Singapore’s music scene is heating up with the arrival of brb., a trio that has made waves with their debut track, Cool with It. Comprising Clarence Liew, Auzaie Zie, and Marc Lian, brb. is a combination of silky-smooth R&B with Funk. Zie, who has been a fan of Marc’s work since 2012, has always been aware of his musical abilities. Little did he know that their paths would cross in a meaningful way. As for Clarence, his introduction to the group happened in 2015 at an unexpected venue (a random wedding gig), where Zie was handling the sound. They clicked, and the rest is history. 

Their trio’s debut single, Cool with It, showed their talents and chemistry. With its interesting mix of R&B, the song presented the group’s ability to create music that’s both sophisticated and instantly accessible. As brb. continues to gain strength, they keep releasing music that has attracted not only the locals but those in the US as well. 

In 2020, they released their debut album, relationsh*t, which gave a refreshing nod to the swooners and crooners of ’90s R&B. This particular release gives off a certain charm – a city pop bounce that remains distinctly optimistic despite the tales of love lost that weave through its lyrical stories. Even on their slower tracks, such as undone, the music clicks along with a bright groove, refusing to let melancholy take the reins entirely. Over the years, brb. has presented more music, and recently, they released two singles, Sharp Knife and trippin. 

Sharp Knife dives into the complexities of falling deeply in love and the need for self-restraint, and it is also a collaboration with KIRE, a Taiwanese singer. While discussing the single with the group, brb. shared that, “The song is a reminder to practice self-restraint when you fall head over heels for someone, hedging on that safety net so it doesn’t hurt so much when things go south. We met KIRE years ago via social media, and we’ve kept in touch ever since. It was really easy to work with him.”

brb.‘s music is known for its mix of ’90s sounds, dance, and modern beats. While contemplating their influences, they mentioned, “We all grew up heavily influenced by the sounds of the ’90s, so a lot of our stuff is a homage to that. Our tastes shift quite a bit, so it’s a little hard to pin down. But for now, we’re all pretty into dance music”.

Since their debut in 2018, the band’s music has evolved and grown dynamically. “I guess we’ve not really boxed ourselves into a fixed genre. We love experimenting, and thankfully our fans seem to be okay with that”, brb. confessed. Balancing individual musical preferences within the group hasn’t posed significant challenges for the guys either, “Our differences are rather complementary, so we’ve not really faced much of an issue in that respect. We’re really lucky”.

Releasing music can be a nerve-wracking experience, but brb. maintains a pragmatic perspective, “On the business side of things, everyone wants the songs to do well. Those bills aren’t paying themselves. But I think we don’t like to dwell too much on that. Music is subjective and you can’t please everyone. So, why bother? As long as it means something to someone”.

The Singaporean music scene has also left a mark on brb.’s work. Though they didn’t specify local inspirations, it’s clear that the vibrant artistic community in Singapore has influenced their creative journey in some ways.

Apart from love and loss, brb. explores a myriad of themes through their music. Their goal is for audiences to grow alongside them, with the band continually exploring new motifs and ideas. When it comes to their creative process, brb. takes a laid-back approach, stating, “Generally, we all come in with our own ideas, and we kind of wing it from there. Nothing too serious; we just enjoy the process”.

Being in a group comes with its challenges, especially with three distinct personalities; nevertheless, Clarence, Zie, and Marc learned the value of communication and compromise, as they said, “Well, in the beginning, I think we tiptoed around each other a lot. But now, I think we’ve all learned a lot from each other. Communication is key”. As brb. carries on to make more and more engaging tunes, they have also four days left on their North American tour called It’s Complicated. And before we concluded our conversation, brb. confessed that, “This North American tour will be a core memory, for sure”.

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

_{View of the Arts is a British online publication that chiefly deals with films, music, and art, with an emphasis on the Asian entertainment industry. We are hoping our audience will grow with us as we begin to explore new platforms such as K-pop / K-music, and Asian music in general, and continue to dive into the talented and ever-growing scene of film, music, and arts, worldwide.}