My family and close friends should know that I started
picking up the ukulele since earlier this year. Lessons are generously
subsidised by my employer, who in its effort to promote team collaboration and
employee engagement, is actively supporting activity interest groups (AIG).
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| Completion of Beginner's lessons |
In between our weekly lessons, some like-minded colls would
gather once a week during lunch to play some fun songs together. One of them
happened to be the organizer for our company’s annual Excellence Day and thought
that this event seemed like an auspicious platform to showcase the AIG. With
only less than 2 months’ notice, we collaborated with jam band AIG to rehearse
and produce four songs! Jam band would play two songs and then uke will join in
for another two.
Well, initially during planning, I didn’t actively volunteer
to be the vocalist, but the other performers preferred not to. I led I’m Yours
(Jason Mraz) and jointly sang Don’t Worry Be Happy.
I’m Yours, surprisingly, is very hard to sing well! Other
than the chorus, the style is kinda freeform R&B and Mraz sounded very
smooth in his delivery, though most verses of the lyrics are like a traffic jam
of syllables. During my preparation I plugged in to the song on looping mode
for a couple of days. I tried to imitate his style and added little bit of adlib. The applause that followed was thunderous and sustained for a good 15 seconds - we were overwhelmed!! DG gave us a standing ovation, grinning from ear to ear!
For the latter song, I innovated the lyrics to CAAS’ context, to inject some plain fun and entertainment. They were very well received, judging from the laughter and applause from the audience (who must already be bored stiff by the earlier segments of the programme)!
The lyrics went:
If your boss sends midnight email
Reply tomorrow it’s no big deal
Don't worry be happy
Too many red tapes give us headache
So many signatures, goodness’ sake
Don't worry be happy
If you have something proud to say
Share it at Excellence Day
Don't worry be happy
Here’s a lil’ something by AIG
Hope you enjoyed as much as we
Don't worry be happy
Picture from the event:
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| Trivia: I was using my zhongruan pick I kept in an old wallet since n years ago! |
Despite that my voice was not in optimal condition (Murphy’s
Law ah just like on my wedding day, I couldn’t hit the high notes T_T), I received
many positive feedback from many colleagues of my “natural”, “confident”
singing! Even D(CD/EP) passed me his personal compliment! One or two
aunties also spotted me along the corridor and gave me their thumbs up. Hahahha
quite paiseh! Well honestly I think people felt my section sounded great because:
1) The vocalist
from jam band (who performed the first two songs) really cmi (to the extent one
of the aunties said he wasn’t singing, in her exact words);
2) The sound
system provided by sub-contractor was also cmi and the parts where I strained
my voice were conveniently credited to the ‘lousy microphone'; and
3) Excellent harmonising from Nicole!
Nevertheless, we really enjoyed ourselves on stage! I had proposed for all to put on a glittery bow tie ($2 from Daiso) but they were not keen :( So, no theme...
And so one of my bucket list items (which is to perform in a musical) is ticked off! =D
P/S: I wanna take the opportunity to give credit to my supportive wifey and parents who were understanding and bore with my kill-chicken bathroom singing. =)
