HUMANS OF RV (HoRV): Winning Hearts One Stage at a Time
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: RIVER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB, DARREN LEUNG
“And our next act is... COLD CUT!” The lights dim and thunderous cheers erupt from the audience as the band takes to the stage. With a stage presence overflowing with confidence and charisma, the band begins to play, putting up yet another flawless performance to add to their clean record. Formed in 2014, the band consists of four popular and talented young men: vocalist Lin Huai An, guitarist Darren Leung, violinist Ng Zhen Teng and drummer Wu Peirong. Originally named “Cold Cut Trio”, the band with three members changed their name in order to welcome their newest member, violinist Ng Zhen Teng. Just a year later, they took to the stage and performed for the school for the very first time on an official platform – Revel Fest 2015, emerging first runner-up, and winning the hearts of many in the audience. I sat down with them for an interview as they shared some insights on their journey to becoming ‘Cold Cut’.
“You only live once, right?”
When asked about what inspired them to form the band, drummer Peirong answered confidently, “Actually everyone wanted to do this - this band-music thing. The original name 'Cold Cut Trio' was used because the band was made up of three people before we met Zhen Teng. And everybody liked the idea, so we put it into action.” Darren added, “Last year, we had this idea to go for Revel, and this inspired us to come together to form the band. Because you only live once, right? So we decided to join Revel this year, just for fun. And it worked out well.” Despite being a young band which has only been active for a year, they have worked hard to make their mark, both in and out of school. From school events to community charity events, they seized every opportunity to perform, even if it meant stepping out of their comfort zones. They even went as far as the Esplanade studio to try out professional audio systems and interfaces, allowing them to learn new skills to better their music. From friends to band mates, they have indeed come a long way, with the intention of even producing and making their own songs. Friends by chance, but best friends and band mates by choice, they spur and encourage each other on despite the anxiety to perform up to standard and improve continuously. Peirong commented on newest member Zhen Teng, “I was in the same class with Zhen Teng and he was really good with the violin, and had a flair for music. At that time, having a violinist in a band was rare in RV and it actually triggered a trend, because, subsequently, we saw other bands being similarly formed. So it’s a feather in our cap!” Whilst they wowed and surprised the audience with every stage they took, it could not have been achieved without hard work. While vocalist Huai An and violinist Zhen Teng had developed their talents over the course of 17 years, Darren picked up the ukulele and guitar just prior to Revel. However, being a fast learner and persistent worker, he took up the challenge and succeeded after practising for many hours, inducing cheers from the crowd whenever it was his turn to perform. Earning praise from his band mates, he humbly accepted it, but quickly diverted the attention from himself by complimenting Peirong, who also developed his skill for the drums over time. He described Peirong as almost a “natural talent”. When asked about what was good about being in a band, the entire group responded unanimously, “It’s fun!” Peirong chipped in with the motto “share the love, share the fun”, while Zhen Teng commented, “We really went through a lot of difficulties as a band, like going through with the Revel auditions and the continuous rounds. But all this brought us closer together as well.” His statement drew affectionate smiles and empathetic nods from his band mates.
Cold Cut proved to be a close-knitted group, with Darren stating that apart from conflicts that arose while choosing the song, as well as the occasional disagreements regarding band dynamics, they had few arguments. To date, their most memorable experience is that of Revel Fest 2015, which they described as “fantastic” and “once in a lifetime”, with Peirong adding teasingly, “The Revel stage was the first time Huai An sang with such passion on stage”, making his group mates burst into laughter. To this Zhen Teng added, “The feeling was a new experience and opened us up to a new perspective to music.”
“Many people are afraid to take the initiative to go full-on with their own style. So I think people should just go for it."
Despite music itself being an unconventional career to pursue, Huai An expressed the band’s keen interest in venturing into the music industry in the future. “We are in a band due to our interest in music, so there is definitely passion involved. Music is worth pursuing, at least for now, as we are still students and should develop our interests and reveal our potential in sectors other than studies. However, it still depends on our ability to handle our academic studies.” Peirong backed his band mate saying, “Definitely. Now the music landscape lacks originality and many people are afraid to take the initiative to go full-on with their own style. So I think people should just go for it.” When asked about what their fans can look forward to from the band, Zhen Teng promised earnestly, “We will continue to put our hearts into the music that we play.” Darren piped in, “Usually if it’s for school or charity events, we will be there. Do enjoy our performances!” A band made up of four good friends and several truckloads of talent, they have come a long way from where they began. I am a big fan of them myself, and I believe that the screaming crowds every time they hit the stage share my adulation. The lyrics of “If you could see me now” by the Script fits them well: “Take that rage, put it on a page, take the page to the stage, blow the roof off the place.” Instead, this time, it is passion, talent and good company that serve as driving factors motivating them to chase their dreams, and to become young, driven and fantastic artistes deserving of their popularity.
