Keeping it one hunna, Singapore Idol alum Daphne Khoo is grooving into boogie wonderland as Haneri – which is the Hawaiian translation of the Singaporean-Australian artist’s Chinese name to mean a hundred million. The petite singer first won the hearts of many, including the stoic then-judge Ken Lim, when she did a honey cover of The Supremes’ You Can’t Hurry Love with her trademark doll-like, nasally tone on the talent show.
Post-Singapore Idol, she debuted her first LP Desperate (which includes the hit radio favourite of the same name) in 2007, experimented with her sound and looks, and finally introduced the world to her metamorphosis into Haneri a decade later with Burning Up. Now available on digital streaming platforms, Milliona marks her first EP as Haneri. The scintillating EP is a party-startin’ combo of funk, pop and dance that’s layered with groovy basslines, funky beats and irresistible synths. To find out more about the EP, and Daphne’s new alter ego, we chat with the songstress prior to the release.
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Photograph: Haneri
Hi Haneri! First things first, what gets you excited about Singapore?
The thing I’m easily most excited about being back in Singapore is my family. Hands down. I’ve lived so far away from them for so long, only ever coming back to visit, that I’m so happy we’re all much closer (geographically).
But also, definitely, the food (please help I’m eating way too much) and reconnecting with the local music scene. So many people here are people I’ve grown up with and it’s awesome being able to catch up – like really catch up – and know that I’m back for good.
Is there a favourite spot that you usually frequent?
This might sound weird, but I used to go to Plaza Singapura a lot. I just go there and walk around, grab a coffee at Starbucks, read a book, do work, walk around some more. Sometimes I watch a movie. But I love Plaza Singapura. Also, my go-to place to hang [out] is my favourite bar Third & Sixth Bistrobar on Seah Street.
You first started out in Singapore Idol as Daphne Khoo. But over 10 years later, in 2017, you rebranded yourself as Haneri. What’s the story behind your moniker?
Haneri is actually half of my full new alias which is Haneri Milliona (‘Milliona’ being the name of the EP). It’s actually a Hawaiian translation of my Chinese name 亿 (yi) which in English translates to ‘a hundred million’. It’s the name my grandfather gave me as he always wanted me to have, and be, plentiful. It means a lot to me and he taught me so much about music and how to put my heart into it and be honest.
I feel like Haneri is a lot braver than me.
How is Haneri different from Daphne Khoo?
I feel like Haneri is a lot braver than me, a little more out there, and more outspoken than Daphne. I like to think she’s a levelled up version of the younger me.
Let’s get this straight – what’s the correct pronunciation of Haneri?
[Laughs] It's like ‘canary’ with an ‘H’, Haneri!
Besides your name, your sound has also changed, moving from Michelle Branch vibes to Doja Cat disco. What inspired you to turn up the funk?
I have to give a lot of credit to [producer] Drew OfThe Drew who I always thought was way cooler than me. He gave me the confidence to add my pop flare to his vibe and honestly, I love this sound and I hope you do too.
Your new EP Milliona drops on November 27. Talk us through the EP, and what we can expect from it.
Even though there are only 4 songs, it took about 2 years to make, and a lot of life lived to write it. It talks about me learning about myself, learning to love myself, really mentally and emotionally growing up, finding my voice, finding myself in the world and being ok and a little more honest about… everything.
The music is a fusion of funk, disco and pop which I think is a good description of the in-between of my producer Drew OfThe Drew and myself. We took a lot of time working together to get this vibe going and I have to attribute a lot of it to Drew of course. I go into a fuller description of the EP in a drunk interview I did with my friend and TV host Justin Bratton and you can find it on my YouTube page or my Instagram (@itshaneri).
What is the most memorable moment you had while working on the EP?
Actually, all the memories I made making the EP, from writing IDWLY with Charlie Snyder in 2017 to producing it with Drew OfThe Drew, up till mastering with Jett Galindo at The Bakery, are so meaningful to me and I’ll never forget them.
Throughout your career, you have worked with some of the biggest names in music like Charlie Puth, Kehlani, Paloma Faith, and Josh Groban. If you could, which artist (dead or alive) would you like to collaborate with next and why?
To be honest, I’d love to work with Charlie again because he’s come so far and I think it would be different from us writing stuff when we were in college. But if I had my choice, I dream of working with Sara Bareilles and Sasha Sloan on the regular. I love their writing styles, the way they express themselves and how open they are in their music. Both their styles, while not in the same particular genre, really touch me.
You’re also set to relaunch your YouTube weekly series Makin It. When and what can we expect from it?
I’ve been conflicted about posting the first season I created, and started uploading last year because they’re obviously dated, but I would also like to move forward with the sentiment of the show documenting just what I do on a regular basis. I keep pushing the release back but I can say for sure I’ll be releasing new material for Makin It by May 2021. Please stay tuned!
I’ve always used the hard times to create, get better at my craft and work towards making music for myself and whoever needs it.
There's no doubt that the pandemic has affected the local arts/music scene dramatically. What does it mean to be a musician during these strange times?
It has definitely been a strange time for everyone. I’ve always just done what I can to keep going. It’s also been a really odd experience relocating and coming back home. But the time at home has let me really reconnect with my family and I’m really grateful for that. As a musician, I’ve always used the hard times to create, get better at my craft and work towards making music for myself and whoever needs it.
Now that live performances are slowly returning to the stage, can we expect a live gig soon?
I hope so! I don’t have any plans yet, but I have been doing live shows on my Twitch channel. But there’s nothing like playing to other human beings in real life.
Lastly, if you’re not making music or filming your YouTube series, who will you have playing on repeat?
Right now I have Sasha Sloan, Lennon Stella, Ariana Grande, Anthony Ramos, The Night Game, Lauv – so many – but these artists are on repeat.
Milliona is available on Spotify, Deezer, and Apple Music now.
