The Unexpurgated interview with singer-songwriter Dru Chen

If you think that Singaporean musicians don’t have soul, listening to Dru Chen will certainly change your mind. The singer/songwriter/producer blends old school soul with modern sounds, fusing “the values of old-time musicianship with a modern aesthetic”.

And it seems people are tuning in. Chen’s music has been on radio stations in Singapore, Australia and the United States and he’s performed to audiences in Singapore, Brisbane and Melbourne, where he’s currently based. His latest single, You Bring Out The Best In Me hit 10,000 views in just over two weeks — without any marketing whatsoever.

It’s the forerunner for his new EP, Intentions, which will drop on March 16 and features five track. The full-time muso will also be making a return appearance at this year’s Mosaic Music Festival (he also performed last year), as part of his Singapore/Malaysia tour.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN MUSIC? I started out classically trained on the piano and violin when I was six. As a teenager, I taught myself guitar, bass and keyboards. I started singing, inspired by vocalists such as Jeff Buckley and Freddie Mercury. I began writing my own songs at 15. At 17, I moved to Australia and did my Bachelor’s Degree in Music Production. I also discovered R&B, soul and funk at that time as well.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DRU CHEN SOUND? Old-meets-new. Retro and future. A blending of the traditional forefathers of soul with the new breed of digital musicians. Taking cues from old doo-wop groups (The Temptations), funk-pop (Prince, Michael Jackson) and modern visionaries (Kimbra, Frank Ocean), the Dru Chen sound fuses the values of old-time musicianship with a modern aesthetic.

WHAT MUSIC INSPIRED YOU GROWING UP AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU NOW? Lots of Motown, Stevie Wonder and Prince growing up. Right now, I, alongside many other R&B/soul musicians, am awaiting D’Angelo’s new record.

WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME – SINGAPORE OR MELBOURNE? Both. I spent half my life in Singapore and half my life in Melbourne. Now, I travel back and forth between the two.

ARE YOU PROOF THAT SINGAPOREANS DO HAVE SOUL? Paraphrasing Stevie Wonder, “any music that has feeling has soul.” Having said that, the “soulfulness” or “funkiness” has something to do with the way the music makes you nod your head or pat your foot. A visceral thing. Singaporean musicians like Charlie Lim get this.

YOU PLAY A FEW INSTRUMENTS – WHAT ARE THEY AND WHICH ONE(S) DO YOU LOVE PLAYING MOST? I perform and have recorded on violin, keyboards, guitar, bass and basic drums. I love them all equally but I am probably the most proficient on the guitar. I also like to write on the piano.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CALL YOUR EP INTENTIONS? This EP serves as my “intentions” as an artist. My aim is to mix all the colours and influences of mine in music. Black rock, Blue-Eyed Soul, Asian variants on the R&B and ballad forms. Also, I used to call my backing band The Intentions. It sounds like The Temptations or The Stylistics.

WHERE’S THE STRANGEST PLACE YOU’VE HAD A SONG/LYRIC IDEA? On my bicycle, riding along the beautiful Merri Creek in Australia. I came up with You Bring Out The Best In Me.

TELL US ABOUT THAT. I came up with this song while riding my bicycle. [laughs] After I got over the excitement of coming up with the central hook, I sat down and finished the verses. I did the demo on my laptop, and then I slowly replaced all the parts with the final performances one-by-one. We recorded the horn parts in my grandparents’ shed in Melbourne. The song is an uplifting slice of 1970s soul that’s equal parts Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Every night, I feel like I’m dedicating this song to every single member of the audience. You all really do bring out the best in me.

DESCRIBE THE ‘DRU CHEN LIVE EXPERIENCE’. Blazing guitar solos. Lots of hand clapping, foot tapping in between moments of intense balladry and whisper-to-a-scream dynamics. I like to involve the audience with sing-alongs and call and response bits. These techniques stem from the tradition of soul music, from Sam Cooke in the ‘50s to James Brown in the ‘60s, Sly & The Family Stone in the ‘70s to Prince and Michael Jackson in the ‘80s, D’Angelo in the ‘90s and now Beyonce and Frank Ocean.

IF YOU COULD WORK WITH ANY ARTISTE IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD YOU PICK? Prince, circa 1987. That man sweated creativity out of every pore. From music, lyrics, production, dancing and showmanship, Prince mastered every aspect of being an artiste.

GIVE US THREE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD BUY YOUR EP, INTENTIONS? It’ll make you dance, it’ll make you smile and it’s funky!

Intentions EP will be available on March 16 via iTunes, druchen.net. Dru Chen performs March 14 and 15 at the Mosaic Music Festival (see www.mosaicmusicfestival.com for details) and on March 16 at Barber Shop By Timbre.