Cherie Ko’s new musical expressions

SINGAPORE — Nearly a year ago, we sat down with musician Cherie Ko to talk about her then-new release, an EP called Pastelpower Broadcast, featuring two ’60s-style synth pop tunes and their accompanying videos.

Ko, of course, is best known as the guitarist for fuzz-pop band Obedient Wives Club, but she had struck out on her own too, under the moniker Pastelpower. Sonically different from Obedient Wives Club — or indeed, Bored Spies, a rock trio she was in — she said that there were plans to roll out an album this year.

That plan has come to fruition. Next Wednesday (Dec 2), Pastelpower’s full-length album, an 18-track effort called Farewell Cruel World, will be released on cassette. It will be released in conjunction with a performance for the Singapore: Inside Out travelling showcase (see story below).

The album will contain every recording Ko has done as Pastelpower, including acoustic tracks and demos; and it is the first recording of this kind for Pastelpower.

However, it will also be the last: On Dec 2, Pastelpower will finally say goodbye.

“Yes, that show is going to be Pastelpower’s final show. Pastelpower is no more,” Ko told TODAY.

Ko started Pastelpower in 2012 and most of the songs were written back then. “I was only 21 then. I am now 24, so I feel that a lot of growing up has happened in these past few years and I feel I have outgrown Pastelpower,” said Ko of her reason to end that part of her musical career.

“The songs still have sentimental value and mean a lot to me, but it feels like I’m not true to myself if I keep rehashing those songs. It was a hard decision to make, because a lot of effort had been put into the project.”

Ko said she had originally decided to stop Pastelpower in April this year, but felt it wasn’t the right time to announce it. “It was quite an emotional time for me,” she said. “But this opportunity came up to play this show for Singapore Inside Out showcase, and I thought it was a wonderful way to announce it. Also, it gives me good closure.”

While most of her Pastelpower shows feature only Ko and her keyboards, for this show, Ko has roped in four other musicians to accompany her: Jean Low, the lead singer of local band Giants Must Fall, who collaborated with Ko in the Ferry x Cherie music projects this year; Rachel Tan, singer of Lost Weekend; Melina Kymmie, the singer with The Great White Lark and singer-songwriter Joanne Goh.

“I usually do a solo set and that’s not very dynamic sometimes. I wanted to end on a bigger note and expand the sound, and the way to that is with a live band. I’ve always dreamed of having an all-girl band so I’m very happy with this line-up,” said Ko. “They’re all very talented musicians.”

But as the saying goes, when a door closes, a window opens. Ko’s new window of opportunity is another musical collective, called TOMGIRL. Formed with Ted, a “mystery guy who is based in Melbourne”, TOMGIRL is the polar opposite of Pastelpower, she said.

“I wanted to represent who I am at this age as a musician and who I intend to be in the future. Our sound is completely different but it still shares the same elements as Pastelpower because it’s still me writing the songs, with added influence from Ted,” said Ko, adding that they write songs over the Internet.

TOMGIRL’s sound, which they dub “noire pop” because it’s sonically darker and heavier than her work with Pastelpower, is inspired by B-grade movies, Quentin Tarantino soundtracks, with a lot of the songs written “about motorcycle gangs and femme fatales”. Ko said she hoped to release the first single early next year, with an album coming out in the middle of the year.

She also plans to tour with TOMGIRL around the region. “And maybe all over the world. I’d like to do that. Go big or go home, right?”

Of course, we had to ask: Is this a permanent project? And if so, what about Obedient Wives Club? “I foresee TOMGIRL to have a more permanent spot in my life,” said Ko. “I really believe in the music that we write and I would like to create something bigger than myself – something that will be impactful.”

While Ko said she’s “going full throttle” with TOMGIRL, that doesn’t mean her contributions to Obedient Wives Club will diminish.

“The other members have day jobs but we are all fully committed to the band and we’ll still be releasing our next EP,” she assured.

Nevertheless, Ko said she relished her time as Pastelpower because she learnt a lot — from organising music shows to learning all the intricacies of the technical aspects of

music-making.

“I learnt how important the spirit of DIY is and how important it is to have friends. My whole journey, I have had so many people who helped me, these are those whom I should cherish and keep in my life.”

Pastelpower’s final show is on Dec 2 at Singapore: Inside Out, Tan Quee Lan Street (near Bugis Junction). Admission is free.