With the mainstream support of local music at an all time high, it’s not hard to envision the Singaporean scene rivaling the popularity of global industries – we certainly have no lack of talent here. But what really goes on behind the glitz and glamour, and what does it truly take to join the ranks of acts like The Sam Willows, Tabitha Nauser, ShiGGa Shay and more? We speak to two head honchos, Willy Tan (Artiste manager and owner of Aging Youth) and Lim Teck Kheng (Head of Marketing, Sony Music Singapore) to learn more.
#1 Be interested, then get involved
Having an avid interest in the local music scene, Willy and his friends started a web-zine back in 2004 titled ‘Aging Youth’ that focused on Singaporean music. It soon spun off into events which showcased homegrown acts and distribution of their music. Willy’s role as an artiste manager truly began taking form when the artistes started requesting for him to come onboard to help manage them. He has since worked with ShiGGa Shay, the Grizzle Grind crew, Lineath, Jasmine Sokko and has taken on huge clients like National Youth Council for the annual Shine Fest.
Likewise, Kheng’s start in the music scene began by helping local artistes with the distribution of their albums. Starting with Urban Xchange in 2001 as his first A&R (artistes and repertoire) involvement, Kheng has been involved in the signing of popular acts like Gentle Bones, Charlie Lim and Linying to a major label. And the rest is history.
#2 It’s not all about cutting records
Sharing about his typical work day, Willy reveals that a bulk of his workload goes into landing bookings and press for his artistes. “Other days, there are meetings to see how different brands and government partners can work with my artistes to grow their business. When artistes are about to release new material, I will start the PR cycle by pitching them to the media. It’s very varied, not one single day is the same.”
#3 Have a unique sound
Similar to fashion, there are fast music trends which tend to be adopted – resulting in similar sounding music all around. Due to the nature of their jobs, we imagine Kheng and Willy to be at the forefront of up-and-coming artistes and music. But what do they truly look out for in new talent? “As with any industry, the drive to succeed must be there. A positive attitude is very important.” Willy shares, “Usually I like to work with artistes who make unique or refreshing music. Essentially, I must really like the music before all things else.” Similarly, Kheng’s criteria mirrors Willy’s latter point. “For me, the music will always be the most important element. It will also be good for them to have a vision that they would like to achieve.” He adds, “In this day and age of the Internet, it is imperative for one to build up a good social media presence and following.” Which brings us to the next point.
#4 The local music scene needs constant support
In our Singaporean society, deciding to pursue an unconventional career definitely takes a leap of faith. Music is no different. When asked about the biggest challenges our local artistes face, Kheng offered, “It would be great to receive more support in terms of funding resources, and development of knowledge transfer, to those who form the support arm of the local music scene (sound engineers, tech crew, videographers, managers, and more.” He continues, ” The local music scene is still in its developing stage and it still requires a lot of attention and support to strengthen its foundation and ecosystem.”
Indeed, many of the Singaporean artistes you can name today would be familiar with this struggle. Willy added, “Our market is tiny. Since 15 years ago, music acts are constantly thinking of how to export their music to a larger market. It’s still a constant struggle, but we have been getting support from the National Arts Council.” The truth is, for our music scene to flourish, they do need tons of support be it from local organisations or fans alike…
#5 Fans play an important role
There’s a reason why artistes constantly thank their fans. Apart from the love and encouragement fans give artistes, they are fundamental in helping the artiste grow. As Willy puts it, “they are massively important in sustaining the careers of artistes, whether it’s by consuming the music or attending shows. Of course, brands are always keen to work with artistes who have massive fan bases, so that translates back to more revenue for the artistes too.” Kheng shares, “I hope more will continue to show support for the artistes. Support can be shown by simply buying a ticket to the artistes’ shows instead of asking to be on the guest list.” Which goes to show, a little goes a long way!
#6 There is a versatile music scene in Singapore
There’s more to the local scene than mainstream artistes. Willy reveals, “There’s a lot of exciting music bubbling in our music scene with practitioners doing different genres. It ranges from heavier sounding music to pop sounds. So there really is something for everyone here.” Some acts we’ve had our eye on? Jasmine Sokko (an electronic music artiste whom Willy has been working with), Disco Hue, The Summer State, Sam Rui and more!
Featured image: Sony Music Singapore
Read the rest of our interview with Willy and Kheng in our August 2017 issue, out on newsstands now!
More related stories: We Speak To Sundown Festival Headliners Jack & Rai, Derrick Hoh and FARRAGO, Why Falling Feathers Might Just Be Singapore’s Next Biggest Pop Star, Here’s Why The Sam Willows Gets Jealous Of Each Other
