Aiming high: Taiwan indie band WonFu want to go on performing forever

SINGAPORE — They are a regular feature in Taiwan’s music festivals, have held gigs in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and China, played at South by Southwest, and launched tours in Japan and the United States, not to mention ratcheting up a few nominations at the prestigious Golden Melody Awards.

But ask Taiwanese indie folk-rock band WonFu — whose first gig was way back in 1998 — whether they have “arrived”, and lead vocalist and guitarist Xiao Min was quick to dismiss the idea. “Not yet,” he exclaimed in English.

Speaking to TODAY in a phone interview ahead of WonFu’s performance at SWITCH next month, he added in Mandarin: “There will forever be something else we want to do.”

A few years ago, the band had visited the Coachella Festival, where they also witnessed the performance of a certain Paul McCartney. It had been an awe-inspiring experience, he said, recalling its all-ages audiences — including those clutching walking sticks — and the sight of people crying, visibly moved by his music.

“They all knew Paul McCartney and they knew how to sing his songs. This type of music, its influence, which spans across decades, is incredible,” he said. “I hope WonFu can continue to write more songs, try out more musical styles and be like him, to get to perform in many other different places ... I hope we can keep on going, beyond five to 10 years.”

After being together for 17 years, you would think the group — which, aside from 37-year-old Xiao Min, also comprises female lead and guitarist Mami, 32, bassist Twiggy, 35, and drummer Du Pi, 34 — would get sick of each other from time to time.

Instead, they behave more like university dormitory friends who would occasionally quibble about food or movies, he quipped. “We have a mutual understanding of, and we try to give in to, each other,” he added.

The quartet’s eighth album Papa I Want To Be A Star was released back in July. And while it still maintained the band’s signature wacky, ultra-catchy, infectiously cheerful hooks, it also contained a few songs that have a touch of warmth and nostalgia.

“In the past, we wouldn’t have dared to put out songs that show that reflective side of us; we would have felt a little embarrassed,” he said. “Now, some of the songs show our thoughts on life, or (are) about family life and even memories about our childhood homes,” he said.

Citing the tune On And On, he said: “It’s a song about how life goes on and on, but wherever you get to in life, home is still where your root is. Home is a place where you can measure how far you’ve come.”

The change in music direction could be due to the band being in a different stage of their lives now, he explained.

For one, he and Twiggy — who was his long-term girlfriend before he proposed on the set of the Ai Ni Yi Zhao Nian music video — welcomed a baby girl eight months ago.

So is their quirky, happy image just an elaborate act or the real deal? “I think our music shows who we are. If our characters are not like that, then I think we’ll be feeling very tortured while doing this,” he said with a laugh.

WonFu perform on Nov 18, 7.30pm, at SWITCH by Timbre. Tickets at S$40 from http://tickets.eventclique.com.