I beh tahan liao!!
After a song-composing concert in my uni, named Dayao (means Big Shake, abbreviated from 摇篮手大型歌曲创作演绎会)...everyone has been posting nostalgic statuses and blog post and facebook notes and *gasp* photos!
And as a senior who's in her final year, leaving this "ivory elephant building" (象牙塔) soon...I've so far done NOTHING, but just LIKE on facebook.
DENG DENG DENG DENG!!!
Pretty passive and selfish of me to do so right?
One of the reasons that I don't wanna write anything sentimental is because I'm so afraid to face that sentimental feeling inside me.
Takut nanti nangis wei...
Anyhow, I guess it's time I write something, not just for everyone, but for myself as well. Maybe when I read this back someday, I'll blame myself for being such an emotional driven writer...
(You guys won't see me tearing up anyway, blurgh)
And yes, all pics are stolen from various amazing photographer! *claps!*
(by the way, for those who don't know, we regard ourselves as Birds in this "clubs")
Start out with some emo pic first... =P
This year is pretty much a year of growth for me.
Emotional, mental, musically, technically, psychologically...physically (ekkk?)
Too much to say so I'll just separate my topics into point forms:
1. Performing & Technical Skills
Last year, a producer commented on my singing skills and he/she recommended me to take lessons.
Instead of that, I went to sing in cafe and wedding functions.
Before venturing out, I've always thought I CAN sing.
But bull-crap to myself when I'm out there...my singing was just peanuts!
So the whole year was a challenging one.
Cruel too.
Customers won't be like YLS seniors, giving advice or nice talks.
They criticize or just laugh at your face.
I guess I grew alot from there.
Thanks alot to my singing partners, Steve and Basil too.
Of course,
I was and still am very touched by the improvement made by my fellow YLS friends.
Despite singing, music playing or composing or management,
EVERYONE grew from a certain extend.
Just to specially mention XinYi Ng (Yes, you siao cabor),
Who thought she couldn't sing blues or a full band song,
I say you did AWSOME!
Kick-ass those skeptics babeh...
Musicians/ arrangers like Ding Hang, Leong Hooi, Shun Hern, Noah, Keen Long, Hazel, Guo Jing, Moh theng, Raymee, Raee, Julian, Daryl...
you guys really improve alot and I love alot of the arrangements this year.
Maybe too heavy taste for some people, but I think the songs arrangement brought up the best of you.
As for first year birdies,
hands down to you guys! I'm very grateful for a capable bunch of you guys =)
Might not be a Santana, Guthrie Govan, or The Piano Guys
but keep the passion to grow and learn,
you new birds will soon fly high.
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| A new love I found -- acappella singing |
**Add in a lil shoutout to my cabor gang:
YingChoa, Xinyi, Carmen, Foong Hwa
I'm too grateful to have you gals singing alongside with me.
Without you guys, I won't be able to write good music
and sing acapella! Loves!
2. Song Composing
Probably an awkward topic to write.
This is my sword, but also my vice.
This is one of the reason I started this whole journey with music in UM.
I can't say I'm a capable writer,
as I'm limited to some stubborn genres,
I won't say I'm flexible,
'cause I still don't seem to agree with some music-market-doers,
But I can say I've grown,
from a bedroom song-writer to one who knows how to work with others.
I learn to develop a style, a piece of my own.
Of course,
I won't forget to thank my all-time inspirationer.
(there's no such word, i made it up lol)
Jesus Christ.
If not because of Him, I wouldn't be writing,
and writing so abundantly.
Many asked how could I write a song,
or how could I tell if that's a nice song?
Aside from subjectivity of diff individuals,
I always know a song is nice, if I have the peace and touch from within.
Especially songs I wrote when I pray.
It's just a very intricate moment which is hard to explain by words.
But surely there are other ways to write songs lar...
don't get my wrong.
This is just how I write my stuff. ;)
 |
Love this pic to pieces!
I guess it just shows who I really am in Yao Lan Shou.
Just very me, no pretense.
|
3. Growth
You'd probably be snoring by now.
=P
Anyways,
many things have changed, and still will do.
For example,
I'll never see music the same way I used to back in 2011.
Every year, every exposure, every moment,
we're improving, growing.
So, to all my friends,
young/old/junior/senior/super senior/...
Never stop growing.
Sometimes, we'll fall into a category of criticizing or subjective opinions.
That's one of the prominent I learned throughout these 3 years.
When we hear something that's out of our dictionary, or
something that's not our cup of tea,
we tend to laugh, gossip, criticize about it.
What I learn from a great musician friend (Farouque)
is that:
Never underestimate people or circumstances around you.
In other words:
Never underestimate the power of music.
What makes it all work is passion, discipline and humility.
A senior (Siang Xi) told me,
song writing is like training muscle,
keep writing everyday, and you'll breakthrough.
It is and will always be my motto in writing song. ;)
Another issue is working in a band.
Yes, there'll be conflicts, different personalities, hardships...etc.
It's hard to cope with people who don't see eye to eye with you.
And sometimes, you might be the trouble in the band without knowing it.
I'm glad that there are friends in YLS that would come up and to me,
and confront.
Something that many of us tend NOT to do so at all.
Friends,
if you care about a friend so much,
and they hurt you along the way,
do go up and tell them what you feel against them.
Don't go around and "share stories".
Because one day when the stories reached them,
that would tear their world apart.
That's what I did before.
and it got back to me, real hard in the face.
And so this year, I took the initiation to apologize to many whom I used to gossip about.
And asked for forgiveness.
Thankful for seniors like Mi Zen, who taught me that we could be firm and yet gentle to handle some hard situations with people.
And that's the wonder of YLS too.
We accept people with different colours of personalities.
That's why we're always like a family.
Tolerance and acceptance.
<3 nbsp="" p="">
3 years has come and gone,
and soon I'll have to carry on.
It's been a pleasure being with you,
my friend.
Thank you for the wonderful times and wonderful friends.
Thank you for the joy.
Thank you for the music that you gave to me,
Thank you Yao Lan Shou.
Thanks you to all the birdies!!!!
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