Nice to meet you, I’m Lu,” Kelsey Lu greets everyone as she enters the studio. The 30-year-old American musician radiates childlike naivete, taking down local food tips from the stylist on her iPhone, while he works on her long, pin-straight hair, complemented by flaming red bangs. One would expect a rising international star to be chaperoned by an entourage, or at least an assistant.
Not in the case of this North Carolina native, who has in recent years collaborated with global acts such as American DJ-producer Skrillex, English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, and American singer-songwriter Solange.
It isn’t just about Lu’s talent as a trained cellist that has captured the music industry and fans around the world. It’s also her sense of individualism enveloped in her free-spirited style that makes her a breathtaking performer.
And she’s disrupting the status quo in mainstream music. Lu leads her own way with just her cello and a loop pedal – as she did with her 2016 debut EP Church. It was recorded in just one take in a Catholic church in Brooklyn. Last year, she co-produced her first full-length album Blood with Columbia Records.
The result: a record that belongs in an experimental space, exploring the territories of pop, R&B, electronica, blues and ambient, juxtaposed against the rise and fall of her cello bow and haunting vocals.
Blood marks the beginning of Lu’s bigger musical journey, travelling to South-east Asia last year for performances, including Wonderfruit festival in Pattaya, before landing a gig with music agency Collective Minds, at Kilo Lounge, in Singapore.
“I ate a pandan pancake and grilled squid at a beach in Pattaya,” she beams. “Tonight, I’m going to try the chilli crab you guys raved about!”
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 2020-Ausgabe von Her World Singapore.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 2020-Ausgabe von Her World Singapore.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
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TREASURE ISLAND
When plans to demolish the Merlion Tower on Sentosa were announced in 2019, some Singaporeans were sad to see one of the island's most iconic attractions go. After all, the quirky creature – with the head of a lion and the body of a fish – had been a significant part of their memories of Sentosa.The 37m-tall, 12-storey structure, completed in 1996 and designed by Australian sculptor James Martin, was a focal point for laser light shows and projections that transformed its ivory facade into a vibrant display of colours.The Merlion Tower was a popular attraction for families. Singaporean couple Anand and Vrunda Patel would often take their children there for outings. Vrunda, now 50, fondly recalls climbing the structure and admiring the views of Sentosa from the Merlion's mouth. “Outside the Merlion, there was a beautiful step garden with flowing water. I used to love walking there,” she shares.Years later, the statue, covered in dirt and grime, required a refresh. The demolition was not only part of a larger vision to connect Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in the north to the three beaches (Palawan, Tanjong and Siloso) on the island's south, it was also the start of a massive rebranding project to transform Sentosa from a recreational family destination to a premier lifestyle attraction.Today, Sentosa Sensoryscape stands in its place. Set within a lush landscape, the 30,000 sqm attraction features a 350m-long connector that leads visitors to six sensory gardens – where they can explore the gardens’ massive vessel-like sculptures, observe the various flora and fauna inhabiting the space, and interact with Instagrammable light displays through an augmented reality app after nightfall.“To attract younger visitors, our additional focus is on creating more authentic and immersive experiences, recognising that this demographic seeks deeper, more engaging interactions with the places they visit,” says Thien Kwee Eng, CEO, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).Just as Sensoryscape is designed to create an otherworldly atmosphere after dark, the Sentosa Night Mode campaign, launched in August, aims to introduce the island as a day-to-night destination for both locals and tourists, who would typically only make day trips to Sentosa. In addition to more nightlife events – such as the recent Waterbomb Festival, which saw about 10,000 revellers partying to a live K-pop line-up – the initiative includes extended operating hours at key attractions, along with street performances and dining promotions.It’s a move that has boosted visitorship to the island, with total numbers reaching 16 million this year.“This is a 20 per cent increase in the number of visitors as compared to the same period last year,” reveals Kwee Eng.
TAKING THE LEAP
It’s 10 am on a Monday, and Gan Guoyi, 40, walks into Jigger & Pony with a set of dry-cleaned clothes – a picture of calm amid the aftermath of last night’s chaos. The Singapore bar recently secured a spot in the Top 5 of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list, announced in Madrid on Oct 23. To celebrate, she threw a three-night promotion from Nov 10, where customers enjoyed five premium cocktails for just $5 each at select bars like Gibson, Live Twice, Sugarhall, Como Pony Jakarta, and Jigger & Pony.Naturally, the event was a hit, and Guoyi, who was manning the guest list at Sugarhall, only managed a few hours of sleep the night before. Still, she arrives promptly to our photo shoot without complaints.
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LENNARD & ANN YEONG
Taking risks, and staying the course
