The Making of a Rock Star
 

The Making of a Rock Star

The Halfway Kings together with local singer and songwriter, Reza Salleh (thrid from right)

The Making of a Rock Star

The Halfway Kings after performing a gig at the STOMP! Make a Difference Concert
 
By Adeline Chua (vocalist of Halfway Kings)

It is a bit strange writing about your own band. Personally, I’d much rather write about other bands that I can be more objective about.

After coming up with three impossibly different witty introductory paragraphs, I’ve finally reached the conclusion that it is best to just do it without any flourishes because that is ultimately what the Halfway Kings are about. It is after all a very simple story.

We are three people (with room for expansion) sharing a common delusion. We don’t just like music; we are quite obsessed about it. If it were common to dream of being a rock star when one was an angst-ridden teenager, then we are eternally adolescents. Retaining such fantasies takes great imagination and I am grateful to have found like-minded dreamers in my bassist (Joachim Sebastian) and my keyboardist (Diane Pavitra). Being delusional in a band, sure beats being delusional alone, anytime of the day!

Trying to explain what type of music we play is a bad idea. One is bound to step on someone else’s toes when doing so. Attempting to pry us away from our individual influences is like trying to split an atom; you would need very high technology and risk some very major explosions. My singing style is largely influenced by jazz and blues, Joachim is not a white boy, but he does play some funk(y) music, and Diane is a classically-trained pianist who has been having secret love trysts with folk music. All these come together and form what we like to call our own special blend of noise that we hope would satiate music-lovers out there.

Converting dreams into reality is tough business. Sometimes I wish I had a Tim Gunn of my own to offer expert opinions and to tell us to “make it work” but alas, we are not on Project Runway, but, in a band called Halfway. Time management is probably the biggest issue aside from Joachim’s lame jokes. Having band practices till midnight when you have an exam the next day might not be a good idea. Nor is rushing from basketball tournaments directly to gigs a commendable thing to do either. But, both have been known to happen with frightening frequency. Bottom line, being in Halfway Kings is no half-hearted affair (I know I’m killing you with the puns by now). The partnership is one that requires commitment. It’s a little like being married, and the songs we write are the kids. And I’m excitedly looking forward to seeing this family extend itself beyond the three of us to make others smile, sniff, or simply shimmy.

We are going to raise kids that are going to be wonderful companions; be it during heartbreak or on a bus ride home or to entertain students at UCSI University. Our kids are going to be great.

To find out more about the Halfway Kings, visit their Facebook page here or email them at halfwaykings@gmail.com.
     
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