0016 - Bevlyn

Interviewer's Note: The first song I've heard from Bevlyn was 'Lonely Afternoon', after a recommendation from my Army platoon mate (who is a self-proclaimed audiophile =p). Coincidentally, I listened to this song while performing a duty on a rather lonely afternoon, and it fitted the mood quite nicely, heh.

Bevlyn Khoo / 33 / Singapore / A singer-songwriter who creates songs for the souls / bevlynkhoo.com / @bevlynkhoo

What do you live for?

I'm beginning to understand my role in the big scheme of things; A couple of years ago I would have said I live to create (in my case, music) for the universe, but now I think I live to test boundaries in life, and music is a tool which I use to test and push boundaries.

Why?

I think that people carry too many assumptions in life; though some assumptions can be helpful to simplify our lives, they are many times but hurdles to live our lives to the maximum potential. Common examples of assumptions involve ideas of beauty, age, love, race etc, where there is much tendency from people to categorise and label. Though some basic assumptions can be useful to pare down options toward our goals, the fine line is easily crossed, and the balance tilted.

For instance, when I first started on the project of my indie EP album 'Lonely Afternoon' in 2008, people asked me which shelf (in the CD store) my album would be on if I have English, Mandarin and French songs in the album. Ironically, this 'rojak' album won the 'Best Independent Album 2009' at the Singapore E-awards. Most people would also frown at the idea of throwing in one's life savings to come up with an album with no label's backing. Again, ironically, this album got me a recording contract and my musical career was able to propel beyond an album... just because I did such a crazy thing. I'm still fighting some of the assumptions I have in life, and it's really interesting for me when my assumptions are tested and proven wrong. I hope that my story can inspire some people to test and rethink their own assumptions, especially about what they cannot or should not do.

What is some of the best advice that you have been given/want to give our readers?

The best advice I have been given is 'Play-sure', which is a combined word from 'Play' and 'Pleasure'. It resonates in me because I realised that the best bits of my life are moments when I please myself and have fun. Hence nowadays when I feel stressed about any projects or events, I think of them as games, and I try my best to find ways to please myself and have fun while executing them.

Something random you'd like to say?

I really love this website. The energy is powerful.