Transcript of interview with Lily Yeo (conducted by Amanda Lee), 24 July 2016, 8.00 am, Lily’s residence.
Lily is a 59-year old female Chinese Singaporean who is a marketing manager at a food company. She does not listen to English pop music as she finds it noisy. However, she enjoys Western classical music and usually tunes in to 92.4FM on the radio. She likes it as it is relaxing and soft, and she often listens to the music while commuting. However, she thinks that the promotion of Western classical music depends on the public’s demand for it, and does not have a strong opinion on this either way. Although Lily does not generally listen to Chinese pop music, she enjoys watching the singing competition The Voice of China (2012 – 2015). Lily does not listen to traditional Chinese music and she does not like it. However, she thinks that it does helps to express her identity as a Chinese person as the music can only be played by Chinese instruments. While she also thinks that it should be preserved, she believes that it will be difficult to do so. Lily finds the sample of contemporary intercultural experimental Chinese music to be acceptable but will not listen to it again. She also thinks it is reminiscent of traditional Chinese music. Lily does not think that she is obligated to learn more about Singaporean music. She does not think that it is widely promoted.
“We are old, we – we don’t listen to the pop [music], it’s too fast for us, maybe classical or the soft music is better.”
“I don’t think I can answer this question because I don’t really know whether [promoting Western classical music] is good or not. Er, I think this is, er, it depends on the demand from the public.”
“But sometimes, I will listen to [the] radio but I ... I will not listen for too long. I don’t know why because [Chinese pop music] is very noisy so maybe if I turn [the radio] on, maybe for 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, that’s it – I will turn it off.”
“Ya, [Traditional Chinese music] reminds me of old people – old society and, er, everything old, like – aiyoh, no. I will [cause] pain [to] myself in the evening with very old [songs] – no this not my style.”
“I think I can still accept [experimental intercultural music], this kind, ya.”
“So many Chinese instruments playing [in the experimental intercultural music piece], ya, should be – should be able to associate [it with] Chinese [people], ya.”
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