Living A Day At A Time

Fauxe shares the biggest inspiration for his latest album, thought processes that go into music and the legacy he wishes to leave behind.

- Asaph Low

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC TO SOMEONE WHO IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHO YOU ARE?

Fauxe: To people who are not aware of me, my name is Fauxe. I’ve been making music as Fauxe for about 10 years now. My music is more of a by-product of taste and knowledge. It has changed a lot over the years spanning different styles of music. I’d say that there might be one or two things you might like but I find it more interesting for you to join the process of my life in music and for you to describe it for yourself.

WHAT ARE SOME INFLUENCES THAT HAVE GONE INTO THE CREATION OF THE MUSIC IN YOUR LATEST ALBUM, ”NEW LIFE!”?

Barry Harris, Thelonious Monk, Antonio Carlos Jobim — these three people were instrumental in my life in 2020 as ”New Life!“ was my space to focus harmonically in music. Improvisational music or what you can call, un-arranged or prepared music, was also the gel that pieced everything together for me as most of the music created for the album was improvised. The three masters above were merely my spiritual guides of sort. Yes, it was my new life.

HAS SINGAPORE’S CULTURAL DIVERSITY PLAYED A ROLE IN SHAPING YOUR PERCEPTION OF MUSIC?

I think truthfully, you are either fixated on the past, comfortable with the present or focused on the future with music. Singapore has had the three points ongoing in various degrees throughout our years as a nation.

I feel that our cultural diversity shaped my understanding of opportunities rather than perception in music. Opportunities however, aren’t about whether I have the privilege to do something based on my race, skin color or even utilising music from the past to create my music.