Last Updated on 2018-10-24 , 4:49 pm
We’ve heard discriminators say it over and over again.
Singapore has no talent. Singapore has no creativity. Singapore has Goody Feed that sucks.
And while I can’t do much about the second and third one, I can, really proudly with my chest out, declare the first one to be a derogatory statement.
On what bounds, you demand.
In response, I’ll simply keep mum, look south and show you the light. Or to be more specific…
Alex Kalino Hooi.
But before I get started…
I feel obliged to introduce you guys to this young talent, backstory and all.
A 15-year-old teenager from Singapore, Alex Hooi first came into prominence when he submitted entry videos for the chance to be crowned Young Guitarist of the Year 2018. For the record, he was one of the hundreds of young hopeful guitarists around the world.
You can see his submission here:
And as you might’ve probably guessed by now, the video was a pass, and Alex was named one of three guitarists to compete in the finals.
Incidentally, the finalists were picked based on originality, technicality, musicality and feel of their guitar-playing.
And on Saturday, 29 September, a live show at the UK Guitar Show in London was hosted for the duelling musicians to exhibit their skills.
Which is where the article topic comes in
On 29 September, Alex Hooi, who was armed with a Gibson Les Paul that night, stepped up to the fore and gave a performance that resonated nothing short of charismatic.
But don’t just take it from me; judge it for yourself.
And if you find Alex’s choice song familiar, it’s probably because it’s based on The Butterfly Lovers, a Chinese legend of a heart-breaking love story between a pair of lovers, Liang Shanbo (梁山伯) and Zhu Yingtai (祝英台).
In clarification, Alex expressed that he went for the song because it has a good balance of energy and melody, and he wished to do something a little soulful and melodic before going all out, Jimmy Page-style.
A little backstory
Unbelievable as it sounds, Hooi only started laying guitar in June of 2015, which means that yes, he has only been playing the guitar for three years.
Yeah, puts everyone else to shame, honestly. Way to spoil market, bro.
But anyways, moving on.
According to Mothership.SG, he began with an Epiphone Les Paul Special and a copy of Rocksmith. He cites Slash as a major influence, as well as the tipping point in guitar-playing for him.
And in a write-up on Music Radar, Hooi expressed that he wants to be as powerful and as influential with his guitar as Slash. Guitar playing also proves to be a confidence booster for the talent.
If you’re interested in his current influences, here they are, in no particular ranking or order:
Andy Timmons, Guthrie Govan, Paul Gilbert, Synyster Gates, Randy Rhoads and Slash.
But wait, it’s not just him
Because as much as discriminators like to preach… Singapore’s really brimming with talent.
For example, the author of Crazy Rich Asians, lest you’re unaware, is Singaporean.
And he’s so Singaporean that in fact, even right now, he’s still on the “run” from NS. But that’s not related to the topic so moving on.
And then we have another musically talented beatboxer, Dharni, who hails from the Lion City.
To date, he has competed in several top-tier beatboxing competitions, in the process garnering huge followings as well as a reputation for churning out some seriously sick beats.
And of course, right here in the office, we have a number of established talent. My boss, for example, is a handsome young man who can do six pull-ups (in six days). My video editor, for another, has a number of well-received videos to his name, including a collaboration with the Singapore Police Force that has to date, garnered over 600K views. Me, I’ve an Instagram account with over 200 followers.
So yes, Singapore does have talent.
And as much as you want to deny it…
You could just be the next one.
So embrace your potential, because the world’s your stage.
Over in TikTok, there’s a drama involving property agents that’s caused by us. Here’s what happened:
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