{"id":10302,"date":"2019-10-01T16:13:26","date_gmt":"2019-10-01T08:13:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/?p=10302"},"modified":"2025-09-01T16:14:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T08:14:06","slug":"hitting-the-right-note","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2019\/10\/01\/hitting-the-right-note\/","title":{"rendered":"Hitting the Right Note"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

There\u2019s no need to be too precious about jazz. So says crooner Ms Joanna Dong, who got into the spotlight after coming in third at regional singing competition\u00a0Sing! China<\/em>\u00a0in 2017. Ms Dong\u2019s sentiments about the genre hints at the fluidity of her musical leanings, having performed pop, folk, and of course jazz, in both English and Mandarin, over the years. \u201cArt is always evolving after all,\u201d says the 37-year-old.\u00a0<\/p>

By her own admission, competing in\u00a0Sing! China<\/em>\u00a0has been pivotal to her career. \u201cPrior to this I had some fans, but it was on a smaller scale \u2014 a niche audience,\u201d she says. \u201cBeing on the show exposed me to a mainstream audience, and put me on the map back in Singapore.\u201d<\/p>

The exposure opened up a world of opportunities, including performing at the National Day Parade and the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix concert in 2018. Prior to this, Ms Dong also starred in various theatre productions. Her role in the 2007 musical\u00a0If There\u2019re Seasons<\/em>… won her Best Supporting Actress at the ST Life! Theatre Awards. She has also hosted infotainment shows on television, including\u00a0Homeward Bound<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Life Extraordinaire\u00a0<\/em>on Mediacorp\u2019s Channel U as well as\u00a0City DNA<\/em>\u00a0on CNA. Singing, however, remains her first love, and she has every intention to keep at it \u2014 to the very end. \u201cAs morbid as it sounds, I\u2019d be okay if I died on stage post-singing,\u201d she quips, with a chuckle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A (JAZZ) SINGER?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>

I\u2019ve been singing and performing since I was six, and was in the choir throughout my school years. I may have gotten the interest from my father, who\u2019s into classical singing. But at the time, I never thought of singing, much less jazz, as a viable career, not least until I was in year two at NUS. The NUS Jazz Band was auditioning for a permanent singing section. My friend pulled me along to it and we both got in. The friendships I made in the jazz group became a great influence. My bandmates were my first mentors and collaborators. It was through them that I got paid to sing at gigs after graduation. It dawned on me that I could properly give singing a shot.<\/p>

SO NUS IS SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR MUSICAL CAREER?<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>
Definitely. I loved my time at NUS. I was a late bloomer when it came to learning. Choosing the right major \u2014 Sociology \u2014 helped. I fell in love with the subject, my classmates, my tutors and our discussions. These became the cornerstone of my intellectual development. Apart from the jazz band, I also formed an a capella group and did lindy hop. The experience shaped a lot of who I am today and informed my creative endeavours.<\/span><\/h5><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Trust that whatever you spend your time doing will become a part of who you are. So be aware of your own experiences and how these set you apart from others.<\/span><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Ms Dong was one of the headlining acts at this year\u2019s Kent Ridge Alumni Family Day event.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
DO YOU THINK JAZZ HAS A PLACE IN SINGAPORE, AND IN THIS REGION?<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>

There\u2019s an active, sizable jazz community of musicians and fans in Singapore. There are many upcoming talents performing at excellent standards, and on a global stage too. I\u2019m not at the top of the scene but because I do pop jazz, I am able to serve as a bridge between jazz geeks and those who find jazz to be inaccessible. My bilingualism also enables me to reach out to a previously-untapped Chinese-speaking community. It\u2019s tricky to measure the influence of jazz, but the great turnouts at gigs indicate that there is a healthy, and growing, market. And I want to contribute to helping to grow this.\u00a0<\/p>

HOW ARE YOU NAVIGATING THIS NEWFOUND FAME, SO TO SPEAK?<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>

It\u2019s such a different world to be a public personality. I am conscious of my conduct on television and during interviews, and careful not to create a ruckus with something I say in passing. I have to be mindful about what I write or post, so I don\u2019t offend people. I find that it\u2019s so easy for words to be misconstrued, and taken out of context and proportion, especially on social media. That being said, I know I cannot live my whole life just worrying about what people may think. So although I have a responsibility as a public figure, I am increasingly willing to speak my mind, and stay true to my conscience.\u00a0<\/p>

WHEN MAKING MUSIC, WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS LIKE?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>

There are a lot of expectations these days for musicians to be everything, but I\u2019m not that self-sufficient. I see myself as a singer primarily; I interpret music. As such, I work with a lyricist, an arranger and a producer. I enjoy the symbiosis of skills and talents, and I think that\u2019s how we expand our repertoire as well. I\u2019m also not so \u2018regimented\u2019 \u2014 the kind of musician who devotes \u2018x\u2019 number of hours of practice each day. But I do commit to experiences that are outside my comfort zone, forcing myself to grow. I recently collaborated with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. It was stressful because a form of discipline is required in an orchestra, but I\u2019m used to jazz, which is more spontaneous. Still, I\u2019m glad I stepped up to the challenge.\u00a0<\/p>

YOU ALSO ACT AND HOST. DO YOU HOPE TO CONTINUE TO DO IT ALL?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>

I\u2019m open to the opportunity, and will say \u2018yes\u2019 to a good project. I do after all enjoy acting and hosting. With hosting, I found my degree in Sociology useful. For example, when asking questions, I\u2019ve been trained to never assume, and am always ready for all sorts of answers. But if push comes to shove, singing will always come first. And there\u2019s a theatrical element to singing. I have to convey emotions and nuances while I\u2019m onstage; singing is thus inseparable from acting.\u00a0<\/p>

WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WANT TO PURSUE MUSIC AS A CAREER, AS YOU HAVE?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>

The truth is that there are many ways to arrive at your desired destination. So to me, to give generic advice would be irresponsible. This is why I often turn down invitations to give inspirational speeches. But I will recommend this: Trust that whatever you spend your time doing will become a part of who you are. So be aware of your own experiences and how these set you apart from others.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\"\"SHE\u2019S GOT IT COVERED<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>

Released last year, Ms Dong\u2019s latest EP\u00a0So Here I Am<\/em>\u00a0comprises, in her words, \u201ceasy-listening Chinese jazz covers and original numbers\u201d. It was launched over a two-night concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall in June 2018. She then took \u201ca redux version\u201d of the concert on tour to Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong. To listen to some of the tracks on the EP, go to\u00a0redroofrecords.com\/joanna<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Main photo by Teck Lim. EP photo courtesy of Red Roof Records.<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vocalist and actress Ms Joanna Dong (Arts & Social Sciences ’04) is a self-professed latecomer to jazz, but she has since made her mark in the scene.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":10303,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10302"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10346,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10302\/revisions\/10346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}