Spotlight on YAFies: Isaac Chan

Isaac Chan: Singer-songwriter

How did you become a singer-songwriter?
I started writing songs in high school when I realised my voice was limited. I don’t have the biggest voice or the biggest range, and many of the songs I liked listening to were too difficult for me to sing. So I started writing songs that fit my vocal ability. In that process, I fell in love with the music and the storytelling aspect of songwriting.

What does it take to become a good singer-songwriter?
The willingness to learn about the entire process of making a song. What I mean by this is singing and playing an instrument isn’t enough. Songwriting isn’t a “shoot in the dark” skill. Being a great singer isn’t enough, and neither is only writing songs. Learning how to work in every part of the process is important. This means learning different aspects of the work, such as music theory, audio engineering and music production. 

What’s your creative process like to write an entire song?
This is hard to explain in a paragraph, but I’ll share one exercise that I have. I keep a section in my iPhone Notes called “Song Seeds”. Anytime I get an idea for a song, whether it’s a melody, a lyric or anything that could inspire me, I would write it down in there. By the time I sit down and write songs, I will already have a collection of ideas to choose from.

What are some of the most unexpected things that you came across in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: stART Up Community Arts Project 2021 – Youth Singer-songwriters Workshop?
I knew that YAFies were talented, but I did not expect such good songs to come out of this workshop. I thought a couple of the songs could genuinely be hits. I hope to hear them fully produced and released one day! 

Where do you seek inspiration; and what do you do to look for it?
I’ve found that life provides enough inspiration that I don’t necessarily have to deliberately look for it. Most of my songwriting is inspired by reflecting on life experiences. 

What’s your secret when it comes to taking care of your voice? Can you share some tips with us?
This one’s no secret. Proper rest, foods in moderation and speaking and singing correctly. A few years ago, I lost my voice due to improper usage and acid reflux. Since then, I’ve dedicated effort to maintaining a balanced diet and eating habits to control my acid reflux, and learning proper singing techniques to keep my voice healthy. 

Which singer or musician do you want to collaborate with the most? 
Phoebe Bridgers would be an absolute dream to collaborate with. She’s been a big influence on my music for the past two years. Her songwriting is uninhibited and honest, and each song paints a powerful picture. 

If you lose your hearing one day, what will you do?
If I lose my hearing and music’s out of the bag, I would try to turn my biggest hobby into a career and become a chef. I’ve always thought that if I wasn’t making music, I would go into culinary. 

What’s your favourite song lyric? 
My favourite song lyric is from a song I wrote called I Was. It goes, “I was a boy who dreamed, ten million miles I see, but somewhere along I walked under shadows and lost the boy who dreamed.” As I grow older, I want to hold on to my younger self who wasn’t afraid to dream.