Transcript of interview with Andrea Chan (conducted by Amanda Lee), 16 October 2016, 10.30 am, Bishan Library.
Andrea is a 48-year old female Chinese Singaporean and is a housewife. Andrea enjoys listening to English pop music by bands from the 80s like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and OMD as she grew up listening to them. Andrea mainly listens to English pop music on the radio. She likes it as it is lively and helps her get through her workouts. Andrea thinks that English pop music expresses a cultural connection of Singaporeans with the West as her son listens to it with his friends and therefore can relate to it. Andrea does not listen to Western classical music as she does not understand it and finds it to be sleep-inducing. Andrea thinks that it is part of global culture as you can hear it anywhere. Andrea has seen musicals like Cats (1981) and The Phantom of the Opera (1986) live. She remembers enjoying it as the singing was good. Andrea does not listen to Chinese pop music as she does not understand Chinese. She knows one Chinese pop song called Super Star (2003) by S.H.E. and she likes it. She thinks that Chinese pop music expresses a cultural connection of Singaporeans with other Chinese countries as they all share the same language (Mandarin). However, she does think this is the case with the Cantonese as many young Chinese Singaporeans do not understand it. Andrea enjoys listening to the guzheng as she finds it is soothing and helps to calm her down. Andrea has seen a Teochew opera performance once but did not really like it as she did not understand the language. While she did found the make-up and costumes nice, she thinks that she would not go back again to see it. Andrea liked the sample of Chinese crossover music as she found it very similar to the guzheng instrumental music. Andrea did not like the sample of experimental Chinese music as she found it to have too many rise and falls which will influence her mood. Andrea does not listen to any Singaporean music but likes the national day song, Home (1998) as it reminds her of how Singapore is home. Andrea thinks that Singapore music is best represented by Western classical music as a lot of Singaporeans have been exposed to it, more so than for traditional and ethnic music. Andrea does not think that there is bad music as it depends on an individual’s preference.
“Bands, in the 80s usually there’s those British bands like OMD [Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark], Duran Duran, er, those. What, ah – Depeche Mode, those are my kind of music.”
“I just generally like something that’s really hip and really get me going, you know. The – the really fast pace. So, um, I’m – I’m open to anything that’s – that’s there. But then I grew up in those 80s [English pop] music, that’s why until today I still love those types.”
“I don’t know because in Singapore it’s a lot – very Westernized country already, so most of our youngsters are – they’re very Western thinking. So I – I guess in a way it – it connects to them and – and – and my son has – goes to school. He literally listens to all this [English] pop music with his friends. So I – I guess they can relate lah, somehow. Or else they won’t be listening to it.”
“Because jazz a lot of drums, and my son plays the drums so I thought I’ll accompany him to go. But after one – what – half an hour to one hour of full time jazz band, I ... I was literally falling asleep. So I just felt that I’m – it’s not me, you know. To – to – I couldn’t appreciate and I’m trying so hard to try and understand what the music is about.”
“Global. More global, ya. It goes anywhere, right? Western classical ... like for example, um, what kind of classical? You talking Mozart, you know, Tchaikovsky? Ya, I – I think is global, ya. Go anywhere you will tend to hear that also, right?”
“I enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera (1986), um, it was ... the singing was good, the musical was good. Ya. Everything was good. That one – Cats (1981) ... okay, I ... maybe I was too young to even remember much about it, but I know the Phantom was really, really good. Ya. I enjoyed that.”
“Because it’s Chinese and I – I don’t understand a word of Chinese, okay. Um, I – I heard there are nice ones lah, but, um, the closest – the closest I have even listen to was through my son. When he was very young, there’s this song called what – Super Star (2003) by S.H.E.”
“You know, I’m sure Singapore there are a lot of Chinese speaking too, so – and these group of people will appreciate all these kind of [Chinese pop songs] songs. But whereas Cantonese, I notice not many people – especially youngsters know – understand Cantonese. Mainly Mandarin. Not – not Cantonese.”
“[The guzheng is] very calm, makes you calm. You know, when I’m very uptight over things it – it helps me to really calm me down, and soothing kind of music. Ya. When I feel that I really need some relaxation – ya, I will love it. I can sit in the beach and listen to it.”
“And Teochew [opera] ... it’s – it’s hard to understand so I – I didn’t like it lah. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t understand what it’s about, you see. So the drama was very nice you know, all the make up, artist all the long – you know what. But if you ask me, I won’t go back there, lah. It’s – but it was an experience, lah.”
“Ya, but I think there’s a gap. Because our local Chinese doesn’t know much about the mainland Chinese culture. Honestly, they are not exposed, not even in school. So it’s – it’s sad but we being Chinese, we should at least know some – you know – of our ancestors’ culture.”
“I’m just thinking, when I listen to music most of the time, I listen to more calming – so it’s me. I only listen to English pop when I like to go for run, go for my – my gym, whatever – I need energy. So that was it, you see. But for – as a person, I sit down and relax and reflect on myself, it’s more of Chinese tradition.”
“I – I think every tradition should preserve. Um, be it Western, be it Chinese. It is a good thing, and it – it – it’s probably like you say – it stems – it’s a good learning ground for youngsters to understand what is the culture. If you lose that you may lose the culture of what it’s all about, you know. So that’s – that’s important.”
“Actually, I like it. I like it. It – it’s in between ... it’s in between – but this – this – this – the instrumental thing that I like. Ya. This is quite similar to what I’m listening to – the instrumentals, the guzheng.”
“I don’t know what’s the exact word to use, but I go there to get heighten and then come down – crashing down. [Experimental Chinese music is] just – it’s just not a good feeling for me. So, maybe that’s way it doesn’t appeal to me.”
“No. No, I don’t. I don’t even know who they are. Other than Esplanade that – that local group. Ya, which I don’t even know their name, I forgot their name.”
“There’s one particular song – was it this year? That – that Home (1998). Forgot that [title]. Ya, this is my home, ya, ya, this is my home. Is there something like that? Is there a song like that, right? Ya. Correct, ya. That – that really brings you ... brings you back, lah. Ya. I’m just trying to think others – what was last year’s songs, ah? I forgot already.”
“In Singapore, I think is more of Western classical, lah. Ya. And my – my god-daughter – she plays a violin, and she plays mainly Western classical. I – as I said, it’s what they are being taught from young, you see.”
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