Transcript of interview with Roopsha Brahma (conducted by Amanda Lee), 3 September 2016, 11 am, Skype.
Roopsha is a 32-year old female Bengali Indian and works as a medical writer. She states that her musical tastes were very heavily influenced by her parents, who introduced all the different genres of music to her when she was younger. She enjoys listening to English pop music, and some of her favorite artists growing up included the Backstreet Boys. One of her favorite English pop artiste is Adele as she likes the sound and the lyrics of Adele’s songs. She thinks that pop music nowadays sound similar and lacks variety. She also grew up listening to Western classical music, and one of her favorite compositions is Symphony No. 42 by Mozart (1771). She thinks classical music is melodious and inspiring. She is reminded of happy memories when listening to it. She grew up listening to traditional Bengali music, and enjoyed the works of Rabindra Sangeet. She thinks that his work is diverse and versatile as he has songs for every topic. She believes that her identity as a Bengali is very strongly connected to traditional Bengali music and Rabindra Sangeet’s works. While she listens to both traditional Bengali music and Bengali pop music, and the music would cover similar topics and issues, she prefers traditional Bengali music as the lyrics sounds lovelier than they do in pop music. She does not listen to any kind of Chinese music. However, she mentions that she has heard Chinese music playing during the various festivals and whenever she walks through shopping malls. She thought the traditional Chinese music sample played was sweet, and that it reminded her of springtime. She thinks that traditional Chinese music is more popular with the older generation than the younger generation. She liked the Chinese crossover music extract and thought that it was a good blend of Western influence with Chinese musical instruments. She says that while she was not particularly drawn the experimental Chinese music extract, she would listen to it again as she loves music. She does not know much about Singaporean music but has heard the National Anthem and a few National Day songs. She regards them as simple and sweet.
“Um, yes, I used to like any, er, teenager growing up. Um, I listen a lot of, um, um, the Backstreet Boys and Westlife, and, um, so on and so forth. But that was in the late 90s, early 2000s, yup.”
“You have these waves of nostalgia carrying you back to the time when, um, you did listen to [English pop music] and then you have the strange way, you know, you remem[ber] – you have these associations with these songs, with something must have happened in the past.”
“[Western classical music is] very melodious. Um, and it’s sort of – I mean for me, I can just close my eyes and just imagine – I mean, depending on the piece of music, um, um, I just think about some happy memory.”
“Just plain [classical] music, just, just music as it is – without words – can also, um, really make you feel very, very good. Or really, um, er, soothes your emotions, so. For me, personally.”
“I guess it’s the sense of knowing, and when you see [the musical] being performed then you can – you can sing along as well, and you – you feel good. Because you can participate – I mean, even if it’s from your own seat, but you feel connected with – with what’s going on on stage.”
“But there are these times when you – you would want to feel the comfort of your home, you want to be close to your mother, um, so at these times listening to this [traditional Bengali] songs really helps. So I usually just turn off all the lights, and usually just put on some music, er, that reminds me of home.”
“Ya, I think is – again, how much you’ve been exposed, and what influence it has had on you. For me, it was very strong. So yes, my identity as a Bengali is, um, is – is also connected to this genre of music, and his works.”
“[Bengali pop music] has to do with, um, your day-to-day struggles, um, and then the topics – the topics, ya, mainly will cover, er, things like as, um, as basic as you know, you have, er, schooling for children. Um, then growing old, um, then ... betraying your friend, I mean very basic emotions, very basic things that happen everyday.”
“I was just thinking about flowers blooming, and I don’t know why that picture came into my head – and I – as the pace started picking up. [Traditional Chinese music] is very – the sound is very similar to, um, um, Kashmir music, um, in Kashmir.”
“I mean – it can’t be called singularly Chinese, right? Because obviously there is some Western influence in it. So, ya, but it – it’s a very good blend. You can identify both, um, both elements. So, ya, Chinese crossover music is ya, it’s – it’s a good, um, definition.”
“I wasn’t particularly drawn to [experimental Chinese music]. So I guess, um, ya, it’s – it’s experimental, so, I would – I mean whatever little I heard, I wouldn’t really have any strong inclination whether good or bad with it.”
“I think now I’m going to ask my Chinese friends for recommendations because, um, I honestly didn’t pay too much attention to this, um, to Chinese music before. But definitely the second – the second piece that you played, um, the crossover Chinese music, um, it’s something that I liked.”
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