By Adrian Yap CK

There’s nothing more honest than someone bleeding their heart over a guitar, in front of an audience. Adrian Yap CK talks to some singer-songwriters to explore this artform.   

‘I never fetished being a lone guitar slinger, I kind of stumbled into it. I'm a loner by nature so I operate more efficiently alone.’ Like the rest of his ilk, singer/songwriter Azmyl Yunor is not one to keep his thoughts too long in the shed. Shaggy haired, with a harmonica strewn over his lips on stage, you could be forgiven for thinking that he reminds you of a more manic, Asian, Bob Dylan. And like the Minnesota-born legend, he has much to say and prefers to say it through the twang of an acoustic guitar. ‘Plus, I'm an of-the-moment kind of guy, so I can't wait till the gang is ready.’ Like the modus operandi of early Dylan, Yunor and his peers often operate alone, straddling a single musical instrument, dishing out songs that range from Americana-folk to old-school soul.

The singer-songwriter scene has been experiencing somewhat of a boom in recent times. The recently concluded annual KL Sing Song, an annual showcase for local singer-songwriters organized by the Troubadours collective (of which Yunor is a member), featured no less than 19 performers. Moonshine, a bi-monthly show, organized by scene mainstay Reza Salleh (with one show dedicated to stripped-down sets by singer-songwriters) has been happening at The Apartment in KLCC. Rock the World, arguably Malaysia’s largest rock festival, dedicated a stage to singer-songwriters during last year’s installment. So, what is it about the whole genre that encourages such a decent take-up rate? ‘You don't need to wait for the other band member to sort things out or spend your time waiting around for them to come along,’ says Yunor, who has been performing for a good part of this decade now. ‘Being solo and acoustic make you less of a logistical nightmare. You can still perform when there's a blackout.’

Is it just the convenience that clinches the deal then? It’s fair to say that singer/songwriter shows are typically easier to organizer, as ‘new boy to the scene’ Nick Davis so wisely declared, ‘All a singer-songwriter needs is a good microphone and we're in business.’ But is there more to it than just 7-Eleven logistics?

Wani Ardy, a relatively baby-face singer/songwriter might be new, but like Yunor, she is more than willing to wear her heart and thoughts on her sleeve. She thinks it’s more than that, ‘I don't do this merely because I want to; I need to. My unsettled emotions and thoughts can only be calmed through writing,’ adds Wani. ‘To conclude those writings with melodies would be like, closing a diary at the end of the day and saying everything will be alright.’ And like Yunor, she believes this is sometimes best achieved not through a militia of musicians on stage, but an unflashy strum of an acoustic guitar, ‘When I'm on stage, my guitar and I prefer to have our private moment together. That way, I'll drown in my own world and let out my feelings better,’ adds Wani honestly. ‘Plus if I screw up, there's no one to blame but myself.’

With Youtube discoveries such as our very own Zee Avi hitting the pay-dirt in the States, bedroom musicians would be a little more motivated to get their songs out there to an audience. But is it all what it’s made out to be? At the moment for the ones who have, they are not going to be caught in this whirlwind of buzz because of the boom just yet. Cause as much as they would like to spend their days strumming and humming tunes, it doesn’t quite pay the bills just yet, ‘Most singer-songwriters are idealists; we often thought our songs would feed our stomachs as much as they feed our souls,’ says Wani. ‘Too bad, not really.’ And until it does, it probably will still remain just a form of public therapy with a tune. But let’s not forget how important such a thing can be. 

Moonshine (the acoustic installment) happens every third Saturday of the month at The Apartment Downtown, Suria KLCC (03 2166 2257/www.atheapartment.com).

The Fresh Ones
Three upcoming singer songwriters you should watch out for:

Ray Cheong
Armed with a soulful and raspy drawl and penchant for bluesy licks, Penang-born Ray Cheong’s name has been making the rounds as the new soul man of the scene. He is only 23, not that you would know if you’ve ever seen him doing his thing on stage. www.myspace.com/raycheong

Rendra Zawawi
Not one to laze around, Rendra is working on both an English album and a Malay EP. He hopes to release both around mid-2010. On his days off, he likes to dream about his audience swaying joyously to his songs with a mug of Barbican in their hands. www.myspace.com/rendrazawawi

Nick Davis
He is one-third of group The Snow Symphony and he also rocks out with his new band Rosevelt. Both groups are currently in the studio at the moment. Yes, he is what you would call a serial songwriter. nickdavismusic.blogspot.com