Transcript of interview with Wang Yadong (conducted by Amanda Lee), 9 October 2016, 11.30 am, Yadong’s residence.
Yadong is a 32-year-old Chinese national and is an engineer. Yadong enjoys listening to all kinds of music. However, he dislikes listening to rock and metal music as he finds them to be too noisy. Yadong listens to it through randomly selecting songs mainly on Spotify. He listens to music almost every day while commuting. Yadong cannot differentiate between English pop and English rock music but knows that pop music now is a sometimes a mix of both genres. He likes music by the Backstreet Boys and Maroon 5, as he finds the music and melody good. Yadong listens to Western classical music when he works, studies and reads. He likes music by Beethoven and Chopin. He finds that the music helps him to focus on his work, and forget about everything else around him. Yadong thinks that Western classical music can be considered as global culture as almost everyone has heard about it. Yadong listens to Chinese pop music and relies on the random selection on Spotify. He does not have any favorite singers or bands but enjoys certain songs by artists. He thinks it’s because an artiste might not necessarily be good at making music of different styles. Yadong likes traditional Chinese music and is interested in Chinese culture. He thinks that it is dangerous if traditional Chinese music were to disappear. Yadong does not think that traditional Chinese music expresses a cultural connection of Singapore with China as he does not know any Singaporeans who listens to it. Yadong liked the first part of the Chinese crossover music sample but not the second part. He found that there was too much mixing of instruments in the second part and thus did not like it. Yadong thinks that it is a new way to enjoy traditional Chinese music, but that it still requires improvement. Yadong did not like the sample of contemporary intercultural experimental Chinese music as it does not gel with his idea of how traditional Chinese music should be played. He did not find it to be easy to listen to, and thinks that it would be good music for accompanying ceremonies like the Olympics but it would not be something he would listen to at home. Yadong does not think that any musical genres are more important than others as they all represent different cultures and different eras. Yadong does not listen to any Singaporean music, and thinks that Singaporean music does not have a distinct musical sound yet. He thinks that is because Singapore has not formed its own culture and music yet. Yadong thinks that English and Chinese pop music as well as traditional Chinese music best represents him as a person, and that experimental Chinese music does not as it is strange.
“Er, actually for – normally I didn’t purposely select what kind of music. I Just listen to the – the ranking list, then – ya. And I also didn’t recall any [singers’ names] ... Ya. Er, I just listen to the daily ranking list, the number 1 just to – for relax.”
“Ya, just some music quite good. For example the, er, band name the Backstreet Boys. Ya the music and melody I feel quite good. And also for those kind of, er, for example the Lemon Tree (1995), for that kind of music, I also like. And also the band name Maroon 5.”
“Actually when I study or when I reading book, I will listen to that one. Beethoven and also the, er, how to – the English name for Xiao Bang is. Chopin. Ya. I like that. And I quite like the – like [Beethoven’s] Moonlight – [piano sonata]. Ya, that kind of music.”
“What? Er, feel – when I listen to [Western classical music] I will – can focus on one things. I will forgot the environment impact to me. Ya, I feel quite – quite focused.”
“Er, actually, um, fave – favorite to the sounds but not the person. For example like, er, er, let’s say the Jay Chou, I like some of the – his music but some also, I not like.”
“Because [Jay Chou] often make many kind of different styles, but I think he – definitely one person cannot – can – cannot good in every area. Ya, so I like some of the – but not all. For every singer all always like that. I Just feel this song is good then I will listen again but, er, not – not every song from, er, er, one singer.”
“No. I – I can’t understand. I often watch the Cantonese movie but I don’t listen to Cantonese songs.”
“Actually I quite like the traditional Chinese culture. You know so I – I know much about those cultures. And the – and also I often read some books, and read those materials for the traditional Chinese culture. So I quite like the – how will I say – anything related to the traditional Chinese culture.”
“Because now – ya, less and less person listen to traditional Chinese [music]. And also those kind – those kind of, er, music [that people listen to] is actually [not] traditional Chinese music.”
“So far I didn’t find any Singapore listen to the traditional Chinese music. Ya. I don’t know, er, I don’t know if sometimes they hear or just I don’t know, or they never listen to that. But so far I don’t know – I didn’t find any Singaporean listen to the traditional Chinese music.”
“Actually I feel the first part [of Chinese crossover music is] okay, but the second part is ... Second part actually the – ya. Every kind of style mixed together and actually the one is not good.”
“But this [contemporary intercultural experimental Chinese music] actually ... one guy stand there and the, er, do the conducting and everybody only listen to him. Actually I think this one not really the way to explain the traditional Chinese music.”
“Actually I don’t quite like [contemporary intercultural experimental Chinese music]. Because this kind of style and this kind of the working, actually I think not – not really match with the traditional Chinese music the – the play mode.”
“I think all [genres of music are] important. You cannot say which kind of music important or not important. Because they all represent different, er, culture and also develop – development of the culture. You cannot say this one more important, or that one more important.”
“So I think the main issue is just that Singapore haven’t form its own culture, and the – so far those kind of the music or those kind of, er, songs cannot represent Singapore, yes. If you show the building in Singapore, then everyone know this is Singapore. But not for culture.”
Click on the link below for the full transcript