Transcript of interview with E. Yeo (conducted by Amanda Lee), 10 August 2016, 7.30pm, Wistma Atria.
E. is a 51-year old female Chinese Singaporean and is a manager at a clinic. She enjoys sentimental English pop songs with nice tunes and meaningful lyrics. She thinks that while Western classical music is an art that should be preserved for those who enjoy it, she herself does not really appreciate it. She does not watch musicals but caught Mamma Mia (2008) and enjoyed it as it was interactive. E. believes that she prefers Chinese music over English because she grew up listening to Chinese music and was influenced by her Chinese-educated parents. E. tunes in almost every morning to 97.2FM to listen to Chinese pop music. She enjoys listening to their mix of older artistes like Teresa Teng, and younger artistes like Stefanie Sun and JJ Lin. She thinks that Chinese pop music expresses her identity as a Chinese person because of the language, and she can understand and find meaning in the lyrics of the songs. She used to attend getai (performances of songs in Chinese and dialects on makeshift stages during the Hungry Ghost Festival) and Chinese opera performances when she was younger but no longer does so unless it is convenient for her. She attributes her previous visits to getai shows to the lesser options for entertainment in the past, as compared to today. E. feels neutral towards the contemporary intercultural experimental Chinese music extract. She does not know how to appreciate it and does not think she can remember the tune of the music. She thinks that the media can do more to publicize Singaporean artists and provide a platform for them to reach out to the public.
“[Western classical music] is an art. So, er, why deprive from those people who like it, ah. I mean – I – I – I don’t appreciate, or I don’t understand doesn’t mean – I mean they’re sure – I’m sure there are some, er, will – will enjoy it, also.”
“So, I – I mean there are also, er, youngsters, you know, the youngster thinking and my thinking will be different. So they may find those meaningless [Chinese pop] song is nice songs, ah. So – but whether they will last long or not, er, is – is a question, lah. But those more, er, meaningful songs or what, right, I think will last longer. Like after few years or what, people still remember them.”
“Especially during like festive seasons, ah, when listen to [traditional Chinese music], and will bring out the mood of like Chinese New Year, or Mid-Autumn [festival], that kind.”
“Like this song you play, right, I’m not familiar. But there are a few – some other – er, this kind of music the songs that I’m – I still have one or two songs that I[‘m] familiar [with], like Yue Yuan Hua Hao (1937) [Full Moon, Beautiful Flowers]. So I will find that one nicer, lah.”
“[Getai singers] sing the songs that I think I’m familiar with. Then, er, like more relaxed, then in a more relaxed, er, environment. Ah. So it can be very ... sui xing [Chinese: “easy going”], lah. You just stand there and watch them singing. Then sometimes they crack some jokes, or what.”
“But I think last time don’t have so much other entertainment, [besides getai] lah. Now, at home you can watch TV, or even like you can watch on your tablet some movies or what. Ah. So last time, don’t have all these, ah.”
“I will stay neutral, I will not dislike [intercultural experimental music], ah. I think I don’t know how to appreciate, ah. Ah. Like I cannot like – like after listening, right, I cannot remember the – the tune or the [music].”
“I think maybe the media should, should emphasize more of our local, er, singers, or composers because a lot – quite a few of them – [became] famous from oversees then Singapore.”
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