Posts Tagged ‘Melissa Indot’
VIMA 2010 Interview: Melissa Indot
Sporting a simple red jacket, minimal make-up and a pulled-down cap, local singer-songwriter, Melissa Indot appears as versatile and beautiful as usual. Fresh from her workout at one of the local gyms, the down-to-earth beauty not only is soft-spoken, but a person bursting with many talents waiting to share it with everyone around.
Her music, well-known with a dose of everything from electro pop to strong soulful ballads, can stop anyone in their tracks. As such, her debut solo album “Eclecticism” speaks for itself. Her simple and yet powerful song “I can’t smile without you” recently won the Best-Sunshiney-Smiley-Feelgood Song of the year in the upcoming Voize Independent Music Awards (VIMA 2010).
Here’s what Melissa has to say to all of her supporters:
Hello Melissa! Congrats. Tell us how you feel on winning the Best Sunshiney-Smiley-Feelgood Song award.
I am delighted to win this award. It was totally unexpected. My nephews (Jeffri and Jeremy) were over the moon, when I told them the good news. *laughs*
Tell us more about the song “I can’t smile without you.” How did the idea of getting your nephews to sing come about?
Well, the song is about the little habits and actions that you love in a person who is very special to you . It could be your partner, your best friend, a child in fact it could be about anyone who is special to you, even a pet! Sometimes we get so caught up with our adult responisibilities and pressures that we forget to appreciate the small things that make us happy. Children have this very natural ability to notice the small things that can mean so much. The idea of getting both my nephews to sing is for this reason. Children are not quick to judge and do not over analyse – they love SIMPLY.
In one of your recent Tweets, you mentioned that you’re currently busy writing lyrics. How is it coming so far?
Very well I should say. I’m writing songs for my new album. As an album consists of anything from 8-12 songs, I like to have a pool of about 30 songs to select from. For me, my 2010 started with a big bang – as of today I’ve aready written 5 new songs in 2010!
You also mentioned that you write your lyrics and songs well into the wee hours. Where did you get all the inspirations from?
Oh, not only the wee hours, I write in the day as well. It’s just that I prefer writing at night because the nights are usually quiet and there are fewer distractions like phone calls and etc. I’m inspired by almost everything; from my daily life, what I see around me, my friends lives, my family and from what i see happens around the world.
What has been the most challenging event throughout your musical career? It can be an interesting event as well.
That would be the launch of my remixes album back in 2008. I had to DJ and sing at the same time. The spinging (spinning + singing) for me is the biggest challenge. I only picked up DJ-ing like two months before the launch of my album. It was nail-biting.
Which one do you prefer? Making an English or Malay album.
As I think in English, writing in English is definitely easier. Lyrics are incredibly important to me, so even if I were to do a Malay album, lyrics translation would have to be very close to the original English lyrics as I would want all the feeling and emotions to be portrayed in BM, without being lost in translation.
What would you be doing if music doesn’t come your way?
A world without music?? IMPOSSIBLE! It’s my lifeblood and I can’t imagine myself doing anything without music. Whatever it is I’ll always work in a creative field. I like conceptualising ideas and I am still thinking of setting up a musical hub, as in a place where people can come together to chill, chat, jam, brainstorm. It’ll provide a platform for musicians to share their ideas and inspirations with everyone else. Sounds basic and ‘done before’ i know but there’s a lot more going on in my head which I’m not ready to reveal
Cool. Besides writing music and performing, what do you like to do in your free time?
I love to try new restaurants. I love to travel. I love to feed my brain through reading. I’m currently reading “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Besides burying myself in books, I love going on long walks / hikes.
Celebrities’ Favorite Places on Google Maps Malaysia
Amber Chia
One of Malaysia’s first International Supermodels. She was born in Ipoh, Malaysia but grew up in Tawau, Sabah. She began her modeling career at 17 after being discovered in Kuala Lumpur. In order to keep up with the demands of modeling she keeps herself fit and healthy through exercise. These are her favourite places to exercise in KL.
Bernie Chan
Bernie Chan is a television host, actress and beauty pageant trainer from Malaysia. She started her career in a Singapore sitcom named Alter Asians: Catherine Listening to the Rain, followed by Kopitiam and Talk About Love. The same year, she debuted as a stage actress in Ubu Roi and Split Gravy on Rice. As a host, Chan hosted the Miss Malaysia/World in 2002 and 2003.
Charlene Huan Hse Hse
Charlene is a student from Lim Kok Wing University, currently in her 2nd year of graphic design. In order to excel in the field of graphic design, one must have a creative mind to produce effective visual communication. Hence Charlene travels a lot, seeking inspirations from the places she visits.
CHARM Cheerleaders
CHARM stands for Cheerleading Association and Register of Malaysia. Beverly Hon is the founder. CHARM is Malaysia’s National Cheerleading Team and official governing body of cheerleading in Malaysia and their aim is to promote and develop cheerleading as a sport in the country. CHARM has competed in various local and international competitions. You can see CHARM perform for various events such as MODA Fashion Show, Nike Fashion in Midvalley and more.
Daphne Iking
TV host, producer, emcee and actress Daphne Iking is a self-proclaimed ditz with quirky but humble values. Her latest obsession is teaching her daughter how to say “please” instead of “p-huh” and wondering how to write a book. Here are her favourite cinemas and theatres.
kid 300×200 Celebrities Favorite Places on Google Maps Malaysia
David Lai
Malaysia’s very own celebrity magician, likes to try his new tricks out with the public. Here are some of his favourite places to busk and test out his tricks. Perhaps you might catch him someday in one of these places!
Deborah Henry
The irrepressible Deborah Henry is one of Malaysia’s top models. Deborah was one of the top 16 semi-finalists in the Miss World 2007 competition. She has been seen on the international runway for brands such as Dior, Gucci and Zang Toi. Deborah can now be seen hosting for an online program and also emcees for events such as the recent Malaysian International Fashion Awards. Deborah hopes to soon try her hand at acting.
Hannah Tan
Voted Malaysia’s sexiest woman in 2006 is arguably one of Malaysia’s most sought after entertainers. An all-rounder singer/ songwriter/ producer/ actress/ TV host/ businesswoman who is making waves regionally, Hannah Tan was also an ex-Valedictorian, state-sprinter and beauty queen who is just as passionate about community service as she is for the work she does in the entertainment industry.
Kenny Sia
Well known to Malaysians for his popular blog at kennysia.com. Although a Kuching resident, he travels to Kuala Lumpur regularly for work and leisure. Here are some of his favourite places to go in Klang Valley.
Kid Chan
An entrepreneur and celebrity destination Wedding Photographer listed as ‘100 People You Must Know In Asia’ by the “Asia Regional Tatler”. Specializing in Inter-ethnic and Asian Weddings, Kid Chan travels a lot as he is available for commission worldwide.
Melissa Indot
Melissa Indot is an award winning singer-song writer who received the accolade of Best English Album for her debut album ‘ECLECTICISM’. She achieved a number 1 hit with her first single ‘LITTLE GIRLS. Melissa recently collaborated with Grammy winning DJ/Producer Eric Kupper. These are some of her favourite club haunts in KL.
One Buck Short
One Buck Short began playing shows at school events and “battle of the bands” competitions before coming out in the local scene. The band performed in several concerts as the opening act for many international bands, including Fall Out Boy in Singapore and Good Charlotte, Panic at the Disco and My Chemical Romance in Kuala Lumpur. As well as opening for major acts, they have also been featured alongside other prominent acts at the 2007 SingFest music festival in Singapore, acts including Gym Class Heroes ,Avenge Sevenfold and MxPx. They also appeared in local shows such as Rock the World IV, Rock the World V as well as the Asian X Games.
Ruth Yeoh
An active environmentalist and a Board Member of environmental organisations including RARE Conservation (USA) and Reef Check Malaysia. She works for YTL Corporation and organises its flagship ‘Climate Change Week’ held annually. These are some of her favourite green places to visit in KL.
Dato’ Yasmin Yusuff
A former Miss Malaysia, Dato’ Yasmin Yusuff is an award-winning radio DJ, actress and voiceover artiste and has recorded 2 albums for WEA. You can hear her voice everywhere and she is now a very popular event MC and has performed as host for a myriad of events.
Celebrity Quotes
Google Favourite Places Launch
July 16th, 2009
Amber Chia - International supermodel
“By sharing my favorite places, I hope to do whatever I can to help promote more awareness of how to maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle as well as help expose everyone to beautiful Malaysian locations.”
David Lai – Magician
“My favourite places are those that generate a varied, mixed crowd, simply because you can find people from so many different genres. By listing my favorite places, I also hope to generate more people to these particular locations, therefore boosting their popularity and revenue.”
Deborah Henry – Model and former Miss Malaysia
“Malaysia has so much to offer in terms of food, culture and activities. The best thing about traveling is knowing where to go and where the locals hang out, so if my favourite places can help visitors and tourists, mission accomplished!”
Hannah Tan – Singer/actress
“I think that this is a nice way to share some of my favourite singing-for-fun spots with people inside and outside of Malaysia who enjoy doing the same thing as I do. I also hope to facilitate the search process for people who would possibly be looking to do the same thing as I would if I travel, whether it be singing for fun or even recording a new composition for work.”
Kid Chan – Celebrity photographer
“I use Google Maps because it makes a great platform to showcase the diversity of what makes Kuala Lumpur so great. One of the biggest challenges for a daddy is to plan trips for the family, so my selections were based on great places to hang out with my children.”
Melissa Indot – Singer/songwriter
“The places that I’ve selected in Kuala Lumpur are all music-based venues and I’m just happy to share these places with my fans. If that, in any way helps to increase exposure for the venues or encourage people to visit the city of KL, then great! It also gives me an opportunity to share my favourite places in Kuala Lumpur.”
Ruth Yeoh – Environmentalist
“Google’s campaign will help me make more people and the nation realize how beautiful Malaysia is as a country rich with natural resources and green spaces, as I have highlighted in some of the locations I have selected for my Favourite Places.”
Dato’ Yasmin Yusuff - Actress, radio DJ and emcee
“I hope to share my favorite places with as many people who may not know about them, plus it’s kind of my way of saying ‘thank you’ to the owners for giving me so many hours of pleasure enjoying these locations! My theme was basically my favourite places to chill out, they are places that make me feel good, I love spending time there and they never get boring!”
Eric Kupper and Melissa Indot are a match made in heaven!
1. So how was it like singing your famous “Starlight” track beside the incredibly talented Eric Kupper who also remixed this tune of yours last Friday (22 May) at ZouK?
Hard to put into words actually! He’s one of, if not my favourite House DJs but I’m a particular fan of his remixes and original material. I’ve always admired Eric for being a well accomplished musician as well as remix-er/producer and DJ, so singing my song remixed by him, with him standing next to me was simply mind-blowing!
2. How did you manage to get Eric to remix your “Starlight” track in the first place?
Eric and I were brought together by Mark Doyle –the brainchild of both Hed Kandi and Fierce Angel. Mark simply heard “starlight”, thought Eric would be perfect to remix it and asked him to have a listen. The rest is history as they say.
3. Any future plans on working together on another track? Or do you have plans to work together on an entire album?
It was a dream come true for me to have Eric Remix a song of mine and the fact that he wants to remix another is just fantastic. I’m not in a position to reveal which song as yet though! Eric and I really connected and found a true passion for melodies so with regards to an album…we are both extremely excited to do some work together in the very, very near future –so watch this space!!!
4. How would you describe your feelings on Friday when you spun together with Eric Kupper? Was this your first time or have you spun with him before?
It was nothing less than an honour! I dropped my favourite track of his called ‘Aurora’ and felt quite emotional by the fact that he was right there standing next to me –a surreal euphoria.
5. Last Friday (22 May) night at Zouk, you and Eric spun flawlessly and somewhat synchronized. Did you guys exchange DJ-ing advice with one another? Is he your inspiration to get into DJ-ing as well? And were you nervous spinning with Eric?
I’m a true newbie at this having only just started 6 months ago so with the support of my friends and family and lots of practice, I mustered up the confidence to nail this opportunity to do a good job for Eric. I was a nervous wreck but had to maintain collected because we were hanging out together in the DJ console before show time. Normally I go hide in a corner before starting, in order to psyche myself up! It was the best thing for me, as I feel I have an idea now how to manage my nerves. The best advice Eric gave me is “To enjoy the music and play like it’s your very last time ever!”
6. You must be stoked when you got the chance to work with Eric Kupper for your “Starlight” track. Can you tell us how you felt then?
When I first got the email confirming it I must have read it at least a 100 times and I had to keep pinching myself! One of the hardest parts was keeping it quiet. I was first told of it at the end of last year and have been bursting to share the news! But to be honest it all really set in the moment Eric emailed me his remix –I couldn’t stop grinning. I felt on top of the world.
Interview with DJ Eric Kupper
Rachel Chan interviews the multitalented DJ Eric Kupper, also keyboardist, arranger, songwriter, producer, and remix legend. Having worked with names such as David Morales, Richie Jones, Garbage, Usher, Alicia Keys, Kylie Minogue, Korn, Yoko Ono, Dido, and perhaps just everybody else who is hitting the music charts today, Kupper recently added to that list our very own Melissa Indot, who has for half a year spun at Zouk as a DJ.
Fierce Angel, a famous house music brand from the UK, a brainchild of the Hed Kandi creator Mark Doyle, presented Eric Kupper last Friday as special guest star.
1. How did the collaboration with Melissa start off? Why did you choose to remix her hit Starlight?
The collaboration was initiated by my good friend Mark Doyle, the head of Fierce Angel. He had me go to Melissa’s MySpace to listen to Starlight. I loved the song and I had an immediate flow of ideas for what I would do in a remix. I called Mark and said “let’s do it!” The rest is history.
2. How was it like working with Melissa? And with Malaysian DJs?
Melissa is an excellent DJ…both she and Shazz (one of the Zouk residents) got the place rockin’ so by the time I came on, it was a very easy job indeed. Melissa’s PA was fantastic. I would like to say I think we made quite a good team, and I am looking forward to future performances with her.
3. What is your opinion of the Malaysian clubbing scene?
Well, I only really saw that one night in KL at Zouk, but if that is any indication, then it was great! I’d love to see some more…
4. What has been the most remarkable point of your career for you? After all, you have teamed up with a lot of big names throughout.
That is a VERY difficult question, but I must say pairing up with big names is rarely as satisfying as working with some new who is on the rise. That being said, getting to work with Kate Bush was quite an honour and a pleasure.
5. Are you looking forward to remixing any Malaysian artistes in the future?
I am definitely looking forward to it, although I am totally up for it. If I like the music, then I am into it. I am going to be working more with Melissa, and I’m really looking forward to that…
Flawless mix of music filled the air at ZOUK Club, KL last Friday.
Dance music has always been about living for the weekend for clubbers. These club communities had built their community around regular rave-ups and the anticipation of the DJ’s of the night. Last Friday at Zouk, Eric Kupper and Melissa Indot have accomplished to satisfy their audience with a needed relief after every individuals productive week at work with house pumping tunes and caused everyone (even those that are somewhat shy to get up and dance on the dance floor at Zouk KL) to dance the night away. It was the perfect escape from work-worries and a promising introduction to the weekend. Both Eric and Melissa spun flawlessly on the DJ decks and the crowd could not have asked for more.
For more info on Eric Kupper and Melissa Indot, visit www.myspace.com/erickupper and www.melissaindot.com
- Melissa Indot on the DJ Decks at ZOUK, KL.
- Eric Kupper (left) and Melissa singing to her ‘Starlight’ remix
Melissa Indot at Aristo, Zouk KL.
Aristo definitely stamped its place amongst Kuala Lumpur’s ‘crème de le crème’ of nightspots. Its glamor and eminence was especially on display during Melissa Indot’s appearance and performance last Saturday, 11th April 2009, to which all her close friends and a large group of media persons had been invited.
I was given a warm welcome and a glass of champagne but only to find that the club was already packed and the atmosphere was unmistakably posh and elegant. Maybe that was why Melissa Indot chose Aristo, Zouk KL, as the venue of her event. Aristo stood for the word “Aristocrat” and she has always been of that sort – dignified but subtle.
Although it wasn’t rare for Zouk to organize such distinct events, it was no surprise that not after too long, the place resembled a road-block as people gathered outside – patrons waiting to begin a much-needed Friday night tonic. It was truly a mission trying to get through the crowd to simply greet Melissa because of the overwhelming excitement and rowdiness from the guests as they enjoyed the free flow of Moët and Chandon champagnes.
- Melissa Indot (left)
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