| Subject: Re: VA VA VINCE |
Author:
ROMAR
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Date Posted: 06:44:01 08/24/03 Sun
In reply to:
ROMAR
's message, "Re: VA VA VINCE" on 06:42:40 08/24/03 Sun
"I was into singing young. Since I was six, seven years old. My mom said I started even younger than that, when I was in Britain, barely two years old. She knew then I was into music. She would buy those singalong tapes and I'd learn them all. From age seven I could already do second voice (harmonies) for vocals I heard.
"At home ... yeah, I sing in the bathroom. I think my family really enjoys my singing in the shower," he said, laughing.
No doubt, a walk into the Chong house during Vince's shower hour might give us clues to his idols - Brian McKnight and Luther Vandross. But nowadays Vince is a little more high-tech, so to speak.
"A couple of years back, I started practising my singing at the computer. I had some music recording software, started writing my own songs, and used the computer to record it. Wow ... there was this one time I wrote four songs in a week.
"Not all the songs I write are love songs. I mean I'm not the mushy, love-dovey guy. Yeah, I have written love songs but some are songs of inspiration. One of them is called Hold On To Your Dreams, written two years ago. I was depressed then. It was like I wanted to go somewhere but it was not happening. And doing this song inspired me. And my friends loved it."
Despite the fact that we've seen him as the guitar-playing Akademi student (he picked up guitar playing from his dad), he's looking to singing more R&B-flavoured songs in the future. (Ladies, rejoice!)
"I won't limit myself to just R&B though. I can sing a lot of styles - blues, jazz, even opera. We did an opera classical performance in church once, I was 14 then. And I did a Pavarotti and the churchgoers were shocked that a voice like that was coming from a kid. I also do alternative rock.
"I'm just a music lover. And ever since AF, I've learnt to appreciate Malay music, Irama Malaysia stuff too. Before this I could not comprehend the music, susah nak minat (hard to like) these types of songs. But when I got closer to the students, I began to appreciate their songs ... even keroncong.
"If I do write Malay songs, I'd definitely need help with the lyrics though," he said, with another burst of laughter.
What about dream duets? Who would he want to sing with, given the chance?
"I'd have to say Mariah Carey. I'd love to sing a duet with her, but it's impossible because she's like ... oh my God ... If the scope was Malaysian, I'd have to say Nora or Siti Nurhaliza. And from the Akademi - it would definitely be Rosma. We did a version of One Sweet Day on one of the episodes, and it was nice. We enjoyed singing together," he said.
So what does Vince do when he's not singing in the bathroom? Would we find him dancing the night away at some trendy club?
"I'm not a clubber. Honestly speaking, I don't like clubbing. Because I don't smoke. I hate smoke, I hate the smell of smoke. And I don't drink. Clubs may be a nice place to hang out and have fun and stuff, but I'm only there when my friends call me out ... which is once a month, once every three months.
"For me I don't see the point in going clubbing if you're trying to catch up with your friends. And you can't talk over the loud music. I prefer to do this at the mamak's. I'm not saying that clubs are a bad place, I mean it's a fun place to go and let loose and stuff. But it's just not me lah," he says.
(continued)
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