Cover The versatile Sarawak-born singer traded a doctor's life in Australia for the glamour of the stage in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Courtesy of Kelly Siew)
The versatile Sarawak-born singer traded a doctor's life in Australia for the glamour of the stage in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Courtesy of Kelly Siew)
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The versatile Sarawak-born singer traded a doctor's life in Australia for the glamour of the stage in Kuala Lumpur, and she hasn't looked back since
“Are you an extrovert or an introvert?” Kelly Siew asks animatedly from across the table. A glance at her immaculately made-up face framed by long, dark hair with bright pink ends, my instant assumption is that she, of the two of us, is the extrovert.
Wrong.
“When I was younger, I was more extroverted actually,” she laughs. “But now, I'm an introvert. When you perform, you are dealing with all this social energy, and after, that you're like, ‘Don't talk to me. I’m going home to hang out with my dog.” It's not a statement you'd expect from the Sarawak-born singer-songwriter and vocal coach, who has performed in packed shows at No Black Tie, Riuh in the City, Bobo KL and many more venues across Malaysia.
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Above Photo: Courtesy of Kelly Siew
Photo: Courtesy of Kelly Siew
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Despite participating in and winning numerous singing competitions back in school in her hometown of Bintulu, Sarawak, Siew acquiesced to her parent’s wishes to attend medical school in Australia, performing well in her exams while participating in an occasional church choir performance every so often. After graduating, she spent three years working in a hospital. As a young psychiatry registrar, she recalls the struggle of managing a hectic hospital schedule alongside side gigs at weddings or local music festivals.
“I wasn’t as busy as a full-time musician, but I was busy enough to make me doubt my work-life balance,” she says. “Those initial few years were tough. I had strings of night shifts and on-calls at the hospital, and it was crazy. I started seeking therapy because I couldn’t handle the workload I had, and then I got to the point where I wanted to try something I really enjoyed. I was about 25 years old, and thought, “If I don’t do this now, will I be stuck like this forever?’”
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It was then that Siew decided to pack up and return to Malaysia–specifically Kuala Lumpur, where she took a chance and built a music career from the ground up. Today, the 39-year-old singer-songwriter is highly sought-after for her powerhouse vocals. “Metaphorically, I burn up the stage. I give my all. To me, if there’s even one or two people in the audience who felt truly touched by the music or that they could relate in some day, that’s a rewarding experience.”
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Siew is also part of Tiga Soul, a female trio with her friends and band members Sachié Amira and Alesia Dhana. Tiga Soul is known for its power-packed R&B and pop covers, as well as a number of heartfelt English and Malay original songs, including bad (for your heart), Untukmu Selamanya, and You. Despite not being signed to a record label, the trio have drawn audiences' attention with their colourful 90s girl-band aesthetic, high-octane vocals, and incredible harmonies. This year, Tiga Soul will be releasing its first EP.
Above The music video for Tiga Soul's hit single, 'You'
“I believe you work better in numbers. Singing solo is fun, and I do have a lot of solo projects that I commit to. But you can only do so much singing alone. When you have layers of harmonies that showcase each woman’s strengths, the whole thing completes itself,” she says.
The trio first met in 2016 at auditions to be showgirls in Joanne Kam’s cabaret-style ‘Fatty Boom Boom’ show club. For six months, they rehearsed, learnt choreography and songs, and performed together on weekends. The three ladies decided to organise a curated show even after it ended.
“We got together and figured out that our favourite genre was 90s R&B. That's what made us who we are, and our biggest influences are the iconic female trios of the 90s. You had Destiny’s Child, TLC, SWV, and more. So we started from there and we performed. The more we performed together, the better the chemistry and the better our harmonies got. Then we suddenly had a gig where we were asked if we had any original songs. We were like, ‘No! How ah? Nevermind, let's write our own songs.’ We had a writing bootcamp, and in two to three months, we finished three to four songs.”
From her favourite modern-day female trios to the self-discipline of her self-care regimen, Siew tells Tatler more about herself in a rapid-fire Q&A.
Are there any influential figures or mentors in your life?
When I came back to Malaysia, I didn't quite feel like I had any mentors. Firstly, I was already a few years older than many of the more successful artistes. I did have people I looked up to. Janet Lee is one of them. I followed her career very closely, maybe because she has an accounting background, and she too is not formally trained in music. But she worked very hard and I learnt by watching how she works.
What's the secret to remaining relevant as an artist and band?
I think it’s the balance of staying true to yourself. Of course, you do want to showcase the part of yourself that you think people will like. But you need to have your own personality. There are trends that we follow, which is one way to get views. But at the same time, we've stuck to doing what we like to do, like acapella covers–things that showcase our talents and strengths.
Above Sachié Amira, Kelly Siew and Alesia Dhana (Photo: Tiga Soul)
Sachié Amira, Kelly Siew and Alesia Dhana (Photo: Tiga Soul)
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What inspires Tiga Soul's look and aesthetic?
It depends. We all like to dress up to a theme. But everyone’s body is different. One might be tall, one a little shorter–Alesia just gave birth as well! These are differences we cater for, and we try to choose styles and wardrobes that we all look good in.
Is there a modern-day female trio that you’d like to meet?
Right now, we are following this new female group called H3rizon Music, and they're based in Sydney and very Y2K-inspired. Another extremely talented band is the British girl group Flo. Those are our current 'girl crushes'.
Is there an Asian artiste who inspires you the most?
Coco Lee. I cried for a few days when I heard of her passing. I followed her career when I was younger. But not many people knew how many years she was suffering from depression. She brought so much positivity to people. Ask anyone who grew up around her time, and probably most will have heard at least one or two Coco Lee songs, if not more.
How do you look after your health and mental wellness?
My day starts at 8am, and I exercise before making breakfast. Depending on whether I have teaching scheduled for that day, I’ll do that and then prepare for gigs in the evening. I make sure that I feed myself well. My diet is very restrictive. I just eat meat, vegetables, no junk food. I try not to take gigs too late so that I can sleep early. It sounds very hard, I know!
Sometimes I have gigs finishing at 12am, but that’s the latest I will do. Even if I don’t have a show, I try to sleep before midnight. Getting enough sleep, at least seven to eight hours, is important. You will notice this as you age (laughs). Generally, if you don’t have enough sleep, your voice won't function at its best. Sure, there's a lot I have to give up to maintain my heavy performance schedule. Diet is one, and so is making time for exercise. But I see being able to take care of and control my health as very rewarding. So it's positive.
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
