| FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES | happenings life C5

Boon Chan Assistant Life Editor recommends Picks POP SOUNDS OF MY LIFE William Wei Music

Cat owners will be able to identify with the cute track Cat Republic, which has lyrics like “Poop and pee for you, snacks and toys for you/I’m ignoring you now, unless you open up a can” and “You will serve me forever/You will love me forever”. Other slice-of-life songs abound on Taiwanese -songwriter William Wei’s mostly Mandarin fifth album. POP From the chirpy English track See You On Monday and HUG IN OUR HEARTS the breezy I Wrote A Song For You (about the pleasure and Billkin featuring Jaylerr meaning of music) to the more contemplative At Thirty (“I chase after time, only to realise/Time is chasing me”) Thai actor-singer Billkin’s new Thai and Best Meal In The World (“If I could eat away my single, Hug In Our Hearts, starts off as sadness, digest what I miss”), there is plenty here to relate a forlorn ballad as he sings quietly to and be engaged by. about missing someone (“Open the The musician, who also goes by WeiBird, has dedicated door for loneliness/Since we haven’t the album to his late grandmother and in the track seen each other”). labelled Credits, one can hear her and his family sweetly It builds to a catchy chorus before cheering him on. fellow actor-singer Jaylerr jumps in The album can be a little sprawling and unwieldy at with a sunny rap, which brightens the times, but then again, so is life. mood. It works both as a song about long-distance love as well as relationships in the time of Covid-19. And it ends on an optimistic note as Billkin (My Ambulance, 2019) promises: “We’ll meet each other soon.” The 20-year-old’s star is set to rise further as BKPP, a Thai romance series he headlines, is slated to premiere later in the year. Watch the video at str.sg/JdRe.

MAYDAY LIVE IN THE SKY INDIE POP No thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, POP CLUB it seemed as though a promise PRELUDIO Scrubb Taiwanese rock band Mayday made Gigi Leung/ to always hold a concert in May was in Thanks to the hit Thai romance drama peril. This is more of an EP as it comprises four series 2gether (2020), the But the quintet came through Cantonese songs from Hong Kong guitar-propelled ear-worm pop of with a concert that was livestreamed singer Gigi Leung as well as six audio Scrubb has found a new audience. on Sunday. stories. It is a welcome offering of The Thai duo released their first The gig could have been soothing vocals and melodic mid-tempo tunes. album, Sound About, independently in pre-recorded given that the banter Silent Night – there are two versions – could be a lullaby 2000 and have a large body of work was subtitled, but so what? for her five-year-old daughter (“Tired, relax your shoulders, for new fans to dig into. Instead of playing from living please lie on the bed/Tired, put your feelings down, Many of their songs revolve around rooms, Mayday pulled out all the don’t speak”). relationships. Their 2005 album Club stops for a show with top-notch Also included are the easy-on-the-ear ballads, contains Close (“It is too close to see production, movingly held in an Bye Cinderella and Home, the latter touches on the simple somebody”) and Together (“I don’t empty stadium. comforts of home (“A simple home, is lovely/Old chopsticks know, I don’t understand/Perhaps it’s They played tracks such as and bowls, make a dish from an old recipe”). because we belong together”), both The Apple and Sun Wu Kong and But given its (musical) brevity, Preludio merely feels like prominently featured on 2gether. roped in guests, including Chinese a prelude, so I happily go on to revisit my favourite Gigi Other choice tracks include singer , for the ballad album, G For Girl (2001). See Scape and Only You. Suddenly Missing You. The album is available on platforms The only drawback is that it was such as Spotify and KKBox. over all too soon in about an hour. Watch it at str.sg/JdRm. PHOTOS: THE ORCHARD, B’IN MUSIC, GIGI LEUNG/FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE SCREENGRAB, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

GIGS sent to a front-line hero with a personalised thank-you message. SPORTS DCJazzFest From Home Series: The event also seeks to raise money Ola Onabule for The Courage Fund, which provides Breathe Pilates Group Class Got a question about The series is a weekly event streamed relief and support to those affected Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, on the DC Jazz Festival’s (DCJF) by the pandemic. Breathe Pilates has moved its your pet? Ask the vet YouTube channel and Facebook page, WHEN: Till Aug 8 group classes to video-conferencing featuring past performances and INFO: www.runforheroes.sg platform Zoom. The studio believes livestreamed shows. This week that starting an exercise regimen at features British-Nigerian TALKS home will help improve health and singer-songwriter Ola Onabule, boost the immune system in a familiar and comfortable environment. whose career spans more than Public Talk On Lasting Power 20 years. DCJF provides enriching ADMISSION: $15 for a single session Of Attorney or $29 for a week INFO: str.sg/JP4Q and entertaining jazz performances The talk, organised by the Society of and programmes to introduce Sheng Hong Welfare Services and students and adults to jazz. conducted via Zoom, explains what FESTIVALS WHEN: Sun, 7 to 9am Lasting Power of Attorney is, ADMISSION: Free with registration promoting the concept of early ATX TV... From The Couch INFO: str.sg/JP4p preparation for end of life. The talk is The virtual festival celebrates the part of Life Point, a project piloted by medium of television – looking back Ariana Grande the society that aims to promote at its history, where it is now and ‘Sweetener World Tour’ Live a positive outlook towards death and where it is headed. It features three Virtual Concert dying. days of sneak peeks, intimate The two-hour livestreamed concert WHEN: Today, 10.30am - noon conversations, special events, will revisit American singer ADMISSION: Free surprise guests and more. To be PHOTOS: ST READER, REUTERS Ariana Grande’s 2019 tour across INFO: shenghong.org.sg/ streamed on the ATX YouTube North America and Europe, life-point channel, it will highlight organisations in support of her fourth and fifth that are working to provide global, Have a query about your pet? Get it answered albums, Sweetener (2018) and CLASSES regional and industry relief during the by vets from the National Parks Board in a new Thank U, Next (2019). Covid-19 crisis. fortnightly column on Saturdays in the Life section WHEN: June 21, 4.30am WHEN: Today, 11pm to Mon, 12.30pm of The Straits Times. ADMISSION: Free The Art Of Public Speaking: ADMISSION: Free with registration E-mail it with clear, high-resolution pictures INFO: str.sg/JP4G Increase Your Confidence INFO: str.sg/JP4e of at least 1MB, if any, and your full name to And Build Your Skills [email protected], with Ask The Vet in the CHARITY The 30-minute webinar provides RenegadeCon Virtual subject line. basic tools to boost confidence and The three-day, board-game give participants more power to convention organised by Renegade Run For Heroes speak and be heard in their personal Game Studios will feature workshops, The virtual running initiative aims to and professional lives. Conducted by game demonstrations, interviews and build a national movement of support Ms Resham Kotecha, who has been developer panels. The event has also for Singapore’s healthcare workers teaching public speaking partnered Hunters Entertainment to during the Covid-19 pandemic. since 2013. showcase its collection of Each participant who completes a WHEN: Tomorrow, 4.30 to 5pm role-playing game systems. 1km run will receive a wristband, ADMISSION: Free with registration WHEN: Tomorrow, 6am to Mon , 6am which serves as a unifying symbol of INFO: str.sg/JP4g ADMISSION: Free with registration support. A wristband will also be INFO: str.sg/JP4n