Transcript of interview with Averil Lee (conducted by Amanda Lee), 17 August 2016, 9 pm, Averil’s residence.
Averil is a 32-year old female Chinese Singaporean and is a HR generalist. She enjoys listening to house music while commuting to work. She says that it takes her mind off whatever that is currently happening and allows her to relieve her stress. Her favorite English pop artist is John Mayer. She has also attended a concert by Jason Mraz in the past. Her impression of English pop is that it is very current and reflective of popular culture and media. Averil listens to Western classical music by Beethoven. However, she listens to a slightly different version from the original as it includes nature and ambient sounds. She finds them to be calming and listens to them when she finds everything around her a bit too hectic. She does not really like musicals, as she thinks that there is too much singing. She has seen Cats (2013) and The Sound of Music (1965) and thinks that watching them once is enough. Averil does not listen to Chinese pop music as she does not speak Mandarin and did not grow up listening to it, and she does not have any interest in it. However, she thinks that when her children are older, she might feel a need to learn more about the music. She finds that traditional Chinese music does not have much connection to her as a Singaporean Chinese. However, she thinks that the music is worth preserving as it is part of the Chinese heritage, and also because Chinese instruments cannot be found in Western classical music. Averil found the experimental Chinese music extract to be slow and sleep-inducing. She also does not think that a lot of Chinese people will be able to relate to the music. Averil does not know much about Singaporean music but enjoys the music of Corrinne May. She thinks that National Day songs and comedic Singaporean songs like those sung in Jack Neo movies are very Singaporean and relatable.
“I used to – I mean – I still listen to John Mayer a lot, but that’s something that I’ve been listening to for a long time. Any more recent ones, mm, not – not really. Just usually what’s on the top charts and sometimes, ya.”
“So it’s all your regular pop, but they up-beat in some manner, and they stream it together. Ya, so it’s kind of interesting basically to hear, er, the music from a different perspective, so ya.”
“Ya, ya, there are some versions of classical music that are added – that all sounds of like forest. So it has this calming effect.”
“So, er, I’m quite extreme. So, on one hand I like to listen to house, and on the other hand, there are days when I just want some – where – where the activity level in my life is too hectic, and yes I would want some serenity and quiet, that’s where – that’s the type of [Western classical] music I listen to.”
“Probably when my kids start getting older, and there’s the real, urgent need that I have to sort of understand [Chinese pop music].”
“I don’t really listen to – I mean, when she – when my daughter hums the [Chinese children’s music] tune, I sort of remember what the song sounds like, but I really cannot remember the words. So ... I don’t even know where to start. Ya, so ...”
“[Traditional Chinese music] does, um, it does have a little bit of place as a Chinese person. But not so much in today – my modern-day life.”
“So it’s some – it’s sort of something that, um, if we don’t preserve [traditional Chinese music], probably my – my children’s children will never – will not even know, recognize, er, such a instrument. Or worse still will not be able to relate, so why not preserve part of it.”
“Okay, so the earlier [traditional Chinese music] piece that you played was something a little bit more upbeat and you can – you can feel the – the – the liveliness of that music? Uh, whereas the contemporary [experimental] one was just – I don’t know – really slow, um, ya.”
“Um, but in general not that [experimental Chinese] piece, a bit too slow. Probably put me to sleep that type of music, ya.”
“Ya, I think it’s a good representation, um, er, it has more of an identity. So, er, singing – or knowing how to sing that song [Sing a Song for Singapore, 2010], makes me feel more Singaporean.”
“Ya, what’s the one the – ah, Ah Boys to Men (2012), ah. I think they have some songs, I think those songs would definitely relate to, um, like National Service and that’s very Singaporean, right? Ya.”
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