Embarking on an international tour as independent musicians is no easy feat, but Singaporean trio YAØ, Krysta Joy, and xena giam are determined to stretch their wings with their newly announced collaborative tour Stations that will kick off in Singapore on October 19 at the Esplanade Annexe Studio. And not long after, they’ll be jetting off to Japan for another show in the first week of November.
YAØ, Krysta Joy, and xena giam each bring distinct musical styles to the table, promising a mishmash of R&B, Japanese City Pop, Soul, and Acoustic genres at their upcoming gigs. Before the action, we caught up with them to learn how this tour came together, what they’re most excited about, and more!
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How did the three of you come together to form this unique collaboration?
Krysta: It was truly one of those situations where how “small” the world is worked out in our favour. A hangout at my studio with Xena last year led to me casually remarking that my dream is to tour in 2024, with which she resonated with wholeheartedly. We also discovered we have multiple friends in common who perform as our band, so it only made sense to do this together as we recognise how difficult it is for solo artists to go on tour themselves. She then extended it to Yao who is also connected to this web of people and the dream – and then there were 3!
The three of us live very different lives and have different ways of communicating – which is equal parts frustrating and fulfilling. – Krysta Joy
What has the tour preparation been like?
Xena: It’s the first time I’m planning a tour and performing. Not gonna lie, it has been a tough journey getting our schedules aligned, planning logistics and the artistic portion of the show. But I know that at the end of it, we’ll be really fulfilled.
Krysta: Working with friends is often discouraged in general, but there is so much value in figuring things out together. We have learnt so much about the logistics of planning a tour, and also about each other. The three of us live very different lives and have different ways of communicating – which is equal parts frustrating and fulfilling. It is truly a privilege to find people who are willing to fight both with and for you.
Yao: For me, it has been an interesting experience as I’ve never really been very involved in planning something with a team. I’m usually used to working alone, so when it came to planning this tour, there were a lot of new experiences for me.
We wanted to pay homage to the people we’ve gotten support from before we leave and venture the world. – xena giam
How does it feel to be touring both your home country and Japan?
Y: It's pretty surreal to me. It's always an honour and pleasure to be able to perform for my people in Singapore but I’ve always had an affinity with Japanese music and culture since young, so it feels extra special to be able to do a show there too.
K: I love that we get to start on home ground to remind us why we are doing this in the first place – to take a little piece of Singapore out to the world in our small way. It’s also amazing how Japan has turned out to be the first country we are touring as it’s been a dream of mine since I was 16 to experience their music scene after witnessing a few Japanese bands who came here to perform at the time.
X: Yes, we decided to start off our tour in Singapore because of the love we have for the scene. We wanted to pay homage to the people we’ve gotten support from before we leave and venture the world.
There is a parallel between waiting for the next train to arrive and waiting for everything to happen in its time, and I am most excited to play this because the message serves as such a great reminder for us. – Krysta Joy
Which songs are each of you most excited to play live, and why?
K: My upcoming EP On My Way! features a song titled Rapid (in reference to Mass Rapid Transit) and it is inspired by the people who attempt to rush into the train cabin as the doors are closing. There is a parallel between waiting for the next train to arrive and waiting for everything to happen in its time, and I am most excited to play this because the message serves as such a great reminder for us. It’s also one of my favourite musical arrangements so far and I’m excited to perform it live!
X: I’ve gotta say that I am really excited to play Longest Time – my most vulnerable song – one that connects me with the audience. I can’t wait to show everybody the new tweaks and arrangements my band and I have done for the upcoming show! I’ll be playing some new stuff as well, so come on down to our show on October 19 to have a sneak peek!
Y: I’m most excited to play two of my latest singles All My Life and Hostage. I think the reception for both songs have been really good overseas so I am curious to know how the fans will react when I perform it live.
I hope international audiences will gain a deeper appreciation for Singaporean music and how its diversity reflects Singapore's unique and evolving identity. – YAØ
What do you hope international audiences will take away about Singaporean music from this tour?
Y: For me, I hope international audiences will gain a deeper appreciation for Singaporean music and how its diversity reflects Singapore's unique and evolving identity.
K: My hope is that international audiences can experience the beauty of the Singapore soul. We may be a young nation and not have a sound that is unique to us, but we comprise so many different people and our music is the amalgamation of so many walks of life coming together as one – as represented by the three of us!
Purchase tickets to the 'Stations' tour show in Singapore here.
