Rant and rave: The Sam Willows’ Narelle Kheng

SINGAPORE — Narelle Kheng can’t imagine life without the Internet. Blame it on her phone.

“I didn’t really start using the Internet until I was 16 or 17, when I got my first smartphone and learnt of this thing called Wi-Fi,” revealed the 21-year-old bassist and vocalist of indie band The Sam Willows.

“And now, I’m always connected. It does frighten me sometimes.”

Kheng and her bandmates will be performing tonight at the Singapore International Festival Of Arts’ ongoing pre-festival event The OPEN as part of the 89plus programme, a series of talks and film screenings that centres on the generation that grew up under the shadow of the Internet, which was invented in 1989.

“I definitely believe the Internet has created another ‘break’ in the generations, as did the invention of the telephone and cars,” said Kheng, who incidentally will star with fellow Willow and brother Benjamin in the Channel 5 TV show Do It Yourself.

“I think the biggest impact the Internet has on my generation is the fact that it gives people hope. Living the dream has actually become a realistic goal because you don’t have the middlemen, modelling agencies, record labels, etc, to have to pick you up anymore. You don’t need a lot of money to advertise your cafe or company because, if you’re really smart about it, you can generate a lot of hype spending close to nothing. It has opened a lot of doors and made people think bigger and be more innovative.”

RANTS

Insincere people: I like to talk and get to know people. And it’s cool if you click, if you don’t, it’s fine, too. But I don’t like it when I can’t understand someone or don’t know who they are because they’re just not sincere and you don’t know if you can trust them.

Pimples: Urgh. Why are some people so lucky and always look so fresh and flawless and I look like a monster when I get up? I wish it could be like in the movies where everyone wakes up smiling and perfect.

The weather: I know everyone complains about this, but it’s not just about feeling hot or sweating. It really drags my mood down. Somehow, when you’re hot and uncomfortable, you just tend to be more grouchy and “frowny” because you’re always squinting. The humidity also makes it feel like you’ve got the whole world on your shoulders and we all know that’s one thing we can do without. Also, how fashionable can you be when you always have to dress cool? I have so many nice jackets to layer on, but I can never wear any!

RAVES

McDonald’s: They’re everywhere. They’re sooo good. They’re cheap. It’s such a chore to eat healthy in Singapore and it’s so expensive. McDonald’s is my guilty pleasure and easy way out.

Being fit: As much as I’m a junk-food monster, I also always believe in keeping fit (though it’s easier said than done). I’ve been the athlete and the slob, and I gotta say feeling healthy and strong is always better because you have so much energy and don’t feel limited by your body.

Sci-fi movies: It’s really difficult to get science fiction right. There will always be loopholes and everyone is a critic, always pointing out the flaws. But the amount of work that goes into a good sci-fi movie is really commendable. The research, the CGI (computer generated imagery) ... I really enjoy sci-fi movies because you get to live in a totally different world. I’m not that geeky, but I totally love it when they explain the science behind it. It’s so interesting!

The Sam Willows will perform at The OPEN tonight, 10pm, at 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road. For more details, visit http://theopen.sifa.sg or https://sifa.sg. Do It Yourself premieres on July 15, 9pm on Channel 5.