This Singaporean singer-songwriter and his band bring a fresh new sound to the scene with the EP My Life.
Contributed By Yong Yung Shin
PHOTO: Edwin Wong
Brandon Lee’s musical career began at age 12, when he started writing songs without the accompaniment of any instruments. A half-hour lesson on the guitar with his friend one day helped him to discover yet another tool to express his feelings.
Over the years, his musical dream was shelved as he went through the motions as a student. It wasn’t until his good friend Er Chow Kiat became a winner at the Drum Challenge Asia by Singapore Drumfest that Lee was inspired to fulfill his dream of making music. The result was My Life, a five-track rock production, with a soulful number featuring Sydney-based singer Alarice wedged in.
On the eve of the launch of his debut album, the 22-year-old Lee, who also works as a trainer and business development executive at fitness and wellness company Aspire Concept, takes five with City News for a chat about this new milestone in his life.
You play with a band. How did you all meet?
CK, my drummer and Stuart Wee, my bassist were both my cell group members in our teenage days. Stephen Yonathan Irawan our electric guitarist, was CK’s classmate at LASALLE and was later introduced to me during the pre-production phase.
Tell us about the title track, “My Life.”
It’s a love song of a man trying to salvage his marriage. I wrote this song because I believe that marriages are worth saving, and having grown up in a slightly dysfunctional family, I have realized that while love runs dry a lot of times, we should never run out. I hope this song will remind others of that.
The song which is written based on my personal experience would be “Invincible,” with a message about not living a life to meet up to others’ expectations.
How has the response been to your CD?
Commercially, the effort and time we have put in to promote the EP has not gone to waste. We’ve managed to garner a fair bit of support; Power98 has been playing one of our acoustic numbers, “Always Love You (feat. Alarice).” Our launch event on June 28 was featured in the Life! Section of Straits Times, and we have been invited for interviews with 93.8 Live, and Power98 for their Acoustic Lounge segment. We’ve also been invited to perform at the Singapore Street Festival in July and the finale of 2011 ECO Music Challenge organized by NEA on August 27.
Among family and friends?
Most were encouraging, some were pessimistic—“This is Singapore, you know?” they would say. But I believe with all my heart that nothing is impossible and the journey thus far has already given me so much.
My Life is one of the few mainstream contemporary rock albums produced and mastered locally. Any tips for those with similar aspirations?
That really depends on your budget and the kind of sound you are looking for. For us, we chose to record with Blueprint Studio for our first EP. One rule of thumb is to always listen to the producer/sound engineer’s previous projects before deciding with whom you’ll be most comfortable recording.
What’s on your iPod?
I never have more than 100 songs on my iPod at a time. At different seasons in my life, I listen to different artistes. Right now, you’d probably find The Script, Daughtry and One Republic.
Parting words?
I believe that any dream is worth chasing at least once in your life. Don’t live with regrets—dream with conviction, and act with commitment.
The My Life EP Launch is on June 28, 7:30 p.m at Wala Wala (Holland Village, 31 Lorong Mambong). Admission is free. To RSVP, log on to www.brandonleeofficial.com. My Life is also available for download at iTunes stores.
