With an influx of bands and big-name stars hitting Singapore, the spotlight often shines brightest on the chart-toppers. However, amidst the buzz, let's also carve out some room for the indie gems that shouldn't go unnoticed. In that light, Taiwanese alt-rock band Shallow Levée is making their way to Singapore for the third time on June 29, 2024, set to perform at Wire Entertainment. This follows their last performance in 2019 as part of the Huayi Festival of Arts at the Esplanade.
Taiwanese band Shallow Levée was formed in 2016 and consists of four members – Yi-Ling (vocals/guitar), Tang (drums), Patrick (bass) and Hong Cha (guitar). They are best known for their bilingual songs (Mandarin and Taiwanese) with lyrics that reflect everyday life in Kaohsiung – the city where the band was formed. Their single ‘Excavator (怪手)’ catapulted them to fame, a track from their debut EP Demo.1, which earned a nomination for the ‘Best Rock Song’ award at the 2016 Golden Indie Music Awards.
We had the chance to chat with the band to find out more about their upcoming show and sentiments just before their third gig in our city.
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Can you describe your music in one sentence for those that are unfamiliar?
Our music is pop music infused with folk and rock as its foundation. Our melody reflects the vibes of Taiwan, paired with an intricate tempo, outstanding electronic guitar sounds, and an arrangement featuring post-rock and dub.
Taiwan and Singapore have a lot in common in terms of culture, and we hope that through the medium of music, we can allow for more cultural exchange between both of us.
What inspired you to bring your show to Singapore once again?
Actually, Southeast Asia isn’t too far away from Taiwan. We really wanted to be able to carve out a new market here and bring Taiwanese music to more places. Shallow Levée mainly performs in Mandarin, but our style of music is influenced by rock and folk music from many different places, so we believe that even if they don’t understand the lyrics, audiences will be able to fall in love with our music.
When we performed in Singapore last year, we were amazed by the enthusiasm of the audience, and we immediately decided that we have to do this again. Taiwan and Singapore have a lot in common in terms of culture, and we hope that through the medium of music, we can allow for more cultural exchange between both of us.
Will this performance be any different from the other two times you've performed in Singapore?
This time, our performance will be a full 90-minute set. Besides performing our new songs that have yet to be released, we will also perform highlights from all of our previous albums. We hope that the setlist this time can allow first-time listeners of Shallow Levée to get to know us fully.
The venue is a lot more intimate, accommodating just over a hundred people. This is a huge difference compared to a thousand-person venue in Taiwan, but we really love smaller locations like this! It allows us to close the distance between us and our audiences, and convey our emotions closely to everyone. We are really looking forward to the show!
What are you looking forward to in Singapore outside of your performance?
The last time we were in Singapore, we had some amazing pandan cakes, and we definitely want to eat them again. This time we want to try some chai tow kueh and visit some new places.
Every time we come to Singapore, we love eating bak kut teh, especially the peppery kind, and we will always buy the seasoning packs back to Taiwan! Durian is also another food that is hard to come by in Taiwan, so it is a must-try!
On days when we are not performing, we like to walk around the Esplanade area, as well as Arab Street, where a milk tea shop called Tarik is our favourite.
We also realised that we have not been to Jewel Changi Airport yet. We are always rushing for our flight when leaving Singapore. Maybe this time we will plan well and allocate some time to check out the waterfall!
Shallow Levée’s music is best described as 'your best companion'.
What do you hope your Singaporean fans take away from your performance on June 29?
Shallow Levée’s music is best described as 'your best companion'. For those who feel like talking to someone but are alone, those who are having a solo meal or working a solo shift, or people who can only turn to YouTube when they are feeling lonely, our music is your best companion in these moments. We hope that the audience can feel this when listening to our music.
One special thing about us is that in most of our shows, we are able to have very close interactions with our fans, and this is one big reason we enjoy performing so much.
Tickets for their upcoming show are priced at $68 and can be purchased here.
