revelations from an artist date

Heading home for the holidays and acknowledging different cycles of life. – Featuring 3 Singaporean artistes who are embarking on their first international tour this month.

Oct 31, 2024

Essentials for writing outdoors in sunny Southeast Asia: sunglasses, iced coffee, portable fan, and of course, pen and paper!

On Monday, I decided to go on an “artist date”. Since I had to be in town to buy new viola strings, I thought I’d also find somewhere by the water to write. I’m heading back to my hometown for a few months but before I leave, I wanted to figure out why coming back to Singapore fogged up my mental space almost instantly. With my AirPods blocking the sounds around me, I didn’t do that and ended up free-writing about some uncomfortable experiences I had with men while I was in the US instead.

I took out my AirPods after writing those two pages, which allowed me to hear the lapping of the water below, a TikTok couple arguing about camera angles, an Asian koel “uwu”-ing in the distance, the laughter of a family nearby, the blowing of the wind allowing kites to fly up high, the chattering of tourists snapping pictures of the skyline, and a group of friends chanting “happy birthday”. Across the river, I found my answer.

Cranes and tractors taking up most of what is supposed to be a public park.

It’s this never-ending noise of construction and redevelopment, the endless pursuit of “better” without ever defining what “better” actually is.

It’s been an interesting month of reconnecting with myself, as well as people I haven’t seen in a while. I realise there are people I’m just not vibing with anymore, mainly because of where we are in life and what we choose to value. I see them all as indicators for my own life:

Reminders that if I don’t get my shit together, I will be spending what’s left of my 20s on things that I don’t care about.
Vindication that I was right not to trust certain people and give them a second chance to be in my life.
Realising that it’s easier to be unhappy with others than it is to admit that the person you’re really unhappy with is yourself.
Accepting that it’s okay to let go of people who refuse to walk with you.
Knowing that you are in a place that makes you unhappy isn’t the same as committing to doing something about it.

So what now?

I want to leave this city for the right reasons. I can’t run away from noise and people because at the end of the day, my passion is the performing arts. Where can I go to find a balance?

I’m most at peace when I’m working and living for myself. I’m most in flow when my surroundings aren’t cluttered or noisy. What can I do to sustain that?

I don’t know if I’ll ever find answers to the questions I keep asking in these drops, but I do know that I’ll never stop trying to figure it out.

{ 3 drops of golden sound }

Earlier this month I went to ‘STATIONS’, a concert experience by my friend Krysta and 2 other artists from Singapore. It was their first show before starting an international tour that kicks off in Tokyo this weekend.

“Sleeping Issues” by Xena Giam

Xena is a singer-songwriter whose music spans from acoustic folk to RnB soul. This song was my favourite of the evening and I’m sure anyone who has ever caught themselves still awake when the sun comes up due to self-inflicted reasons will be able to relate.

Find links to listen here.

On My Way! by Krysta Joy

another favourite: I love this acoustic rework of “Raft”, which was also on her first full-length album Embrace the Progress

I’ve shared Krysta’s work here several times, she’s a musician, radio DJ and independent studio owner who has dedicated herself to raising the profile of Singapore's music scene. The ‘STATIONS’ tour is one of these efforts, an attempt to prove that independent artistes can collaborate to bring their music to a global audience.

Find links to stream her newly released, transportation-themed EP here or listen on YouTube here.

“Hostage” by YAØ

The second YAØ took to the stage, I was reminded of The Weeknd. The pop-soul vibe, the synths, and the voice. This song in particular impressed me with how well it featured his vocal range.