“I have romantic ideas, but [when I make films] I am not really a romantic person,” Chen Yu-hsun admits with a chuckle. The Taiwanese filmmaker came to fame in 1994 with his debut feature, Tropical Fish, a razor-sharp comedy-drama, for which he was awarded the Golden Horse Award for best original screenplay as well as […]
One has to understand that Korean music encompasses more than just K-pop with artists paving their own way into the entertainment world by combining various genres. For instance, although the genre of K-rock hasn’t been a part of the country’s culture for as long as it has been in Europe or North America, rock music […]
We don’t often hear music from Singapore, but why? Is it a lack of musicians in the country or not enough exposure to the Western world? I am sure it’s not the shortage of talent as Singapore is overflowing with gifted artists, including The Observatory, Arif, A-do, Aspidistrafly and Falling Feathers, just to name a […]
What makes one a good singer? A sense of rhythm and an ear for music are important, however, technicality is not enough. We expect an artist to charm and delight the audience with their voice. Tim Dehnert, a.k.a. Traces, a singer-songwriter from California, comprises both: a talent for song-writing and captivating vocals. In addition, Tim’s […]
Much of the conversation around what it means to be an original artist centres around being “yourself”— being genuine and authentic without attempting to be someone you’re not. Deshawn Visionz, a hip-hop artist based in California, is unafraid to speak the truth with his songs. He has the confidence to vocalise his own feelings, and […]
There is no denial that the speed at which K-pop groups pop out on our screens is immense. Having said that, not all groups are memorable, they come and go regardless of their talents. However, a huge collage of colours, themes, odd fashion choices and adaptable skills [dancing, singing, rapping, playing the instruments] still make […]
2016 was a turning point for Kim Young Geun when he won the talent show Superstar K [an equivalent of Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol]. The singer impressed the judges with his cover of Sam Smith’s Lay Me Down, which later led to more exciting performances on the show. A year after winning the […]
Kang Minah has a strong personality. She is determined and often knows what she wants in life. Raised by her mother, Minah learnt how to be independent and how to look after herself when she needs to. Her admiration for her mother’s strength has impacted Minah’s own character: determination is her second nature. Prior to […]
Lim Jisoo, an emerging South Korean singer, came to light in 2019 when she won Vocal Play, a variety show where the singers had to sing without instrumental accompaniment at times. With her powerful and unique voice, Jisoo blew the judges away with the cover of Imagine Dragons’ Radioactive. After winning the show, Jisoo was […]
Let there be no mistake, becoming a singer isn’t an easy task. However, with a love for music, expressing one’s feelings and inspiring people to do the same, more people are encouraged to take on a new journey of becoming an artist, in whatever capacity it suits an individual. Born in South Korea, Ben Kang […]
