Transcript of interview with Tham Lai Mei (conducted by Amanda Lee), 19 November 2016, 8 pm, Skype.
Lai Mei is a 43-year old female Chinese Singaporean who is a nurse clinician at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Lai Mei used to listen to English pop music by artists such as Roxette but has since stopped. She does not have any favorite artists and prefers to listen to whatever is nice. Lai Mei not think that English pop rock music expresses a cultural connection for some people as there are differences between the Asian and Western cultures. Lai Mei does not listen to much Western classical music but she thinks that it helps one to feel relaxed and expresses one’s emotions. She thinks that it helps one to feel more cultured but can be boring sometimes. Lai Mei likes Chinese pop music and the artists Liu Huan, Cai Jianya, and Zhao Chuan specifically. She prefers Chinese pop over English pop music as she thinks English pop music can be noisy at times. Lai Mei does not think that Chinese pop rock music expresses a cultural connection of Chinese Singaporeans with other Chinese countries as it is hard to discern where the nationality of a singer from a song. Lai Mei does not listen to any traditional Chinese music. However, she heard some through her daughter as she performed Chinese dance with the Chinese orchestra playing. She thinks that it should be preserved as it is part of the Chinese culture. Lai Mei liked the extract of Chinese crossover music. Lai Mei liked the extract of experimental Chinese music. She thinks that most people do not know about these genres of music, and that it would be good if there was a way for them to learn and access it. Lai Mei listens to Chinese Singaporean artists like JJ Lin and Tanya Chua. She thinks that Singaporean music is better now than it was 10 years ago. She does not think that Singlish comedy songs should represent Singapore on the global stage as there is more to Singaporean music than just that. Lai Mei thinks that Singaporean music should be represented by a mix of different musical genres as it is a multi-racial society.
“You know, previously Roxette, er, can’t remember the name of the song, ah. Mm ... It Must Have Been Love (1987), right? Ah, that one. Mm, Right Here Waiting (1989)? Okay. Um, and, um, some of the song like Celine Dion?”
“I think because the rock [music] also actually have the, um, er, the different – the different type of rock, right? And then, um, the content is also [different]. Um, and our culture – and also, er, our cultures between the Asian and also the Western is also, um, er, it’s – it’s actually is also a lot of difference.”
“[Western classical music] can actually – you know the emotion part right? Okay. You can feel more relaxed. It actually help you to express your feeling also. And, er, I think this the – the main thing. Like you feel relaxed, lah. And then the [expression], er, the emotion part. Mm.”
“Can I say [Western classical music is] a bit more cultural things? Classical – classic is, er, more Western type. Um, er, can say a bit, um, sometime it can be a bit more boring. Ya, ya. So that’s why actually not really able to attract me.”
“If let’s say you not Indian right, you also can use the Indian instruments. Okay? So actually it’s quite, um, er, how to say that – it actually, er, not only say that this instrument is particular for this – this group of people or this, er, certain, er, er, ethnic people. Ya. I feel actually – everyone actually can just use the musics to compose different songs, different lyrics?”
“I like, er, Liu Huan. Okay, Liu Huan. Er, our Singapore singer Cai Jianya, okay, and, er, some of the Chinese, er, singer, er, also. Er, like, er, Tan Weiwei, mm, okay, er, Taiwan – from Taiwan, er, er, who’s this. Um, mm ... Zhao Chuan.”
“Previously my impression [of traditional Chinese music] is like – you know, very boring. But actually it’s not, you know. It’s quite modern now. They also have a lot of different, different song, you can see it’s quite modern you know. And, er, it’s quite nice, lah.”
“[Traditional Chinese music] should [be kept] lah, okay. Because something is not easy to be exist. Okay. Um, it’s – a certain part actually it’s also a – also can – it’s associated our culture.”
“I will listen to [Chinese crossover music] again, ya. If I know that actually – you know that we have all these things. Mm.”
“Ya actually [experimental Chinese music is] not bad. Ya, it’s quite nice also. Er, only thing that I think we – we, er, seldom have this kind of opportunity, ah – okay – to listen to this – all these kind of songs.”
“Tanya Chua and also ... Lin Junjie, JJ [Lin]? JJ? I think these two only. Previously is actually Wu Qixian ya, ya. But now also he – he, um, actually is – not really have any – he already stopped singing.”
“I hope they truly, er, they can see that, er, er, more – more to other things lah, rather than [Singlish comedy songs]. Ya. To represent Singapore music. Ya. Not only this kind of song. Mm.”
“Like our Singapore also have few good xinyao, right? Ah. So, er, I think, mm ... all these things that – only recently I think now is lesser and lesser, lah. Ya. And, er, like previously like Zhu Jiao Zi, Kopi O, all these songs ah, actually is quite nice also.”
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