If Benjamin Kheng’s performance of “Not Alone” at this year’s National Day Parade and the success of our May 2024 cover star, Iman Fandi, on streaming platforms tell us anything, it’s that Singapore is home to some mighty talented musicians—and the latest ones in the spotlight are one of the stars of ELLE Singapore's June 2024 issue brb., and for good reason.
While working on their own music projects, Clarence Liew, Marc Lian, and Auzaie Zie came together for a writing session and with a love of three-letter acronyms that led to the formation of the group in 2018. Since then, the group has steadily amassed a loyal following across Asia with hits like “Cool With It” and “Talking To Myself”. Their sound is a harmonious mix of R&B, Hip Hop and Soul, with occasional throwbacks to the ’80 and ’90s. brb.’s regional success is a testament to their hard work and dedication. They’ve performed at The Glow Festival in Korea, AMPM Live in Japan, and most recently, alongside Korean-Canadian R&B artist slchld at the HzWhale Music Festival in Bangkok last month. Having conquered the region, the boys of brb. ventured into the United States with their own headline tour, capturing hearts along the way.
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And that’s not all. Just last month, brb. released their newest single in collaboration with Japanese singer-songwriter Aile The Shota. Titled “jelly”, the song features light and sweet melodies juxtaposed with lyrics that speak on jealousy, seeking reassurance, and the fear of losing the person you love. It has garnered over 324,000 listens on Spotify.
Hot off the heels of their latest release, we caught up with the boys of brb. for a candid chat on their journey, new music and what’s next—including new music.
How did your collaboration with Aile The Shota come about?
Prior to our trip to Tokyo in July last year, we linked up with Aile The Shota via Direct Message on Instagram. We thought that it'd be cool to just hang out with him, but it turned into a song writing and story telling session about jealous, which then led to us collaborating on the song "jelly".
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How would you describe your sound and style to someone unfamiliar with your music?
At our core, we're an R&B and pop music band. That said, we've dabbled in so many different styles and genres from Indie Rock to UK Garage and Afrobeat. There's something for everyone.
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What are some of the artists you three look up to?
It's a long list ... Off the top of our heads it'll have to be DPR, DEAN, and Keshi.
Tell us about your creative process.
We usually start with the music or beat first. Once we have something that feels good, we’ll start trying different vocal melodies and lyrical ideas. We tend to draw on life experiences in general, but a lot of it revolves around romantic relationships—probably because it’s the stuff that draws on the strongest emotions while also being universally relatable.
Which of your songs resonates most with you and why?
Zie: It was "talking to myself", the song Clo and Marc pitched to me to get me into the band. I was sold immediately.
Marc: It's got be "move". There's just something about the bass, drum and vocals that all came together in a way that felt unique.
Clo: It'll have to be "my type" as its the most personal to me.
What advice would you give to local aspiring musicians?
We live in a creative, competitive world where new songs pop out every week. Standing out can be quite daunting, but keep at it even if you hit multiple pitfalls. Also, don't be afraid to reach out for help from other creatives and artists out there, too.
What can fans expect from you next?
We’ve got a lot of new music coming and definitely a new album next year. We're also working towards another proper concert in Singapore—it’s been too long since the last one.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.