Baybeats Conversations: Inch Chua

PUBLISHED June 24th, 2012 02:55 pm | UPDATED March 28th, 2016 02:01 pm

Baybeats is just around the corner! The folks here at City Nomads sure are excited – so much that we have nosed out a few bands before the festival to get to know them better. Keep an eye out as we bring you these conversations with our local talents. such as Inch Chua.

The indie music scene here has been steadily growing over the past few years, with independent acts such as SIXX, Cheating Sons, Shelves and Charlie Lim just to name a few bringing great music to us and even to the world. And what better way is there to celebrate their talent then to bring them altogether in 3 days of rocking live performances?

Happening from 29^th June to 1^st July, Baybeats brings you 35 bands over 4 different venues at the Esplanade – Theatres By The Bay. This year’s Baybeats celebrates with Esplanade for their 10^th Anniversary by inviting alumni performances from the previous years to rock the stage along with the newer acts.

First up, we have Inch Chua & The Metric System, Inch Chua is no stranger in the local music scene, having also performed at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (2010) and in the Singapore Pavilion in the World Expo in Shanghai, China (2010). Not only just the first ever Singaporean to be invited to appear at the prestigious South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas in 2010, she was invited to return this year with her backing band, The Metric System.

Inch Chua’s debut full length album Wallflower (2010), is full of whimsical and bluesy acoustic tunes that speak of Sunday mornings and quiet bus rides. You can expect more upbeat tunes from her during Baybeats as she returns to the indie rocker within.

INCH CHUA & THE METRIC SYSTEM

Tell us more about Inch Chua, and about Inch Chua & The Metric System.

I’m a singer-songwriter. The Metric System is a band of amazingly talented guys who give life to my songs. At the moment, The Metric System is Mark John Hariman on Guitar, Tim De Cotta on Bass and Bani Hidir on Drums.

You believe that ‘total and utter satisfaction is the death of an artist’ – does it mean artists can not be contented, happy people? Would you say that you have never been satisfied in life?

I’m a very happy and grateful person, but I’m definitely not a satisfied artist, particularly in the aspect of honing my craft. I believe vision, desire and hunger are the key attributes that make an artist. And if your thirst to know more and be more is quenched, your development as an artist would come to a standstill.

How has your journey been creating music for the past few years? Being one of the more veteran and established homegrown singers, what are some of the insights you have gained into the music scene here?

The journey’s been most exciting. I truly recognize that I’ve been very blessed thus far. I wouldn’t count myself as a veteran, I still feel like I’ve got a lot to learn with the need to be more discerning.

I feel the biggest thing I’ve come to know is that the music industry’s landscape is ever changing and there really is no trailed and tested way to do things. I’ve learnt to complain less, to make less excuses and make things happen with your own rules.

How does making music here differ from other places, such as Austin and Los Angeles where you have had the opportunity to work in?

It’s not all that different. I write everywhere I travel, I produce just as I how I would anywhere else and I still put 100% in performance all the time. The external factors that I can’t control such as the music culture in each country as well as the economics don’t and shouldn’t affect my process of music making.

The grass is not always greener on the other side, I could talk about how awesome it is to be practicing in the States but I could also mention the many banes that come with the boons.

Do you think the music scene here has changed?

Definitely! So much as changed since the arts clamp down in the 90s. And with the speed that the whole world progresses in these days, I definitely do foresee it flourishing in my lifetime. Things can only get better.

What are some of the indie bands here that have caught your notice that you would recommend people to go catch?

My favourite local band of all time is B-quartet – unfortunately they’ve recently entered an indefinite hiatus. Although you might not be able to catch them live anymore, you can find their albums at http://b-quartet.bandcamp.com/. “Tomorrow Is Our Permanent Address” is one of my favourite albums of all time – Bani Haykal is my idol. Other awesome live acts that Singaporeans must catch:

~ Tiramisu, the frontman Rizman Putra is absolutely magical to watch. I’m always so blown away at how he uses his body on stage.

~ The musical hauntings of MONSTER CAT (psssst, look out for their interview soon!)

~ The ridiculously talented and charming, Charlie Lim.

What would you like to see or hear more of?

I would just like to see more original music instead of cover culture. Doesn’t matter what genre really. I’m no genre elitist.

Lastly, what are the plans in store for you, along with your mates from The Metric System?

I’m currently starring in a Theatre Practice Production, Lao Jiu The Musical. Soon after the musical, The Metric System and I will be jumping back in the studio to work on my next album that due to release at the end of the year.

Catch Inch Chua & The Metric System at Baybeats on Sunday, 1 July, 7pm at Arena, The Esplanade.

---

Written by Tweedlingdum