I was"Found in Malaysia" by The Nut Graph early last month when I discovered their tagline - "Making sense of politics and pop culture". I haven't been able to make sense of either one, but I do know that pop culture can influence politics and vice versa... for better or for worse. That's why I always get inspired when talented, well respected artists go beyond entertainment to effect positive change by catching the attention of both high-level decision-makers, and the everday people who elect them. Here is a fine example. Ladies and gentlemen, would you put your hands together for Meryl Streep!
Sarah Jones (hillariously) sets the stage...
As a Japanese woman (my personal favourite)...
As a French woman (ok, i'm not a fan of high-pitched speakers, but if i wasn't allowed to work at night or wear trousers, i'd be pretty high-strung too!)...
I've never been able to articulate what I do on a daily basis. Perhaps that's because my average day is a mix of good variety and the mundane. The month of May was a fine example. Here's a sampling of my schedule:
01 May: review mixes for Live EP
03 May: AIM15 Awards Night (Did I say? Liang's album 'After 8' picked up two awards!)
05-06 May: UNFPA Regional FBO Forum
07 May: a day with friends from World YWCA and the YWCAs of South Asia
08 May: Xfresh FM Mothers' Day interview with mom, Shaz & Shac
09 May: Rock Up! at The Curve
10 May onwards: head Secretariat for YWCA Malaysia's 26th Biennial Delegates Conference - final touches
What in the world was I thinking?!! Maybe I wasn't thinking at all, but all's well that ends well, right? Well, May 2008 certainly ended well. As well as it started. :)
That's me in action during Conference Opening, in formal batik and all! I had the privilege of introducing Helen Read, international entrepreneur [you've heard of Ms Read and Delicious, right?] and undoubtedly, a woman with a big heart. She presented a moving keynote address on the theme "Women Leading Change: Making it Happen". This is her with some of the younger delegates...
And that's me with her PA Michelle Khoo [right] and Iriani Zulkifli, Community Affairs Manager of Microsoft (Malaysia) [left].
Another session that pulled the heartstrings was a viewing of an MTV EXIT Special called "Traffic" hosted by Lucy Liu.
"Told through the stories of real people, the show features Anna, trafficked from the Philippines and forced into prostitution; Eka, an Indonesian woman, trafficked into forced domestic servitude in Singapore; and Min Aung, from Burma, trafficked to Thailand and imprisoned for 2 years in a factory. Their harrowing stories are told along side other people in the trafficking chain, including a trafficker who has been forcing girls into prostitution for over 20 years, a young man who pays for sex, an anti-trafficking police officer, and a woman who runs a shelter for abused victims."
The film gave us an insight into the realities of trafficking, addresses the part we all play in the issue, and gives information on how to protect ourselves as well as what we can do to help end exploitation and trafficking.
But hey, before you get all stark and sad, we had fun times too! These little children from Tadika Megakids did an 'umbrella dance' for us during the Saturday night dinner hosted by YWCA Kuantan. Their timing and coordination was pretty perfect!
During the official Closing Ceremony on Sunday, YB Datuk Maznah Mazlan, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources & Environment had us planning for our next trip to Pahang when she described sustainable development plans for the richly endowed state... but not before she got me to work the audience with a song while she gathered her notes. Don't politicians just have a way with subconscious persuasion? Hmm...
It's finally started! It was quite weird, really. I had psyched myself up for our IKON 2008 campaign before the start of the year but when the rubber hit the road, it was a different ball game altogether.
The first promo shoot was at Centro @ Sooka Sentral. The photo above links to Budiey's blog in Sensasi Selebriti. Photos by Nick Dorian have also been uploaded on my Facebook musician page. [Yup... Nick, Tony, Anson, Andrew and Brandon were there at 8am on a Friday morning to show moral support. So sweet! Thought it was amusing that they were all guys too. ;)] Other artistes at the shoot that morning were Farah Asyikin and the band Alam.
I had to rush to Singapore right after, but we continue this week with a couple more sessions. Hope to get some good photos to document this journey.
When I received the invitation to attend the Exclusive Premier of the One Life Revolution, I said 'YES!' without batting an eyelid... then I checked my schedule just to be sure. :)
Here's the official description by World Vision:
The One Life Revolution is an experiential exhibit that allows people to walk in the footsteps of three childrenwhose lives have been affected bythe growing plights ofHIV/AIDS & Child Trafficking in Asia. This unique exhibit combines stirring audio and captivating photography of the 3 real-life stories.
The exhibition will be open to public as follows:
from 9am to 7pm, 5-8 March in Monash University in Sunway, and
15-16 March at the MidValley Exhibition Centre (10th floor)
It is also targeted to be in Kota Bharu and Kuching in April & May respectively but the venues have yet to be confirmed.
Tell you more about it next week. Or hey... you tell me!
One of my resolutions (no, not quite a new year resolution cos those seem to be rather jinxed) has been to experience more live concerts... as part of the audience, that is. So when Edrian John casually IM-ed to ask if I was going for Switchfoot's concert in Malaysia, I started plucking mental petals. "To go or not to go," that was the question. (This was waaay before the Media Prima promo blitz.) I soon got a call that sealed the deal. It was Andy Yeoh informing us that Altered Frequency had auditioned, and had been selected to be the 2nd Opening Band for the Switchfoot concert! What a dream come true for the band as Switchfoot has been a major influence in their music.
I made my way to the KL Convention Centre around 4pm as we wanted to be there to provide as much moral support as possible. There was already a cross-legged queue outside the door! Thankfully, we were allowed to enter into the hall before doors opened as part of 'the label' (yes, Altered Frequency is also in Four Forty Records but don't be mistaken, now... we bought tickets too!) They were in the midst of their soundcheck, after which we joined them in an early pre-performance band/label huddle. In hindsight, I'm so glad we did that.
The hour between dinner and the concert proved to be a reunion of sorts. My group consisted of Chris Leow (Four Forty Records), Tony Leo (guitarist) and Larry Lee (Canaanland). We bumped into Jeff Ray (Army of Three), JD (Pop Shuvit), Joel Vijay (FourLetterStory), Nick Lee (Sonique Productions), Shannon Teoh (NST) and a whole load of others.
As the lights dimmed and the hall filled, I began to feel a bit jittery. If you've performed as an opening act, you'd know that fleeting feeling of intimidation, knowing that the crowd didn't quite pay to watch you, but obviously... the main act! You need to muster every ounce of mental fortitude mixed with the determination to enjoy yourself on stage, no matter what. And I believe that's exactly what the guys did. Here's footage that's been posted on YouTube by a kind soul. Rock on, Altered Frequency!
By the time Switchfoot took the stage, I was all set to have a great time. And that I did, for they were awesome. I walked away inspired, my passion refreshed. What a great way to start 2008!
I've never been one to go on a holiday with no good reason. This usually equates to a 3-day add-on to a working trip. That's why family get-aways provide the perfect excuse for a brief respite.
A recent example was our 2-night trip to Awana Kijal Golf, Beach & Spa Resort after a hectic Christmas. This was my first visit to the state of Terengganu which boasts an array of tourist attractions such as turtle watching. Unlike our west coast, waves on the east coast can get pretty high. Large enough to surf though for safety reasons, surfing was prohibited during our visit.
It was also here that my cycling motor skills were revived. Because I used to ride a chopper to school, I never did master the art of using-the-brakes. (Yes, I was one of those who'd just jump off the seat and use my legs as brakes!) As such, all previous rides in recent years ended in soft crashes. Until of course, I my eyes sought out the choppers for rent on the beach. :)
Err... yes, I know this ain't a chopper. But it sure makes for a better photo!
Another highlight (as is normally the case with family gatherings) was... you guessed it right... the food! We hired the hotel van to the Kemamanpasar malam (night market). You should have seen us stopping at almost every stall. It was hilarious! Here's the spread that eventually landed on the dining table back at the apartment.
The verdict: a great get-away for the family... but by no means quick. Here are some words of caution. 1) Do not assume that Awana Kijal is in Kuantan. For some weird reason, there is no mention of Kemaman on their website. Because of this, we had to make a huge detour, adding at least an hour to the already long drive. 2) Do not opt or settle for the service apartments if the hotel rooms are full. Those have a low turnover in terms of occupancy and I'll leave you to figure out the condition of the facilities. The hotel on the other hand, looks great. It has a rustic feel with quite an exotic ambience. Don't be shocked though, to see fully-clad people in the swimming pools and jacuzzis (which we stayed away from). But don't fret. There are lots of other activities to entertain yourself with. One can try his/her hand at batik painting, play pool or table tennis, and of course, the obvious... a game of golf. And while you're there, do look out for sightings of little singing yellow birds!
Hey y'all, here's the latest news! Scary, exciting and challenging... all rolled into one. Jac won and represented Malaysia last year in the solo category. A tall order to follow, but we'll give it our ultimate best!
Hi everyone! It's official! Juwita will be joining 9 other soloists and 10 bands in this year's IKON competition. We'll have to get through the national competition first but we really want to do our best and win this thing. Representing Malaysia will be such an honour and a great experience for Ju. So spread the word around. The contest starts 8th June 2008 so keep your eyes & ears open for more news as we get them.
For those of you who don't know. IKON is an ASEAN-wide competition with last year's winners coming from the Philippines in both the Solo & Band categories. We'll keep all of you posted about the competition as we get more news but right now what we need from you is your help to spread the word to as many people. Get them signed up to our Facebook group to discuss stuff and most of all to help spread the word about the competition and to get support for the SMS-portion of the voting.
Click on the following link to check out our Facebook page.
Thanks so much for all your support guys. We'll need all of it this year so thank you so much in advance.
You've probably read my earlier blog about this album. Well, here's a widget for you to preview the tracks!
If you're in Malaysia, should be able to find it in Rock Corner, Tower Records, and definitely Speedy (cos I saw it there myself at MidValley Megamall just couple of days ago - you'll have to look at the international - male section, though). Recommended retail price: RM25.90 only.
If you're not in Malaysia, don't fret... just use the widget and your credit card to make a purchase.
I've been listening to some of the music there and will slowly be adding my favourites to my playlist. Right now there's 'Design' by Tempered Mental. Yes, for the record, I am a fan of Melina William. She's not just a singer-songwriter, but is an awesome bassist and guitarist too!
Do check it out, and feel free to rate the tracks and leave comments.
Woohoo! We had our final rehearsal for this weekend's gig last night and man, is the band rockin'! As you can tell, this is one of those gigs that I'm really looking forward to. It's gonna be a heady mix of different styles and arrangements, hence the tag 'A Cocktail of Holiday Emotions'.
It's been a ball working with the musos - Alena Tan (keys), Hiro (bass), Wagner (drums), Andrew Lau & Tony Leo a.k.a. Leo Selvaraj (guitars). This is now my regular band, and Mozad joins us when he's in town. We're certainly gelling as a team, and getting more creative and imaginative too!
So yeah... if you've got Friday or Saturday night available, do come on by to Bangkok Jazz after your Christmas shopping at Bintang Walk. The cover charge of RM20 is waived if you're a CIMB or SBB credit cardholder. If you don't have those, come anyway! This is the only season you'll get to hear my rendition of Christmas songs. ;)
My first paradigm-changing encounter with the AIDS pandemic happened in Brisbane in 2003 when a young woman I was chatting with... someone just like me... later testified that she was HIV+.
They say how one contracted the virus doesn't matter. But how she contracted it mattered to me. It was through sexual intercourse with her only partner. She had never slept with anyone else.
We can choose to stay silent, or we can talk to our brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, to equip them with knowledge that will help them make the right choices.
The young woman also said, "If I was still living there (in my homeland), I would be dead by now". Fortunately for her, she lived to tell the story because she was able to relocate to a place where she had affordable access to medication. To think that in many countries, thousands or people die each day from a preventable, treatable disease when they don't have to. To think that in these countries, more than a fifth of the women report that their first sexual encounter was forced. Well, it's just unthinkable.
The good news is that governments and world leaders have made significant promises. The bad news is that there hasn't been enough accountability.
"In 2006 a number of milestones were reached where accountability was particularly crucial. It was the year of the United Nations High Level Meeting on AIDS, which reviewed the progress on the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS – an important blueprint for reaching the Millennium Development Goals on AIDS. 2006 marked the fifth year anniversary of the African Abuja Declaration. 2006 was also the year in which national targets were set, or should have been set, by governments for achieving Universal Access to Treatment, Prevention, Support and Care by 2010. In addition, at 2006’s International AIDS Conference, “accountability” was the buzzword throughout the global forum, reflecting the conference’s theme,“Time to Deliver.”
Despite the efforts to hold leaders accountable in 2006, progress in halting HIV is falling far short of targets. Over 25 million people have been lost to AIDS so far, and 4.3 million people were infected with HIV 2006. The spread of HIV is quickening – with more people infected in 2006 than in any previous year."
Each one of us has a part to play. Come to think of it, that young woman who changed my paradigm - her name was Promise. It really was!
I've taken the pledge to be an agent of the change I want to see in the world in all I think, say and do. You can too.
It's out! Volume 3 of The Children's Bible Explorer Series:Moses and the Exodus.
It comes with 2 Multimedia CD-ROMs featuring13 stories from the birth of Moses right up to the commissioning of Joshua with voice overs led by Colin Kirton and yours truly along with a cool team of young adults. What I think is pretty cool is the host of interesting facts, photos, maps andbackground information that appear when you click on the interactive parts of the text. And oh! There's original soundtrack-like music by David Gary too.
This was my first shotat narration voice-over. Doubtful as I initially was of my ability to story-tell, I must say I'm pretty happy with the end result. Thanks of course to producer Peter Lim and voice-over director Colin Kirton who kept reminding me to slow down, 'talk to the kids' and helped me with the mouthful of hard-to-pronounce words. It certainly was an enjoyable learning experience.
If I've whetted your appetite to start shopping for the 6- to 9-year olds in your Christmas list, head on to any Glad Sounds outlet, The Burning Bush at Wisma Atria in DJ or Evangel in SS2 PJ. For older kids, go get my album! Bwahahahaha...
You've probably heard his earlier offerings in his EP '8oz of Soul': The Feature, N'umsingin' It and Silver Linings amongst others. His latest single, 'Nice Girls' is in this new album along with 11 other tracks, of which #2 Gotta Whistle It (featuring Hunny), #5 Giggles (Over and Over) and #12 Seakan Aku Jatuh Cinta (featuring Lenny Lysandra) are my favourites.
Check it out in all good music stores soon! (Oh... it comes in a super cool package which includes a coaster, a 'song key' and a picture card.)
Hey hey! My latest release "All This Time" is available for free downloadto your mobile phone. For those of you who aren't aware, the music video has also been aired on Hitz.tv, MTV Asia, Channel [V] and local TV stations. You can also check it out on YouTube. Spread the word, ya?
Don't know about you, but I always get inspired when I get up-close and personal with people who dare to be different to create positive change. That's why we at the YWCA are organising a special event for young women aged 16-21.
There'll be a treasure hunt, BBQ party, night jungle trail, sessions by The Body Shop and the Sloggi team, not to mention a stellar list of special guests!
Those of you who read my last blog would know that the last 3 days have been hectic but awesome! I haven't had the luxury of documenting it on camera, but others have been doing that for me... lol... For a glimpse of what happened behind-the-scenes on Wednesday, check out Louis Pang's site or Chris Leow's blog.
I've also just collected the very rough mix of the live recording from Greg, and I really think you'll like the end product!
Just before 6am, I heard a text message alert from my phone in the next room. Then the wake-up alarm went off. It was time to drag myself out of bed and get ready for a half-day trip to Seremban.
But wait! What really woke me up was the content of that text message. It simply read "How are things? Miss u." The nice thing about it was that it came from a leader I admire, who lives halfway around the world. I guess it's true that great people are never 'too busy'.
We arrived in Seremban around 8am for the 2nd morning of the Global Leadership Summit. I shared 2 songs, met some old friends, acquaintances and yet another leader I admire. Also had the opportunity to watch the videocast of the session "Go Put Your Strengths to Work" by Marcus Buckingham. Here's a trailer of his short film series entitled 'Trombone Player Wanted'.
During his session, Marcus explained that your strength isn't just what you're good at, it's also activities that you enjoy, that grow your abilities and creativity, and leave you empowered. According to a Gallop poll, only 12% of people spend the majority of their day playing to their strengths. Of course, I wondered if I did. Some days perhaps.
But as I wind down after a day of driving around, singing for a receptive crowd from across the country and a 3rd afternoon of studio rehearsals, I realised that today I really did spend the majority of my day playing to my strengths. And man, I do feel great. Definitely something I should do more often.
Didn't get much sleep last night, but it sure has been an awesome day! Playing to your strengths... you should try it some time.
Last Friday I attended my first food preview session at Avanti American-Italian Ristorante, Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel. It was lunchtime but we had a taste of the 4-course dinner that will be served on 24 October 2007, just before my 45-minute showcase.
First on the table was the bread basket with my favourite dip - olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Then came the designer-styled 1st & 2nd courses. I believe it was fish with salad... (or what the rest of the table called thegarden... heheh...) and a nice serving of soup. Chef Stefano (yes, he's Italian) actually came out at this point to say hello and pose for some promo photos. We then had the lamb... (LOVELY!) Shall leave you to guess the dessert. (Found out later that what we had was one of the chef's passions.)
As you can probably tell by now, I ain't no food reviewer. But hey... keep an eye on the news. You'll get to read the professional version real soon.
If you've got some people to entertain on 24 October, Avanti's where you wanna be. Otherwise, use the excuse to treat yourself and your loved ones! It's RM168++ per person and you'll get wine plus an exclusive showcase from me!
Upon paying 25 Rand per person, we were presented with an ID-sized card which doubled-up as a ticket to the museum. It was black and white - one side said 'white', and the other said 'non-white'. I thought it was cool in a symbolic way. But the signs that 'welcomed' us at the entrance - those took the cake. My tour partner for the morning was a Caucasian Dutchman. He walked through the left passageway and beckoned me to follow. My response: 'But I'm not white!' I made my through the right gate, wondering what I was missing on the other side. Quite a powerful reminder of the everyday reality in South Africa during the Apartheid era.
We were allocated an hour at the museum. It didn't take long for us to realise that this was hardly enough time to take in the complexities of South Africa's recent past. We sheepishly made our exit half an hour late with more questions in our head.
One question in mine was how humans could treat others so badly.
Just hours ago, we had passed the corner of Moema and Vilakazi Streets where in 1976, 12-year-old Hector Pieterson was shot dead (among 19 other students) by riot police during a peaceful school demonstration. It was just down the road from Nelson Mandela's home when he was arrested (now the Mandela Family Museum) which we also visited. That event was only the beginning of the final battle against Apartheid. Our visit to the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island in Cape Town two days later shed more light on the subject. A gripping video told the seldom-heard story of a Boer holocaust. (The Boers, now known as Afrikaners, were mainly Dutch settlers in the Cape Colony since the 1650s.) In the South African War of 1899-1902 after the discovery of gold in Transvaal, the British and two independent Boer republics fought over the right to govern frontier territories. The Boers were placed in concentration camps with horrific conditions. Many children starved to death. Though defeated, the Boers retained their old language and culture. They eventually attained political power and dominated South African politics for most of the 20th century when Apartheid was established.
I was reminded of the saying 'we become what we hate'. In an article I just read in Style: (Malaysia, July 2007) I was quoted with a maxim I'd even forgotten I'd said. "The quicker I can let go, the faster I can move on." It's easier said than done, but it's something we have to choose to do when we've been hit by trying times. Or we'll let our past consume us.
I made my way to the KL Convention Centre around 4pm as we wanted to be there to provide as much moral support as possible. There was already a cross-legged queue outside the door! Thankfully, we were allowed to enter into the hall before doors opened as part of 'the label' 
