SINGAPORE — When the musician known as Gentle Bones — who’s really singer-songwriter Joel Tan — released his debut single, Until We Die, back in December last year, little did he know that it would be the start of bigger and better things to come.

Until We Die hit the No 1 spot on the local iTunes charts a day after its release, and fans and critics alike started heralding the arrival of a special talent to our indie music scene.

Tan has gone from strength to strength — follow-up singles Elusive and Save Me were equally well-received and his debut eponymous EP also stormed up the local iTunes Album Chart — based on pre-orders alone (the actual launch of the EP will be on Aug 30 at TAB). In addition, the audience response at the Gentle Bones live shows have been gathering momentum, with each subsequent performance generating increasingly rapturous fan reception.

There is little doubt that the 20-year-old has established himself at the forefront of a genuine Singapore indie music revival. Tan himself can barely take it all in.

“It is unbelievable, the support local bands are getting now is great and the Internet makes it so much easier for musicians to connect to their listeners,” he gushed. “We are at such a good and healthy time now for the local scene and I’m really proud of everyone, listeners and musicians alike, for stepping up their game and improving their art.”

Anyone who has met Tan will be struck by how down-to-earth the young man is — his feet firmly on the ground despite his swift ascent. But Tan was at a loss to account for his success.

“I wish I could! When I recorded Until We Die, I released it with the sole reason of putting out a proper professional track after working on music for a couple of years. And the reception was incredibly insane that I knew I had to keep up with material,” he explained. “I started on my second single right away with (producer) Roland Lim at Sync Studios and eventually wrapped up a full EP.”

Tan attributed much of his success to serendipity. “I was really lucky to be given the chance to showcase my works to music lovers in Singapore and the help I received from local radio stations, the press and media really assisted in the chasing of my dream,” he opined. “I knew I had to put in hard work the rest of the way to ensure I stuck with the audiences by continuously releasing quality material.”

Nevertheless, the baby-faced Tan always seems to be rather bemused by the adulation of his supporters when he’s performing on stage — despite doing regular shows. “I still get surprised every time,” he confessed. “The first time I actually noticed one person in the audience sing along to one of my songs was back in 2012 and I was already over the moon. And now having more than 50 people in venues singing each and every line to my songs will never stop making me ever so grateful and inspired.”

When queried about why he thought his songs were able to connect with his fans, Tan said that being honest in his music had something to do with it. “I’ve always believed in honesty when it comes to a song’s lyrical message. And it’s about being frank that would allow people who listen to fully engross themselves in a song’s message and theme,” he explained.

“Of course, the melody and arrangements play a huge part as well, as having a good hook is always the basic requirement in pop music.”

And a good hook is something that Tan can deliver, as demonstrated by his latest single, Save Me, an R&B-inflected number that contrasts with his previous folkier material. Not suprisingly, it is probably one of the most distinct songs in the EP.

“I really had to step out of my comfort zone for the song,” Tan said. “The inspiration behind the song was driven by a very impulsive emotion and the extremely visceral elements of the song drove the whole arrangement and its R&B vibe. I’ve always wanted to write a very soulful but yet cinematic-like song, and I felt I achieved that and more with this song.”

Intriguingly enough, Tan’s favourite track off the EP is not one of his chart-toppers, but Settle Down, a song he said was written during “a very dark time” in his life and his “best attempt” at fully translating his “earnest emotion lyrically and musically”. “It’s the song that’s closest to my heart,” he said. “It was also the easiest song to record in terms of arrangement, instrumental and vocal takes, as I was so sure of what I wanted the end product to sound like.”

And just what does the future hold for Gentle Bones? “I don’t know, to be honest,” he chuckled. “I’ve achieved more than I’ve ever wanted to achieve with my music. But I’m going to continue to work hard at it and continue to break boundaries and exceed my expectations.

“My team and I are also planning for a regional tour late this year or early next year and hopefully even more. I can’t wait.”

Gentle Bones will launch his EP on Aug 30 at TAB. Tickets from http://gentlebones.peatix.com/