She’s one of the most accomplished jazz vocalists in Singapore, with her interpretive, playful technique and vibrant stage presence. After leaving the legal profession in 2002 and going full-time into music, she has collaborated with many jazz luminaries such James Moody, Ernie Watts, Jeremy Monteiro, and Michael Veerapen. She has also been named in “The Jazz Singers, The Ultimate Guide” — an encyclopedia of sorts on jazz. With two albums and a new single in 2017 under her belt, Rani is set to conquer new territories this year. She performed in Hong Kong earlier this month and will be singing in Tokyo and Yokohama in April. Here, she tells us about her journey from law to music and how it’s better late than never to pursue one’s calling.
LLB: You started your professional life as a lawyer. When did you first realise that singing was your real calling in life?
Rani: I was crazy about music and singing as a child; singing with children’s choir and all that. My mom was a teacher so she could see the intrinsic value of music and developing an appreciation for the arts. Although my parents started me on music as a hobby, they never encouraged me to take it further as a vocation or anything like that.
LLB: Pursuing a career in the arts is not really an option if one grew up with Asian parents…
Rani: Exactly. Although things are changing now. It was not seen as a viable path to a successful (in other words, lucrative) career.
Most of our generation in Singapore learned how to play a musical instrument at a young age but only as an add-on. But I’m glad that I went through a rigorous education and studied law, which has had a positive influence on how I’ve approached my work as a musician in terms of discipline and business savvy. That said, I think if everyone had parents like Joseph Schooling’s, I think our life choices may be very different.
LLB: Why did you pick jazz, which has an even more niche audience?
Rani: When I was in secondary school, we did lots of musicals from which I learned Broadway tunes and jazz standards like Summertime and Misty. Then I was just learning tunes and picking up songs but when I got to university, I fell in love with the genre as I discovered more about Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
LLB: Taking a leap from practicing law to singing jazz is a rare and courageous move in Singapore. Tell us a bit about your journey.
Rani: I was a late entrant to the music scene. I turned 30 and then decided to leave a good corporate job and become a full-time singer. I guess I was called to the bar first, and then I switched bars! The calling was too strong for me to ignore then. I didn’t have formal music training so it was through years of performing in choirs that I discovered my voice and learned about vocal technique. I started studying the elements of music when I decided to go professional. Until then, it was all practical — I sang by ear. I couldn’t even read notes before that! So yes, it was a huge leap of faith.
LLB: Would you encourage any would-be jazz musicians to pursue their dream in Singapore without a back-up or side career?
Rani: I think whatever you choose to do, go all out but get all the proper qualifications or training you need. People think you can just quit school but you need to work on building your skills properly. We are fortunate here because the government does give out grants and support.
LLB: Tell us more about The Musicians Guild of Singapore and your motivation in starting it.
Rani: Five of us got together and formed the Guild, setting the infrastructure and board of directors with proper corporate governance and accountability. Our goal is to grow and nurture our community of musicians who need support, networking and representation. The Guild is not a union but we help take care of musicians by giving care, support and some benefits such as discounts for music gear etc.
The Guild supports areas where freelance musicians do not get any benefits and there are lawyers who charge next to nothing to help our community members understand their legal rights so they become savvier with business contracts etc. The access to good lawyers also helps ensure that employers treat them fairly. One of the goals was to have older, more experienced musicians guide and mentor the younger ones so no one feels forgotten or ignored. I think when we take ownership of our issues, that’s when we can really make things happen.
LLB: You’ve released two albums; the second one you produced with some original compositions. How different were the experiences?
Rani: The first album was produced by Jeremy Monteiro so I was in good hands. We chose songs together and I could just focus on singing. He did all the production work so it was a pure artistic effort on my part. Getting the second album done, which I produced with Kerong Chok, was like really diving into the deep end. I’d never done it before but I was supported by very good people. It’s definitely more stressful having to take care of the business side and sing as well, but it’s also very satisfying to be fully involved. You really feel that every part of this album is me, right down to the album artwork, to what I want to put in the liner notes, to the order of the songs etc. I loved the process of creating the whole album.
LLB: Jazz has a very niche audience, especially in Singapore. What can you do to grow as a jazz musician?
Rani: That’s the challenge for all musicians here. Singapore is a small market, even for pop music. The only way for local musicians to expand our audience is to grow beyond our shores. Fortunately, we can access new frontiers now with social media. One way to get into a new market is to explore with the local musicians there, so you have a bit of a collaboration going, which is an incentive for that market to accept you.
LLB: Where have you performed outside of Singapore and which place has the biggest jazz scene?
Rani: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, India…I’ve also performed at the City of London Festival. My first and only gig in the US so far, was the first Singapore Day in Central Park in New York. It was really fun. In Asia, Japan has a really vibrant jazz scene. In fact, I’ll be performing there for the first time this April.
LLB: Which country or city has surprised you most in their appreciation of jazz?
Rani: Probably India. We played at the best concert hall in Kolkata’s Rabindranath Tagore Centre to one of the best audience receptions I’ve ever had. The Indian audiences really listen and understand music. It’s great to have a highly appreciative audience. A reporter there told me that Kolkata had a huge jazz scene in the colonial era and many jazz greats had passed through and performed there.
LLB: Who is your favourite jazz singer and which is your favourite song?
Rani: Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Skylark is one of my favourite songs but my taste and ear changes, even day to day.
LLB: What would you never travel without?
Rani: Definitely my makeup. I need my PHYT’S skincare products. And of course, my music scores too.
By CW Tay