Transcript of interview with Kathy Foo (conducted by Amanda Lee), 1 August 2016, 5.30 pm, Changi Airport.
Kathy is a 60-year old female Chinese Singaporean who is an executive assistant. She enjoys English pop music by artists like Glen Campbell, Bee Gees, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Tom Jones. She enjoys English oldies as they are evergreen and not very fast-paced. She listens mainly to music on the radio. Kathy thinks that Western classical music is soothing especially before going to bed at night. She thinks listening to Western classical music can calm one down especially if one is bad-tempered. She does not have an interest in Chinese pop music singers like Wang Leehom and Jay Chou, but would not go to the extent of changing the radio station when their songs come on; she would just not pay to see them in concert. She believes that although Chinese pop music is not important to her, it is important for her children as they enjoy it. She also listens to traditional Chinese music on the radio when it plays at night. She finds it soothing and it makes her nostalgic about the 1930s and 40s. Kathy also used to listen to traditional Chinese music on Rediffusion [cable radio service, now defunct] and picked up Cantonese from the programs from Hong Kong. She believes that traditional Chinese music expresses her Chinese identity as the instruments are unique to Chinese culture. Kathy does not like Chinese opera or getai [outdoor performances on makeshift stages of pop songs in Mandarin or Chinese dialects during the Hungry Ghost Festival] as she finds it very noisy and loud. However she believes that all types of music should be preserved as everyone has their preferences. She enjoyed the contemporary intercultural experimental Chinese music sample played; it reminded her of mountains and rivers. For her, “Singaporean” music is xinyao as the songs mention places of interest in Singapore. She thinks Singaporean music also comprises comedic songs like [Mediacorp’s] Channel 8’s character Mr Unbelievable, as well as the National Day songs.
“Glen Campbell is – sing some of those Western, country music, those songs, ah. It’s not too fast, and then it’s – it’s quite soothing to the ears lah. Even Tom Jones is also, those oldies songs, evergreen.”
“I like this piece of [Western classical] music, very soothing to the ears, especially at night when you’re going to bed. This is a very good piece of music to listen to.”
“[Chinese pop music] is not important to me. But it’s important to the some people, like my children, they will like. Ah. So this type of music should continue lah for their sake, should continue.”
“[Traditional Chinese music] is soothing to the ears, and I – somehow I, just recollect, when this music comes along, then I will imagine myself in the – maybe in the 30s, 40s you know, ah.”
“When I listen to this type of [intercultural experimental] music, I will imagine mountains, you know, rivers. Somehow – somehow it’s linked.”
Click on the link below for the full transcript