Songwriters website charts path for music makers in Singapore

SINGAPORE — Budding musicians here can expect to have more resources and support, with a new community site expected to be up and running by the end of this month.

Called songwriters.sg, the platform is meant to be a consolidated online community for Singaporean songwriters and music creators, and is primarily targeted at individuals aged 15 to 35 years old, said Pauline Phoon, managing partner and founder of youth social enterprise Soos Oio, which is rolling out the site.

Among other features, it will contain a forum as well as a song bank where musicians can submit their tunes for feedback.

The site is open only to songwriters who live in Singapore and Singaporeans overseas, and they would need to register to become a member. Besides professionals and semi-professionals, the online community is also a place for hobbyists, with no charge for membership.

“The vision is to have a community that encourages creativity and exchange of information, with links to the Asia music industry,” said Phoon, adding that the forum will facilitate that with “occasional articles with experts or fellow creators in the industry to give handles, tips, and sharing of experiences”.

“The song directory is to have a consolidated place where Singaporeans and the world can come to listen and hear the music created in Singapore. Perhaps with (people) coming together, there is a possibility of getting Singapore music heard and recognised in new ways,” she added.

The site is one of the initiatives under the Youth Month of July, which is dedicated to Singaporean youths and showcases the causes they are championing. It is supported under the National Youth Fund, a grant from the National Youth Council (NYC) which provides support for ground-up youth initiatives that benefit the community. The council “will continue to work closely with our partners to create an environment that supports youths in fulfilling their aspirations as they hone and develop their craft”, said the NYC.

Beyond the online platform, events will also be rolled out for aspiring musicians. The first, a series called The Magic Behind the Music, will present three different sessions focusing on the role of a music producer and arranger with sessionists, understanding the music industry, and publishing and copyrights.

Speakers will be from the industry, such as prominent Singapore music producer Martin Tang, who has worked with stars such as Jackie Chung, A-Mei and Stefanie Sun, K-Pop music composer-producer Kim Se Jin and Composers and Authors Society of Singapore chief executive officer and director Edmund Lam.

“There are definitely nuggets of wisdom and knowledge that the panel can bring to the table which will greatly enrich the youths’ perspectives and outlook of the music industry. We hope to enlarge the vision of songwriters and music creators on the possibilities ahead of them, (and encourage) a goal they can work towards in honing their skills,” said Phoon.

Ultimately, they hope the site can “give due respect to those who are usually not seen on stage or in the media”, she said, describing them as “unsung heroes”. While singers are often more prominent and have been given most of the coverage, some fail to remember that there are many talented people behind the scenes as well, she added.

Also in the pipeline: Monthly original music showcases of songs shortlisted from those submitted to the songs directory. Soos Oio hopes to have 500 members by the end of the year.

Asked why there was a need to set up such a community, Phoon says she felt “burdened” by the fact that there are many students graduating from music schools, and yet “quite a number” end up not pursuing music. In 2014, for example, 309 people graduated from LaSalle College of the Arts and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ fine & performing arts courses, according to the Ministry of Education’s Education Statistics Digest 2015.

Although the figure does not reveal how many take up music professionally, Phoon feels the music scene here is not large enough to be able to absorb these graduates.

So, she began to wonder if there could be a community or platform which could help make the career path of a full-time musician clearer, for example, by making current artistes “a little more visible”.

“Having gone through music school is just the beginning and they have a long way ahead. If there is a community whereby those who have gone ahead are willing to give advice, perhaps more can continue to pursue what they are passionate about. It is not certain what the community can evolve and become, but if it is not tried out, no one knows where it can bring the music community for the next generation,” she explained.

Having said that, Phoon stresses that there is talent in Singapore. “But what it needs is an environment and community to grow the talents. Music is not just about the technical, which is a must-have, but it is (also about) the soul. Soul only emerges through community and life.”

The Magic Behind the Music is on July 23 and 30. To buy tickets, visit www.apactix.com/events/detail/the-magic-behind-the-music.