It is that time of the year again, when this little island city dresses itself up in glittering lights and a heaving array of ornaments to attract and inspire the spirit of the season. Christmas means different things to different people - it is a time to party, a time to give, receive and reflect.
What does the holiday mean to you?
For local musician, producer and mentor Patrick Chng, the anticipation of yuletide cheers has resulted in a compilation of Christmas music performed by talented homegrown musicians. The proceeds go into helping the Rare Disorders Society (Singapore), an initiative started by two of his friends to help create awareness and support for the community of Singaporean caregivers and patients of rare diseases.
The album starts off aptly with a remastered track of Lilac Saints' "Give Me Love On Christmas Day", featuring an illustrious list of guest musicians from Olivia Ong to Joe Ng of The Padres. Local music fans will revel in the walk down memory lane, while newbies will certainly discover some gems from our colourful musical history with a quick google on any of the contributers.
The rest of the album is not to be outdone, replete with artful and definitive performances by some of this year's most prominent live acts. And even though the compilation was put together with mainstream appeal in mind, it is anything but run of the mill. I attribute this to an effortless yet thoughtful conveyance in style which can only be found in passionate and hardworking original artistes. Whether you are a fan of the sombre rock vibes of Lunarin, the sunny pop beats of Shelves or Kevin Mathews, or the raw and emotive delivery of singers and songwriters like Inch Chua and Charlie Lim, Sam Willows and Natalie Hiong, there is something in this compilation for any discerning listener looking for a Christmas album which embodies the real spirit of the season.
And don't we all need a "pick me up" after a year like 2012, it is enough to render us "emotionless" and "pessimistic" if we were not already, Christmas in Singapore might just get you there, from Singaporeans to all in Singapore.
Some of the tracks in the album:
{youtube}lcuF6mhguj8|600|450|0{/youtube}
Sam Willows
{youtube}djSnCPQXzpk|600|450|0{/youtube}
Shelves
I spoke to Patrick over the email to find out more about why and how he came to put this compilation together.
Biddy: How did this project come about?
Patrick: I've always love Christmas songs since I was a kid and have a pretty big collection of Christmas albums. I've had this idea of having a Christmas album by Singaporean artistes for a long time. It's just that every year, by the time I wanted to do it, it's usually too late! So this year, I started the project in March, talking to artistes, getting sponsors, etc.
Biddy: How did u get involved with Rare Disorders Society and what are they about?
Patrick: I found out about the Rare Disorders Society through a friend who volunteered with them. The society aims to raise awareness about rare disorders and to provide a platform for patients and their families to share their experience and knowledge with each other, as well as to provide support and encouragement.
Biddy: How did you end up with the current lineup for the compilation?
Patrick: I knew that some artistes already had original Christmas songs such as Rachael Teo, Kevin Mathews, Jonathan Meur, The Ukulele Girls and The Lilac Saints so they were first people that I approached. I wanted the album to be "radio friendly" and to appeal to the masses so considerations like that were taken into account in selecting some of the artistes, to balance those that are less mainstream sounding.
Biddy: Any particular track that you feel has special meaning to you?
Patrick: Tough one. But it has to be Rachael Teo's "Christmas time". The song makes my hair stand. It's wistful with a tinge of sadness yet hopeful.
Biddy: Christmas has been deemed by some to be overly commercial, what does Christmas mean to you?
Patrick: Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. To quote U2, it's the day love came to town. For me, it's the perfect time to spread the love too.
The album is available at Starbucks outlets.
You can also sample and purchase the album online http://christmasinsingapore.bandcamp.com/
Stay tuned for our story on RDSS soon.