Transcript of interview with Ari Sutanti (conducted by Amanda Lee), 20 December 2016, 3 pm, National Library.
Ari is a 24-year old female Malay Singaporean and is a teacher. Ari enjoys listening to English pop rock artists like Adele, Ed Sheeran, Kodaline and Bastille. She does not have a favorite artiste. She does not like hard rock. Ari likes songs that are soothing and have meaning lyrics. Ari thinks that English pop rock expresses a cultural connection as Singaporeans and people in other English-speaking countries listen to the same kind of music. Ari does not listen to Western classical music and thinks that she cannot connect with it since there are no lyrics. She thinks it is good music for destressing. Ari used to visit the Esplanade and enjoyed viewing the art exhibitions and watching the free performances. Ari listens to Malay pop and rock music but does not have a favorite artist. She learns about new songs through her sisters or through the radio. She likes them as the themes in the songs are relatable. Ari does not listen much to traditional Malay music. She finds it to be upbeat. Although Ari thinks that traditional Malay music expresses her identity most authentically as a Malay person, she finds that she can still relate more to Malay pop rock music. Ari does not listen to Chinese pop rock music or traditional Chinese music. She thinks that traditional Chinese music expresses a cultural connection of Chinese Singaporeans with mainland China, but has not seen any of her friends listening to it. Ari thought that the extract of Chinese crossover music was okay. She does not think that she would listen to it again as there were no lyrics in the music. Ari thought that the extract of experimental Chinese music made her feel calm and at ease. While Ari knows several Singaporean artistes and composers, she does not listen to any Singaporean music. She does not think that there is a Singaporean musical style for Malay music in Singapore, as she cannot tell whether a song playing on the radio is Malaysian or Singaporean. Ari does not think that Singlish comedy songs can represent Singapore on the global stage, unless it is to showcase comedy from Singapore. Ari thinks that National Day songs creates an authentic feeling of group belonging because the students in her school are enthusiastic and energetic when they sing the songs. Ari thinks that one song that could represent Singapore is the National Anthem.
“Ya. I don’t know, it’s like, er, I listen to random music so – ya I listen to like random music. Ya, things like – I don’t really have like a specific ... I like Adele and Angus & Julia Stone.”
“I don’t know, er, music that could calm me down, I guess. Ya. So like calming music. Music that makes sense – more to the lyrics I would pay attention to it, ya.”
“In the morning [I use music] to wake me up, and then maybe when I’m dressing up as well, I listen to music. And then when I’m about to go to bed, I would listen to some music as well. And maybe sometimes – sometimes I would listen when I’m doing work, ya. On the computer. Yup.”
“You mean the kind of [English pop rock] music that we listen to? I would think so. Because I listen to are not local musics so I would think they ... they listen to the same kind of music I listen to? Yeah.”
“Maybe because there are no lyrics in [Western classical music], and I can’t connect to them. Ya.”
“You mean like Wicked (2016)? Ya, I have watched Wicked before. Er, I like that the singing doesn’t go on throughout the whole show.”
“I don’t have much time to go [to the Esplanade] now. But ya, those are really good, though. It exposes, er, the audience to the kinds of, er, art performances that they have there? Performing arts. Ya. So that’s good. And it’s free.”
“No, I listen to random music, so I don’t have like a specific [Malay pop rock] artist that I go to to listen to. Or I don’t catch up with what they’re – they’re producing. Like the newest songs that they have. But whatever I listen to is just like songs that I know randomly.”
“[Traditional Malay music is] mostly upbeat because they have like more of the drums and violins and more of those kinds of instruments. Yeah, they’re more upbeat. I rarely hear sad, mellow, er, traditional Malay songs. Ya.”
“My identity as a Malay person – probably the traditional songs. But more that I can relate to would be the pop songs. Ya. Mm.”
“I don’t listen to any traditional Chinese music. I don’t know if Singaporeans would listen to traditional Chinese music. Ya, I don’t hear my friends talking about it.”
“I think that instruments used [in Chinese crossover music] are quite interesting. Ya. I’ve seen that guzheng before, right? It’s guzheng. Ya, er, ya I think it sounds good. Yeah but it – it wouldn’t be – it wouldn’t be, um, a staple in my – in my mp3 though because there are no lyrics to it. Yeah.”
“Ya, but [experimental Chinese music] sounded more Chinese to me [be]cause of – maybe the instruments that were used to play the music.”
“Zubir Said? Uh-huh. That’s all. I don’t know. Er, okay, er, for the Malay one like I – I have people like Sleeq? Er, Yu –no, Yuna’s a Malaysian but she sings Malay songs. Er, I don’t know.”
“I don’t know, maybe – okay, maybe because I listen to mostly Malay songs right on the radio? And then ya – I – I can’t decipher if they’re Malaysians or Singaporeans. So I guess that’s why I’m saying [there is] no [Singaporean musical style]. Yeah.”
“Er, I don’t know if [Singlish comedy songs is] going to be a positive impact on how it’s going to – going to look on us though. I mean the ... I don’t know, I feel like English is supposed to be used in a proper way, like how it’s meant to be. But it’s – if it’s, um, for comedy sake I guess – I guess, ya. Because it is quite funny.”
“Especially during National day, you can see. Ya, because in schools right, we have to sing all these [National day] songs. You can see how it brings out the Singaporeans in the students. When they sing those songs, ya.”
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