The evolution of Vanessa Fernandez
SINGAPORE — “The only thing I actually did was choose the songs and turn up to perform the songs,” Vanessa Fernandez quipped.
SINGAPORE — “The only thing I actually did was choose the songs and turn up to perform the songs,” Vanessa Fernandez quipped.
The singer was talking about her involvement in her latest album and, at the press conference to launch Use Me, she preferred to heap praise on Ying Tan, the man who co-produced the album with Michael C Ross. (Tan also runs Groove Note, the record label that has also recorded albums for another Singapore singer, Jacintha Abisheganaden.)
“Ying pretty much took the lead, getting the players and everything ... all of this is because of him,” she said. “Yes, he’s a label guy and a businessman, but he absolutely knows his stuff.”
Recorded in Los Angeles at the famous Ocean Way recording studio, which has seen the likes of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, The Mamas & The Papas, Frank Zappa, Bette Midler and more grace its halls, the album — unlike her previous releases — is full of covers. Sure, they’re soul and R&B classics from the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers and Al Green, among others, which is in keeping with Fernandez’s penchant for the genres, but there’s nary an original tune in sight.
“If I’m really honest, the reason I wanted to do this album was because I could get it out on vinyl. How many people can say they’ve recorded at Ocean Way and released a vinyl record?” she said with a smile. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!”
As for the song selection, she said the ones on the album really moved her. “I mean, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers is pretty much blues personified for me and Isaac Hayes is just so sexy,” she said. “I think the only one that isn’t quite like that is Cool Cat by Queen. It’s a spanner in the works but I think every album needs one. But I just gravititated towards these singers.”
Fernandez, of course, has been singing since she was a teen. She came to public consciousness when she, along with noted musicians Trisno Ishak, Munir Alsagoff, Michaela Therese, Terry Lee, Firdaus Bahri, Humaa and Kimberly Olsen, was formed music collective Urban Xchange, which later evolved into Parking Lot Pimp. She joined producer Jason Tan to producer Octover, and last year found her in Los Angeles, where she put together what would be eventually become the Vandetta EP.
Fans who know Fernandez as Vandetta, the stage moniker she created for her foray into more electronic music, may wonder how the new album sits in her catalogue. But, as the singer said: “I don’t worry too much about that”. “I don’t need to consolidate everything into one name. I’m okay with diluting my brand.”
Online reviews have been glowing, but she said that while it’s nice to have positive reviews, that ultimately isn’t her goal.
“I’ve been doing this for a while and in my head, it’s just important to keep on doing it. So I don’t have any expectations for (the success of the album),” said Fernandez.
She has no real plans to tour to support the album either. “It’s difficult to tour because of work. The album release really is a release for me,” she said. “It’s done, goodbye. But next year, I’ll be working on a new EP under the Vandetta moniker. It will largely be a hip-hop electronic record and I’m working with bunch of Singapore producers such as Fauxe and O$P$.
“Performance-wise, the next show I’ll be doing is the Celebrate SG50 countdown show. But I’d like to do more covers for online, versus doing live shows. Maybe after I release the EP, I’ll (think about) doing live shows.”
Vanessa Fernandez’s Use Me is out in record stores now and online.