Life In Arpeggio Turns One: A Thank You Note From A Fellow Music Fan
Thank you for believing in this passion project for the local music scene
Time flies when you’re having fun, and just like that, Life In Arpeggio has made its first orbit around the sun. Being an infant in the music industry, this platform still has a long way to go as a conduit for stories in the Singaporean scene. In the span of a year, Life In Arpeggio has only scratched the surface in uncovering the tales and achievements of our rich musicscape, dispelling perceptions that the scene is a barren entity devoid of passion and vigour. I started Life In Arpeggio to tap into this thriving goldmine of culture, and it’s proving to be a deep endeavour with limitless yield.
It might seem strange to be in a commemorative mood in our current COVID-clouded circumstances. Truth be told, my morale felt the pinch once lockdown invaded our lives, leaving me unmotivated to mark the one-year milestone. But if you read my recent piece on the resilience of scene spirit, which touched on its minor victories throughout this ordeal, you’ll realise that it gave me the inspiration to soldier on as a music journalist. The scene’s endurance, in turn, stokes the flames of Life In Arpeggio, and as a storyteller, I’m glad to be filled with life once more.
The resilience of Singaporean scene spirit is a matter close to the heart (Credit via Pexels: Anton Hooijdonk, Stephen Niemeier, Barthy Bonhomme)
Life In Arpeggio has always stood for the essence of storytelling. It’s been a stubborn advocate of long-form editorial content that anchors readers’ focus in a digital space, where attention spans are easily disrupted. Since its inception, Life In Arpeggio has left no stone unturned in documenting the stories of musicians, venues and events; fleshing out pieces that are thoroughly researched and extensively conveyed. The medium strives to be inclusive in storytelling without alienating, making sure that it reaches out to both newcomers to the scene and seasoned devotees. In that pursuit, it hopes to connect the music community, while being another humble pillar for Singaporean music journalism – an area that could always do with more growth.
With regards to the website’s growth, I must confess that Life In Arpeggio has remained a non-profit, solo undertaking till this day, which might shed light on why feature output isn’t as frequent as reasonably expected. The thought of expansion perpetually hangs at the back of my mind, but it’s a fearsome juggle given the fact that I also hold a full-time day job. I thank everyone for the patience and understanding you’ve showed me in growing this platform, and I’m grateful to all the aspiring music journalists who have expressed an interest to contribute. Your curiosity pushes me further to build a better brand.
Industry milestones like the inaugural Alex Blake Charlie Sessions are moments worth documenting
As much as possible, I have also ensured that Life In Arpeggio adopts a local slant in its stories. In interview requests for festivals, I have chosen Singapore-based opening acts instead of international headliners. I would prioritise an entertainment venue that was built in Singapore over an imported franchise. And I would rather wax lyrical about a genre’s adaptation in our local climate as opposed to its generic role in the global industry. These make up the majority of the stories I want to tell on Life In Arpeggio, and I hope to remain consistent as I push this forward. This is the niche I want to be in. And this is why I want people to come to Life In Arpeggio, for a sincere reflection of the Singaporean music scene.
Rest assured that once the dust has settled, I’ll be back on the hunt for untold stories, from emerging subcultures to pivotal institutions. I can’t stress enough how vast and restless this scene is; one with a giant heart on a tiny red dot.
Thank you for one year of support. And if this is your first time visiting Life In Arpeggio, thanks for joining the ride.
– Kevin
