Inchterview: Interview with Inch Chua (of Allura)

INCHTERVIEW

Audioreload gets up close with Inch Chua – the feisty young lady behind Allura…

She’s been around since 2004, at the tender age of 16, fronting the now-defunct Auburn’s Epiphany. The band fizzled out a couple years later, due to “a series of unfortunate events” and that would have jaded anyone – but not Inch. She regrouped and resurfaced with Allura at the Mosaic Festival 2007, with new songs and a brand new sound to boot; and they’ve been making waves ever since. They released an EP, Wake Up and Smell The Seaweed, last year, which has since been sold-out. However, all’s been quiet on Allura’s front recently, and Audioreload.com caught up with Inch to find out why; rumour has it that she’s working on a solo album…

10 Questions:

1.What’ve you been up to lately?

I’ve been busy recording and preparing for the release of my solo album,The Bedroom. In anticipation for the album’s release, I’ve filmed a music video – but details will be released only when the album is released or on its way. At the moment, I’m still working on the artwork for the album.

As for Allura, we released our EP, Wake Up and Smell The Seaweed, last year on 7 June, and that led to a progressive surge of shows as we promoted it. However, with the guys going into NS etc, we’ve been playing less frequently and I guess the coming months for Allura will be quiet(er). However, but we’re not definitely not going to be stagnant or disappear cause we all still see each other all the time (practically family) and we’re still churning new material in prep for a future release.

Incidentally, our next album will be very different, but you won’t see it any time soon.

2. Why go solo?

In a way, I see it as an opportunity especially since the band is going to slow down in the near future with the guys entering NS and all. I don’t want to just sit around for a couple of years and not do anything (musically), and I thought, ‘why not jump into my solo material?’.

Also, I’ve set myself a goal – to release my solo before I turn 21, which is the end of this year.

3. Who’s involved in this project, other than yourself?

Well, I’ve trying to go it alone as far as possible – afterall, it’s a test of whether I’ll sink or swim when i’m thrown into the ocean. However, the guys (in Allura) have been involved in this by providing me with advice musically, and answering my questions (about music). Mark will be playing a couple of leads for me, as I’m quite incompetent on lead guitar solos etc. As for drums, I’m using drum samples which I’ve programmed myself.

When I’m playing live, I suppose I won’t be having a drum-set with me, so I’ll fall back on my triggers and loops. However, I can still manage guitars and synths on my own. I’m a one-woman band!

4. Where will you be recording your album?

Well, the album will be called The Bedroom, and that’s where I will be recording my album – my room! The drums are basically software samples which i’ve created, while some of the samples are sounds that I get from the room itself, for e.g. by hitting my bedframe and using toys etc…

Basically, I want to redefine the whole idea of a bed-room artist, and prove that one can release an album independently, if he/she works hard enough at it.

5. In terms of sound, what can we expect? In contrast with what you’ve done with Allura, of course.

The album a feature a jazzy, electro, mild-ballad rock kinda sound (like Fiona Apple), and

Well for those who’ve heard of my solo material, they went like, “Woah, this is really different!” It’s different, all the way down to the method of singing; with Allura, it was using my chest/diaphragm to project my voice but on my solo album, it’ll be more breathy, in a honest, since way.

6. I bet you’ve great plans ahead for your solo work – could you let us in on the action?

Well, i’ve got a music video that would be up in the end of the year. We’re going to put it up on 99dollarsmusicvideos, a website with videos featuring videos madde under 99 dollars. Its a pretty cool idea that drives people to think intently about a strong video concept. I’ve teamed up with a film-maker from Mexico for this project.

I’ll be playing a couple of shows in the coming months, further details can be found on purevolume. I’ll begin the mixing down of my tracks in late july and We’ll shall see how things go from here.

And, to pay for the album), I’m going “indie” style. I’m currently applying for a busking license, where I’ll basically busk and sell my CDs at the same time. I believe that if people appreciate my music, they’ll pay for it. Basically, I want to show (Singapore) that if you work really hard at it, you’ll be able to get paid for your efforts.

7. So um, Inch… tell us about how you actually got such a cool/edgy and quirky name! (we’ve only heard of apples, grapes so far…)

I was only given a Chinese name, Yu Juan, as my mother did not want me to be stuck with an English name which I may grow to dislike when I’m older. If you’ve noticed, Yu Juan, when pronounced real fast sounds like… Inch, which was what my friends (in Primary school) started calling me, and it stuck. It is on my I/C, by the way – it’s official.

8. Youth.sg once asked you this question if you would do music for a living, and your reply was – no. Do you stand corrected?

Well, as a cover or pub band, I’m sure you can make a decent living to pay the bills (though you won’t have CPF). But with original music, it becomes a little tricky. Nonetheless, i really do think its possible cause the scene now is much bigger and has more support than it use to be. I mean, recession came and the local music scene barely felt the effects of the situation.

Also I believe its possible, because there is decent talent in the scene with the right attitude and will. I don’t see any reason why someone with the makings would be unsuccessful in making waves.