for people who are smiling. So bringing joy is very important for me. So
Adi, you want to say first before I re-laborate? So this is what I said to my parents from
year to year, right? So similar to what Sheley presented to her parents and
when she wanted to quit the full-time job. That was the year that we got signed.
Yeah. Okay. So from my full-time job, I was in banking. So I get this. I mean
the amount of money, the amount of network. But then when you compare to what I do at
night, number one, financially it's also more. But also you get to be out there.
Your network is not just limited to whoever that you are interacting with in
the office. It's limitless. So when I talk to my parents, I get to know these
important people, that important people. I won't get to know otherwise. So that's
one. And then to Chris's point about what you feel on stage. Every single event
for us is different because people say that weddings every week or
corporate events, isn't it the same? But no, the challenge is how for you
to read the room, be able to see the demographics just laid there by
your eyes and then decide, okay, I need to sing this, this, this, this song, this
song, this song will get these people going. And then boom, they are all dancing.
The moment they are dancing, the moment they react to your songs,
that feeling is really irreplaceable. Then multiply it with night after night
after night of different groups of people, different groups of... So yeah, the
feeling of you being able to move both physically as well as
sometimes... Do you remember, Shulit, we sang Teresa's
song, I Never Forget You, you forget me. At a wedding and then this table in front
of us suddenly started just weeping and then just hugging each other and
then we was like, oh shit, what's happening? They came to us afterwards,
they said that that song reminded me of my brother who passed a year ago. We
didn't know things about that but I mean, you know, it must have been the
way we conveyed the feelings in the song and all this. Stories like this just
accumulate throughout our career and then... Thank you for your answer, brother.
Yeah, actually bringing it back to the label thing, right? So there was one
thing that they didn't control which was us performing at weddings.
So because waiting for them to move the recording stuff and all that,
so we did what we could do on our own which is within our control which was to
perform at weddings. So we did so much of it while waiting. So then those
years that we were signed, I think we were so crazy at weddings, Adi, do you
remember? There was like so many weddings right and then people were
telling us like, why do you play at weddings? People are like not gonna listen to you
what? But that's not true though, that's not our experience right? Because when we
play at weddings right, we make moments happen and then when people are eating,
they are still listening to you, you know? Do you need them to clap after every
song? No, not really but when they do, then you know that you are doing a great
job, you know? That they are actually appreciating you. So for me, I feel
like everything happened in such a way that it shaped us to where we
ended up now. So you love this? Of course, yes. That's the why you have, because
when you do things that has meaning, is it? You don't even realize that it doesn't work at all.
Yeah, okay. Thanks for that answer. Now then, I have to also support this argument that
why it's not enough, all this love for whatever you do is not enough. It's just
how, I don't know, our society, yes. And also the cost of living in Singapore, for example, is high.
So no matter how much you love, you know, whatever it is that you do, I mean,
you cannot always just be singing everything and anything else. You just have to justify it
that, you know, you are able to make this work in this life. If I may, if I may
contribute a little bit. You know what you just said, you're right. You can't
just live on love and air, right? I have a something I always tell all
my students, because till now, I'm still teaching. I still teach. I teach voice
and I teach anyone who wants to host, anyone who wants to host, I can teach. So I still
conduct classes, but even from before, the message has always been Elvis's motto,
TCB, take care of business first. Your craft will always be there. If you know
what you can do, if you know what you're about, you take care of business first.
And in this, in my years and 40 years of doing this and the Musos I know, okay,
some of them are, they're earning well, they're earning very good money. You know,
they've been doing this some longer than me, you know, and much longer. I'm not
gonna name names. And they go eventually, it's the giving back that helps you go on.
You guys are still very young, so I tell you now, it's the giving back. The guys
who go out there teaching, you know, if they're not teaching, they are organizing
session players and they get private gigs and they get the regular stuff. They
grow their names within the stat board, for example, yeah, NEC, you know. It's
just giving back. And that's where you start to see things also from that
commercial angle, you know, as individual Musos in performance. And I
think that's important. I've always said to everyone that I've met that no
matter what you do, you got to think the business first. Right? How are you gonna
be making money off this? Okay, because we still need money. Okay? And that's why
I find it very, I want to do this tribute show because people got to stop
looking at performers, entertainers, Musos per se. Okay? As I give you 20 bucks, I'll
give you exposure. I'll give you my finger. Yes. You know, I really hate shit like that.
And yeah, and when you say work the room, or rather read the room, I'm
glad you said that. Because not many people do that these days. Let me just
tell you this. Last night I was at a concert. Great bands went up there. But
there was one. I'm not naming names. Okay, there's one particular one. That's it.
Well, they have about six figures worth of followers on social media.
Now I compare that band to the other bands that came up, especially the last
one that came up. My god, mind-blowing. You know, I mean like, whoa! These people
work the room. They read the room. They work the room. Really, really work the
room. It's not just about sending their singing, man. It's about interacting,
building rapport with your audience, right? They were doing that. But this other
band, Young Lot, were there. They had people cheering for them, pockets, because
they were their followers. It is the social media thing that got them to be
invited to perform. But I mean, I'm not a spring chicken when it comes to
this. I stood there in the audience and I was watching and I go, come on. You cannot just
rely on your social media presence when you're doing something live with
this bunch of people right in front of you because they don't know who the hell
you are. And you know, they're not reading the room. They're reading
what they see in their heads. That is my number of people following me. But they're
not reading the room. So it's completely lost in terms of, you know, of
entertaining your crowd. So when you say that, I'm like, thank goodness. You
know, I'm glad. I really am. That people still speak the same language, man. You
know, you have to read the room. You need to work the room. DJs even. A lot of DJs
today don't even read the room. They just shook sendiri. Yeah. It's true. I won't give a
fuck. I'm saying it, man. Lots of the jobs today, I know the big ones have been
around a long time. Agree. No one talks even. I think, right, I mean, anyone in
entertainment has to have the soul of serving people. Whoever that you are,
your audience is, is someone that you have to serve instead of, I mean, in terms
of you have to find their, I don't know. I don't know what it is. The sweet spot.
The sweet spot that get them moved. Moving or moved. So we also don't want
to make this topic very negative to all of the young musicians out there.
So the hours that you put into the pubs and bars in the beginning, I
think it's very important. For us, those are the training grounds. It is
incomparable to you posting in IG story of you singing because then you don't
have that live interaction, right? You interact with comments and all this, but
it's different from if you are in a live bar setting and then you just have to
get the crowd going how to do that. So with that experience building up over
the years and you just know, right? Leave egos outside the door. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And leave idealism outside as well. So it's not about who you are, it's about who
the audience is and then I just want to please you. How best to do it and then
we just figure out. So on that note, guys, what in your mind makes a
great show? I am sentimental, okay? Please be. So from my sentimental point of view,
it's the heart. It's the heart of the show or whatever it is. As a musician, right?
Yeah, whatever. Like a great show must be from the heart. No, no, not just from the heart, but I mean.
It's gonna come from the heart. Watching it from the audience seat, if I get
the heart of the show, then I will, I love it. I will like it. Whether it's the
performance being very into the performance or whether it's whatever it
is or whatever he's telling stories or is this a song or is it whatever it is.
If it's, yeah, if it's something that whatever I identify as the heart of the
show is something that will get me. Okay, I will go the specifics after this,
but what do you have to say about what makes a great show? What makes a great show?
For me is in the sense of entertainment, right? I must be moved as a guest.
Emotionally moved? Yeah, or in any senses. Yeah, so wouldn't it be like, you know,
what goes into your production? You know, for a fact that tonight, for example,
correct me if I'm wrong, I like to hear how you guys work. For example, you
go on stage, you have two sets, 45 minutes per set. You plan your repertoire for those
sets, right? Do you plan an act in between or a few acts in between, for example?
I think the heart in, to get people feel touched, right? Yeah, yeah.
Even if it's to get them to laugh even. Yeah, yeah. So if we were planning, okay,
let's not talk about corporate shows or those shows that we are more commercial,
but maybe if we are... Doing our own content. Yes, so we do get invited by, you know,
people like Esplanade or any USUCC and all. Let's do have a show that's revolving just around us.
This is the best shows for us because it's just really up to us, it's our show,
it's up to us to plan where it is. So yes, whatever you said is correct. It means that
we want the entire set list to tell a story from start to end and allow the audience to react
whatever way and relate to their own personal stories and yeah, and all this.
Wait a second, wait a second. You need to say today, in today's environment,
when you meet clients for private shows outside of yours, and you're not able to come out with
your own show production in terms of, for example, let me just rewind the decades a little bit.
Okay, I'm not that bad. I'm not so many decades old. It depends on the scale of the event though.
Yeah, sure. You're talking about like opening at a national stadium, is it?
No, no, no. I'm talking about going in to say, for example, a ballroom. Yeah. Okay. And it's a
corporate gig. Okay, let's use a simple example. We have a pre-arranged set list.
Okay, you have a pre-arranged repertoire set list. But based on what I've heard,
I've heard Adi said that if it's your own show, let's say the Esplanade, for example,
you guys are being featured. You can't do your own thing. I can of course respect that,
it's for sure. But if let's say you're hired for a private gig, simple one, in a ballroom,
okay? And you have two sets to play 45 minutes per set. You have a repertoire set up. You also
include things like little funny things to do, you know, during those sets so that you can capture
the hearts of your audience either by laughter, because it's comedic or by, you know. We have
certain formulas to that. So you actually do all these things. This is how it's different from when
it's really purely our show, right? When it's the client shows, then the client has their...
They dictate basically.
Yeah, so they have their concept. There's a conceptualization. Whatever we do,
whatever we do is the Chilean Adi signature to that theme.
To bring the goal of the event.
So, I mean, this is back to us, me saying earlier that as an entertainer, we have to have a serving
soul, right? Client is the boss. So we serve you. But then we still read the room. We still do...
We have to read the room.
Yeah. So actually, I think...
So that's what...
What differentiates the Chilean Adi's performance at events from, let's say, what a stand-up comedian
does, right? If they don't do improv, every show is the same. For example, like, if you watch
Kevin Hart do a set, right, in Singapore, everything is scripted from start to end, right?
And he tells you, like, oh, his people will tell you, don't take any photos, don't take any
recordings, blah, blah, blah. And the same show is repeated like every other city he's toured on.
But for Chilean Adi, we don't do it this way.
Okay.
So the songs for every event could be different. But if there is a client involved, we work
with the client to come up with a set list. But whether we achieve what I want to do,
like create the emotion, the impromptu, that is based on our formula or our experience
of handling the crowd.
Sure, sure, sure. Okay, all right, I'm not going to pursue this any further.
No, because you know what, because to me, it's a little... I agree a lot to the fact that,
of course, it's the client's gig, client's boss. And this is what the outcome of the client was.
That's fine. But how you... whatever you come up with should be left entirely to your own devices.
What songs you're going to sing should be up to you. Because if that's the case, I will
tell the client, then you go do it.
Right, really.
Okay, okay. So I think I get your point. So we do have some clients who think that whatever
they come up with is perfect for the show. That's where we come in. So when we...
We will give our feedback.
Yeah. So we are not an instruction receiver. We are instruction consultant, right? So whatever
concept they have...
There will be a discussion.
Usually there is.
Yeah.
So to you, a great show would be what happens at the end of the night, what happens at the
end of the program. What will happen at the end of the program that will tell you that
this was a great show?
The crowd reacts.
Okay.
Dancing.
Yes.
Cheering, singing along.
Do people still dance? People still dance?
They do, yes.
They do at our shows.
Yes, that's why.
Yes, they will.
I always have this joke. You don't call it a D&D anymore because the last D no longer
happens.
Yeah.
I mean, I was rocking the stage in the nineties especially. But at that time, we always have
to input into the program before the grand draw. Grand draw has to be at midnight.
Okay.
Has to be at midnight.
Nowadays they do it at 10.
Okay. It's like a countdown thing.
From 9.30.
Yeah. You see, it's so boring. At 9.30, we are still having stage games. We're still
playing stuff. We're still having the first round, second round of the draws. Then we
go into the first set of dance. Then after we finish the first set of dance, then we
have the countdown to the draw, the grand draw. And so that was how we used to work.
We were done with a gig on a week at night. It would be two in the morning.
Wow.
And the entire crowd stays.
Yes.
Okay. You cannot have it now, right? Nowadays, right?
No, that's what I'm saying. The audience has changed, hasn't it?
Yeah.
It's so different today. I mean, even the guys who are working in clubs are telling
me, Chris, by 11 o'clock we're done. What? I said, who the hell parties at 11? For clubs,
you know, three, four o'clock in the morning, maybe. Or three in the morning, right? You
push it a little bit, you know, past a couple of minutes past three. But today, it's so
sad for me to hear this, man. We're not partying the way we used to. We party hard. And when
we do gigs in the past, we shut down, tear down everything, go to Adam Road or Newton
the Mudgun after that.
That's breakfast.
Exactly. And we're up again the next day to do the same thing, to pack up and for setting
up, you know? And then the show starts again, five o'clock soundcheck. That's what we used
to do. So just to hear this thing about dancing, if you guys hear your crowd dancing, I say,
well done, kudos, man. Because I really don't see-
We don't get them dancing. We will be very stressed on stage. Shit, shit, shit. What's
wrong? What's wrong? Should we change the entire playlist?
Yeah.
So that's when Adi will like, site-i me and we will be like, okay, let's change.
Let's change the job.
Great, great, great. I'm glad to hear this. I really am glad. So now today, in today's
context, since you guys are so active out there, I mean, like I said earlier at the
start of the show, you're just about everywhere, right? Yeah, yeah. You guys really, I mean,
for fuck's sake, I mean, I'm like, where do you know? How? You know, I look at your posts
on your socials, man. You guys are just about everywhere, which is great. And hence the
reason why you're here. However, with that in mind, you feeling the pulse of what it's
like. If there's any young budding performer, entertainer, muso currently in a junior college
or in varsity. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, that sounds like us 20 years ago. Exactly. What
would you say to them? Would you say, don't worry about it. Step right in, do this. It's
great. Would you give them, would you say that to them? I haven't answered that. So
my answer is, uh, find your unique, um, what do you call it? I saw like a marketing lecturer
right now. But fine. Yeah. Find your signature. Yeah. Yeah. And then just believe in it. So
do you think there's still a market, man? Yeah. Do you think that there's still space
for people to grow and earn a living as a full-time professional muso, entertainer performer
in this country? In this country? Yeah. Yes. Because you're the youngest people I've talked
to so far in the business, man. Afuan was the next one, right? Kai, Afuan was the youngest
before these two walked in, right? Oh, Afuan is older than us. Yeah, Afuan's older than
you. Oops. Sorry, bro. Sorry, bro. Sorry. He's great. Yeah. Oh, Afuan's great. Fantastic.
Fantastic frontman. And that's why I asked him on the show because to me he impressed
me wholesale as a frontman of the band. I mean, amazing really. And his boss came on,
Danny Lung came as well. Um, yeah. And, uh, you know, I, I, I want to know from you, man,
what you really say, come on in, come into this business to the young person today out
there dreaming of doing this. I would say go in with your eyes open. What do you mean
by that? To be aware that like, um, this is not a traditional path. So it is up to the
individual to shape their journey and plan ahead, you know, like, because our form of
income stream will be very different from a stable monthly income. So you need to be
prepared that if you are looking at just numbers, so you need to be prepared for like any unpredictability
that happens, you know, and then plan financially for yourself for the next five, 10, 15, 20,
30 years. Okay. I'm going to adjust this question a little bit for Adi. That was a great answer
because you said it, you said it from a commercial perspective. Now let's hear this from a creative
perspective. What would this young person have to do from the creative perspective?
Yes. Should you say come right in, but you got to do? Yeah. Uh, what I said, so find
your niche, I guess. How about how you hold your craft? Is there anything you need to
do about their craft? Uh, the craft is really up to them because you know, technicalities,
guitar and, and vocals and piano, this is all, it's all different, right? But once you
find that niche, whatever it is, so for our personal, during our time, there was nobody
doing a male and female duo. Uh, I think there is, but no, I mean, you know, so at that time
we got our batch, we individually got solo offers, but we had many solo offers, we went
against the tide to, because we believe that, okay, this Shilin I didn't think could work.
But if somebody is like us, I think it's unique enough. We have a signature harmony song,
whatever it is, we want to sell it. And then, and then at that time we, we, we turned down
a lot of my gigs and your, your individual gigs. Yeah. We had a lot of individual propositions.
Stand by our brand. But we rejected all of them to perform together as Shilinadi. So
I think if you believe that you have a, you have a niche somewhere that can be anything
now, you know, EDM, DJ, it can be, uh, even electronic musician, whatever your signature
sound is ethnic into, into EDM, whatever it is. So once you have it, believe in it and
just continue pursuing it. Don't change. Yes. You've, you will have your color, you have
your branding and then you, you know, and then you will like, you, you know, Lin Ying.
Yes. I was going to talk about her. Lin Ying is, is the perfect example of this. She sang
the road ahead, um, national NDP song two years ago. So I recently connected with her,
uh, and she's now based in LA most of the time. So she shuttles between LA and Singapore.
So we knew her when she was really, really just starting out and she was still in NUS.
So she came to one of our open mic in beer market at that time. Right. So we were basically
a band hosting an open mic, getting people to come out and sing with us throughout the
night. And the moment she sang, I didn't, I just look at each other. Whoa, who is this
girl? Right. So during the breaks, I went up to talk to her because, you know, I also
run like an agency that we provide musicians for weddings and, and, and, and corporate
events. So I was talking to her and all that. She was like, she was so clear about what
she wanted to do. She said, I want to do original songwriting. She said, I don't mind doing
this, you know, at the site, but the originals is what I want to focus on. And she really
stood by it and she just went and just did it and look where she is now. And that might
mean commercial Lee non viable at your early stage, because you know, you're not making
money with original music at the start, but then why, by you honing your craft and writing
more songs, better songs, and then you getting recognized, a very signature sound that you
have will then appear and then it will define you in the business. And then someone will
just recognize you for that. Yeah. So now like when we look at Lining, right, she's
like her originals are so good. She sounds great and you can recognize that voice. Yeah.
So I think stand by your unique selling point. Oh my God. Have you guys noticed something
man? I lean back and I went right back to the wall and I leave you the space to talk.
And I was just watching this to and fro between the two of you. Yeah. You should never split
because the way you guys were going, man, I was like, what the fuck? I mean, it's great.
This is the feeling when you watch us on stage, the banter. It's just like that. One day I
hope to see catch you guys on stage, man, you know, to see you guys perform. Yes, we
hope so too. One day, who knows, maybe I'll be hosting a show in your honor as well. Then
we'll do a song together. Okay. Sure, man. Anytime. As a matter of fact, speaking of
songs, before we go on to that, I just want to share a little story, a little known story
before we wish everyone, wish each other and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Yeah. You
said when your folks and you know, maybe yours as well, when you decided to become musicians
full of time, right? The conventional way of doing things is people find it very hard
to adjust to. Let me tell you, have you ever heard me on radio? No, right? Is that a question?
No. Yeah, it's a question. No, no. Right. And I've had so many people after we say cut
on my show for three seasons, this is season four, and I've always told them after Kai
says cut and it's never been on camera, I'm going to do it right now. I've never been
on radio. People ask me, Chris, why? Are you serious? Am I serious? You mean I shouldn't
be on radio? No, you should be on radio. Yeah, but I've never been on radio. Like the moment
I walked into the studio, I was like, damn, his voice is so nice. Thank you. I'd say it
out loud to you, remember? Thank you. But I get that a lot, but I'm not bragging, but
I do get that a lot. But and I do teach voice. Yeah. And I'm a VO artist. I do voiceovers
and stuff, but I've never been on radio. But when I was seven years old, all the way up,
as I was growing up, that is. You were too busy for the radio, right? No, that wasn't
it. It's always been my dream job. You know, on Saturday mornings, who is Chris Hansen
and what am I about? Okay. On Saturday mornings, I would listen to radio, no school then. And
in those days, 905 was called, Gold was called just Radio One, 90.5. And we had great voices
on there. In those days, we had Bernard Salosa, Junior's dad, yeah, Monica Lim, and we've,
Victor Kuhl, Roger Kuhl, right? The list can go on. And I listened to these great voices
on radio and on Rediffusion as well. FD was on Rediffusion before he went on radio. Nigel
Moss-Burgin and Eric Lim, right? All great voices, man. And I would emulate, you know,
my voice hasn't broken yet. Then you need to know I'm tone deaf. You've said it correctly.
I gotta tell you, man, I'm tone deaf. No way. No, no, really, really tone deaf. And I was
booed sometime when I was a kid because of my singing. I'm not gonna go into details.
Then I decided that I want to follow someone and I followed Elvis. And I broke my voice
at 10. Ah. Okay. And I was singing Elvis. And the whole world opened up for me at that
time. And I had to memorize via muscle memory. Melody. Yeah. Okay. It was, it still is an
arduous task. Yeah. Kind of much better now because 54 years old, man, used to it, you
know? But the thing is, is that when I was in NS, because I didn't go, I didn't pursue
anything after my old levels. Okay. Let's cut the long story short. I was going to go
to radio. My dad passed away not long before I went into NS. Okay. And my family is very
small. So there's only the three of us after my dad passed on. So one fine day, just before,
a couple of months prior to my leaving the national service, I came back home and I said
to my mom, I said, mommy, I'm gonna go on radio. No, I'm gonna be a DJ. The following
weekend when I came back, there was, and I literally mean it, violent protest about my
decision. And I didn't pursue. This comes from family. Family. I didn't pursue it. I'm
not going to say where I eventually went to. I did. I forged myself a career there. Okay.
I'm a veteran there. I'm a veteran here as well. Yep. But, but what, do I feel fulfilled?
No. Completely unfulfilled. Because at this stage of my life, if I had gone to radio,
things would have been so different. I would have, it would not be, it would be happy every
day. You're just going to just get behind this. So now this show, this, I built this
whole thing here. You see, this is me saying to the young person out there, sometimes you
didn't mean well, don't have to listen to your folks. Listen to your heart and don't
end up like this piss ass frog like looking piece of shit, feeling unfulfilled and not
doing what he wanted to do. That's what I want to say. How about to people who are like
us, who are going to be parents or friends, you know. Okay. You know, I will come to that.
This is really a conversation. Okay. So I would just say this. First of all, I ended
the story wrong just now. Years after I pursued another career, I actually asked my mom, why
did were you so violently against me going into radio? And she said, she said, what radio?
She forgot? No. She said, you said you're going to be a DJ. What? In a nightclub? Oh,
yeah. So it was miscommunication. Wait, so you never clarify? No. Why? Because it ended
so abruptly, the protest was so bad that there was no way to even discuss it. So it ended
that way, you know. So I became this accidentally, I didn't go into something that I was built
to do. So now it's about communication. Yeah. Ask the questions and clarify. Clarify. Yeah.
And don't violently object against what your children want to do. Listen to them first.
That's my answer to you. Because I mean, come on man, in today's age, think about this.
What's going to be necessary for people out there? When your kid, you got a kid? Yeah.
Okay. How old is your kid? Three. Okay. Mine's 15. You single. Okay. Single doesn't mean
you got no kids. Okay. No kids, right? Okay. So come on. I mean, look, with AI coming out,
man, I don't know. You better let them make their decisions and choices, man. We don't
know what's going to be happening, right? There's no gauge. Conventionality is going
to be thrown out the freaking window. So really we just got to be watchful about what's going
to be happening. But again, I think the music business is a beautiful business, man. I mean,
we're going to sing a song right now for all of you because I'm going to enjoy these voices
in my cans. I'm pretty sure it's going to be great. I'm going to be having little ear
orgasms, eargasms as in short, for effect, for these two. And it's something for Christmas
time, something that hopefully keep you happy, something I wish always that we could have
in Singapore. Never going to happen unless climate change really that bad. The world's
going to be ending if that happens. And that's called snow. So we'll be singing for you a
great old, age old, lovely Christmas song called Let It Snow. We hope you like this
one. You and your families, people, have a blessed, wonderful, meaningful, and very,
very happy Christmas time. And Merry Christmas to you too, guys. And thanks for being on
the show. Thank you for having us. We hope you like this one, guys. Merry Christmas,
everybody. Bye bye.
Merry Christmas.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we've
got a snow place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. It doesn't show signs of
something, and I brought some corn for popping. The lights have turned way down low. Let it
snow, let it snow, let it snow. When we finally kiss goodnight, I hate going out in the store.
But if you really hold me tight, all the way home I'll be warm. Now the fire is slowly
dying. And my dear, we're still goodbyin'. As long as you love me so. Let it snow, let
it snow, let it snow. It doesn't show signs of stoppin', and I brought some corn for popping.
Oh, the lights have turned way down low. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
When we finally kiss goodnight, I hate going out in the store. But if you really hold me
tight, all the way home I'll be warm. Now the fire is slowly dying. And my dear, we're
still goodbyin'. As long as you love me so. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Let
it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Let it snow.
Merry Christmas everybody, and have a blessed happy time.
Thanks guys, that was really nice man, the harmony. Wow, that was like sweet in my ears,
or what?
Let this be our prayer. Let this be our prayer. Just like every child. Just like every child.
We need to find a place, guide us with your grace. Give us faith so we'll be safe.
Send our gifts somewhere.
Merry Christmas everybody.