Singer aka Drummer aka Soul Sister - Erin

Who says good things only come in big packages?


Meet Erin – Scarlett’s newest and youngest member. Don’t be deceived by her demure appearance, petite size and tender age. Erin has a voice that is larger-than-life, fills the room and resonates in the hearts. She caught our attention with her rendition of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" at our gig for Action for AIDS in 2010 (how many people do you know sings Beyonce?) If that weren’t enough, she is a KILLER on the drums. K-I-L-L-E-R. A trained percussionist, Erin performed with the school band in her teens.

Oh, did I also say she plays the guitar?

Erin is a bundle of high energy - always positive and always smiling. She often reminds the old foggies that make up the rest of the band, how wonderful it is to be fresh (and slim and have luminous skin… sigh…). The old foggies, at times, make the mistake of adopting her as a younger sister; but Erin, with her talent and feisty personality, stands up on her own and puts us right back into place.

The youngest sister of Niki (our guitarist), Erin recently graduated from her studies in landscape architecture and is pursuing further education. She is also a keen photographer, frequently using her family and friends as willing objects. With her voice, her natural groove and accent tendencies, we are convinced that she was a Soul Mama in her past life.

Catch Erin TONIGHT, April 8 (Friday) at Concert for a Cause: Scarlett Rocks for aidha at TAB! 

Singer aka Ang Moh Lian - Melissa

Melissa started performing with Scarlett last year at our performance for Action for AIDS at Fort Canning Park. She is no stranger to the stage, having been a frequent singer at weddings and at church where she is an active member. Supported by her distinct and strong vocal process, she has a penchant for indie, folk and soft rock music.

Melissa is what we will call an all-rounder. Professionally, she is a program producer with Asia’s most prominent and well respected news channel (guess which one?). To bring educational and worldly programs to you and me, she has traveled to exotic destinations such as Uzbekistan (how many of you know someone who’s actually been there??), India, China and Japan. A keen athlete, Melissa is also a force to reckon with on the tennis courts. She brings to the courts her determination, focus, competitiveness and sportsmanship that has been honed over most of her life.

The most intriguing thing about Melissa is her split-personality. One moment, she is conversing in the most impeccable and proper American English; the next moment, she is propping up her leg and rambling in Hokkien (a form of Chinese dialect, preferred by a large majority of Straits Chinese and taxi drivers/gangsters/hawkers). This streak in nature has earned her the irrefutable title of “Ang Moh Lian” (not to be confused with “Ang Moh Liu Lian”, which is a local slang for Soursop, the fruit) - a Foreign Ah-Lian. Having come out of the closet (one disputes that she’s ever been in the closet), she is proud to inject a shot of “Ah-Lian-ness” into Scarlett.

(“Ang Moh” is a local slang reserved for foreigners, typically westerners; and an Ah-Lians are… typically ethnic Chinese girls with the tendency to dye their hair copper brown, invest in Jap street fashion, pose for pictures with a “peace sign” and speak Hokkien with a high pitched voice).

Watch Melissa bring on the grooves and the rock factor at Concert for a Cause: Scarlett Rocks for aidha at TAB on April 8, Friday!

Guitarist aka Saxophonist aka Wardrobe Designer - Niki

Niki (Real Name: Dominique) is one of the newer members of Scarlett. She started playing with the band about 2 years ago, bringing along with her years of training on the tenor sax and a quiet resilience. Coming from a very musically inclined family, talent flows and pulsates in Niki’s blood (perhaps to the beat of Stephane Pompougnac???). In fact, the family itself could probably form their own band. Aside from the saxophone, Niki also plays the keyboard and the guitar.

Enjoying the simple things in life, is somewhat Niki’s life motto. She is honest and down to earth, basically as one often puts it, what you see is what you get. This makes Niki great company - a fabulous person to just spend a lazy afternoon with on a beach, at a café or at a bookstore. She also makes the best audience for jokes – her easy nature disposes her to laugh at everything.

Creative and very artistic, Niki is a trained architect; her work includes private residences (even some belonging to royalty!). She’s the one who’s always sketching on the corners of workbooks and stray pieces of paper, coming up with fun ideas on how we can spruce up our performances, giving radical suggestions on what we should wear and what the theme of our nights should be (on that note, watch out for our outfits this Friday!). In her free time, she dives, rollerblades, indulges in art and craft weekends, drinks iced milk teas known locally as “teh peng” as she watches the world go by. At the moment, she’s wistfully dreaming of an opportunity to immerse herself into the crystal turquoise waters of the Maldives…

Her secret dream job? To be a marine biologist’s helper, documenting and photographing underwater life; while illustrating children’s books and keeping a jellyfish as a pet.

Percussionist aka Chica Caliente - Shyn Quek

Intelligent. Vivacious. Brave.

If you were asked to choose adjectives to describe Shyn Quek, these three words would inevitably be used. Shyn Quek embraces life with arms wide open and tackles life with nail-biting grit and fervour. Beneath her warm persona lie strong passions for social and economic issues, an affinity for drums and percussion instruments, an insatiable desire to travel the world and keen interest in languages.

Shyn Quek, our percussionist, was one of the band's earliest members - her first performance with Scarlett was at SMU's Patron's Day in 2003. Decked in her long wig and sci-fi sun glasses, she slapped on her bongos as if her life depended on it. In fact, that's how she does everything - always 100%. It wasn't long before "Shyn and her Bongos" became one entity, one union. Aside from her bongos, she also plays the congas and picks up interesting instruments during her travels, such as her exotic Darbuka (as seen in the pictures above).

Having worked for a government agency dealing with international economic affairs in the past, Shyn Quek is well versed in diplomacy and also speaks Russian and Spanish (much to the chagrin of her FB followers - who knows what she's talking about half the time?). With that experience under her belt, she is currently managing a private regional philanthropy fund.

How is she brave, you may ask? Much more comfortable in the driver's seat, Shyn Quek is not one to take things as they come. She grips life by its horns, and takes active action to change things to make her life better and to make the world a better place. This requires her to, at times, make unconventional decisions, which we know does not come easy to many of us. Her adventurous nature has also brought her to exciting destinations, such as Turkey, Bulgaria, Bolivia and India.

Watch Shyn Quek in action with her Bongos and Darbuka at Concert for a Cause: Scarlett Rocks for aidha @ TAB on April 8, Friday.

Groovy Bassist aka Resident Joker - Lydia

Lydia.

Wow, where do we start?

Lydia, one of the founders of the band, is the anchor of our sound. With an acute music sense, spot-on hearing and killer moves on the bass, Lydia could be a solo act. Her subtle notes seduce and command attention, like the dark, mysterious, good looking stranger at the corner of the bar. Her deep bass lines resonate and make one weak in the knees ("it's true," exclaims Shyn Yee, "it's orgasmic!") Lydia is also easily the most disciplined member of the band, usually whipping everyone into shape and making sure everyone goes to practice with proper preparation.

Also a budding song writer, Lydia has written several original songs for the band, such as the catchy bossa-styled "Addicted to You" (gets the audience hooked every time!); and a creator of very corny jokes (e.g. "can I capo your capo? hurr hurr hurr"). Her reflective and melancholic side serves as a strong inspiration in her song writing, and her jolly nature and attention to the little things in life provide her with material for her jokes. Equipped with that and her sincere and caring personality, friends and colleagues are drawn to her (not so much like moths to a flame, more like... bees to honey.)

Lydia dedicates her time to her profession in online marketing and her duties at church. Also with a strong passion for travel (seems to be a common interest among all the Scarlettes!), she finds every opportunity to sneak away for an adventure. It's a good thing then, that she has low stamina for shopping (for non-guitar related stuff, that is) - all her savings could be channeled into traveling!

Catch Lydia LIVE at Concert for a Cause: Scarlett Rocks for aidha @ TAB on April 8, Friday!
  

Concert for a Cause: Scarlett Rocks for aidha

SEE YOU THERE!

Saxophonist - Rapper - Musicologist - DJ-Shyn aka. Miss Multi-Talented

While Newton discovered gravity when hit by a falling apple, Shyn Yee discovered and conceptualized "Project Donate a Song" while having a foot massage (which has now evolved into "Scarlett Rocks for aidha")

One of the original founders of Scarlett, Shyn Yee made quite the impression rapping to Lady Marmalade, electrifying the 1000-strong crowd at SMU campus with her infectious groove, and soulful performance. She literally killed the crowd, and had them lapping up for more.

For that moment in the spotlight, Shyn Yee earned street cred as "The Rapper" of the 8 piece all girl band back in Singapore Management University. Street cred aside, it is her skills in picking and re-arranging songs, making them uniquely Scarlett, that has earned the role of band musicologist and creative inspiration throughout the years, constantly dreaming of new ideas to add fresh grooves to the band's style.

When she's not rapping or being the purveyor of Scarlett's musical taste, Shyn Yee is a well travelled, hotel management consultant, and has travelled to Bhutan, Bali, Maldives for WORK. She is also an amazing cook (she specializes in Greek & Thai cuisine, and is currently perfecting her Nonya recipes) and the official band photographer for this event (which explains why all of us have really nice pictures, except her).

Did we mention she's also a linguist? Shyn Yee speaks at least 6 languages, and considers poetry and scriptwriting, as her past-times. Not many of us know she won SMU's first 24-hour script-writing competition. Plus, she won it with her solo entry, while others were struggling in teams of 4.

An advocate of women empowerment, catch Shyn Yee live @ TAB on the 8th of April!