Latest / 987 The Shock Circuit / INTERVIEW: ROl3ERT

Transcript

INTERVIEW: ROl3ERT · 987 The Shock Circuit

• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Hello and Doja Cat right here on 987, Singapore's number
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: one hit music station. Sonia and Joakim here with you
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: this morning. I think for today, our special guest in
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: the studio, fresh from cloud nine, he's live with us
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: on air and on TikTok, and I think for today, Sonia,
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: both of us are certified robbers. OK, if you know
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: what I mean. OK, yes, thank you, that joke in
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: the studio, we got Robert.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Good morning. How are you? I'm great. I'm like just
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: waking up. I know, dude, you had a big weekend.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Please take us through your weekend. How, how did, how
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: did it all go? Yeah, it's been, it's been great. Yeah,
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: the Mor live was insane. The audience was so great
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: and um even though it was just me and the piano.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: No, but they went nuts. Yeah, we heard. So, um,
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: Joakim and I were not there, unfortunately, we couldn't make it,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: but we heard such great things about your performance. So
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: take us through that moment where you got on stage
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: and it was just you, your piano against the world.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: How was, how was your mindset? I mean, it was
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: kind of nerve-wracking because like everyone was with, um, with
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: their band or with their track, but
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I was going to, like, everyone's going to know
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: if I made mistakes. So like, it was kind of nerve-wracking,
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: but it was great. The biggest highlight is like everyone.
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: Like to see everyone put their phone lights up, it
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: was so great. It was so beautiful. You know, in
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: in terms of performances, at least here in Singapore, this
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: is your first major performance when you got the call
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: for cloud nine, what was going through your head like
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: what they know me in Singapore? Yeah, it's crazy because
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: like one of my songs are called How Could I
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: Be Honest, actually. Thank you so much. Actually, it hit
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: the number 1, number 5 on Shazam chart in here.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: I really couldn't believe you at first. Yeah. I mean,
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: universal language, right? So in that sense, it travels. That's
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: probably how you reached a lot. Yeah. So what I
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: love is when we first played your song and I
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: saw your name on our logs, you know, the size
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: of R13. It's actually, I.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: It's like, no, it's it's a small L. Yeah, I
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: know it's super complicated, right? I'm happy we have Robert
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: in the studio with us the meaning and the stylization
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: of it. So tell us more about the idea behind it. Yeah.
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: So I originally went with just Robert, R O B
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: E R T, but I thought it was just kind
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: of boring and not like memorable. That's why I first
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: replaced the the B with the three at first.
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: But there were still people who are using that name.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: That's why I put the L before the, for the 3,
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: and it kind of looked great. So I just keep
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: that name. Robert? Yeah, like in Japan, everyone says like
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: Lol 3 or something.
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: OK, OK. OK. Some people, yeah, it's still memorable in
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: that sense. I think so, yeah, I hope so. I
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: can just think of plenty of merch designs already. I'm
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: just curious, but aside from that, does the number 3
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: mean anything to you then in that case? It actually does. It's,
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: but I can say yeah, it's my real name, like
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: starts from S. I get you. I just wanna take
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: a break to say hi to some of the people
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: in the comments right now.
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: saying you did amazing. I was standing right in front
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: of the barricade and I really enjoyed the show. Yeah,
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: you got a couple of fans in the comment section
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: right now on TikTok Live. Thank you. So of course,
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: we know that Robert performs in different languages. How do
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: you adapt to the language in terms of the inflection, pronunciation,
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: even writing in languages as well, different language. Oh,
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: You mean like when you write a song. Yeah. Oh,
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: you mean not like cover or like yeah, I sometimes
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: like cover in different languages like Indonesian or Korean, but
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: I think that's the hardest part because even in Japanese,
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: which is my native language, it's so it can be
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: really difficult to like capture the nuance. So instead of
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: like trying to capture the original emotion, I'll just try
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: to kind of, you know, recreate the emotion.
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: Um, from me. So like, I'm not always trying to like,
• 4:28
  Speaker 1: keep the original, like sense. I'll just try to recreate it.
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: I also like arranging the song in a way that
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: genuinely feels like me. So yeah, that's how I always
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: like kind of capture, captured the new ones. Yeah, because you,
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: you worked with Regina. I mean, Regina Song is one
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: of our, I guess, national treasures here in Singapore. She's. Yeah,
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: she's a lovely girl and
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: You know, it also sometimes gets us thinking like, how
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: on earth do you decide what song you resonate with
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: and like, OK, I'm definitely doing a cover of this song.
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: How do you resonate? I think whenever I choose a
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: song to cover, I always um try to imagine and
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: like as my own song to see like to see
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: whether it sounds like the vocal range fits me or
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: like whether it sounds natural coming from me.
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: So, yeah, that's how I always do and if it
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: sounds great, it sounds great. So I don't really have
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: to think about the original vibes because I can arrange
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: it myself. So yeah, that's how I always choose the song.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: There's a comment coming in from someone who was there
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: cloud as well. If I could be honest, in acoustic
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: version sounded heavenly.
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: Thank you. I love that. I love that. OK, we're
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: gonna take a short little break and we'll have a
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: TikTok exclusive um on our live and when we come back,
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: you've prepared something for us today, right? You're gonna do
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: a little live rendition. I cannot wait. You need to
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: hear this. Mike is on, by the way. Yeah, it's,
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: it's live. We did a soundtrack earlier. He sounds great.
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: Fresh from cloud nine and in terms of Singapore,
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: One of his major festivals that he's played for, another
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: notch in the belt and resume of Robert. What's next
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: in terms of milestones and more festivals and performances? I mean,
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: you're only 2020? I turned 2021. You're turning 20. Yeah, yeah. OK. No,
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: I'm I'm turning 21. OK, my gosh. Well, what was
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: it like to be 21.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: What's next for you? My next goal, I have a,
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: I have a headline tour this year in Japan, Osaka
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: in Tokyo, and the venues are the biggest I've ever
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: performed for my own life, uh, headline shows. So maybe
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: the next goal is just to express Robert as much
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: as possible for this.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: Performances I think. I guess in a way, right? Homecoming? Yeah,
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: I mean, you know, being there with your friends and
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: people connect with. Tokyo and Osaka Summer Sonic? Yes.
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Yeah, it's one of my dreams. Now, now
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: that I know The Strokes and now he's performing, yeah,
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: like we always want to go, but it always clashes
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: with like work stuff and we never ever get to
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: go for Summer Sonic. So, you know, we'll try our
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: best to be there. Thank you. So in case you
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: cannot fly to Summer Sonic or in case you weren't
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: there at cloud nine or if you were
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: there and you want to relive the sweet vocals of Robert,
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: we have a small surprise for you. We do. OK,
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: tell us what do you have lined up for us
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: this morning. Alright, so I'm gonna sing uh my latest
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: single Boy for you guys. Do you want to fill
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: our listeners in a little bit about what the song
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: is about? OK, um, so the song is about, so
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: I started my solo career late last year, like 2025,
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: and last year was like so crazy, and I feel
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: like I'm still processing what happened.
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: And I felt like I had become smarter a little
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: bit and mature, but still like, I think it was
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: only like I was only smart enough to understand how
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: much I don't know and I was really struggling with
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: that kind of like um the way I think about everything.
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: So that's why I wrote this song that inspired me
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: a lot. Alright, when we get to hear it live
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: in the flesh here today. You good? Shall we go? Yeah, I, Robert,
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: take it away.
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: On the windows down with the bag from the old days, never,
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: never change passing through the 2020 that I will be here.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: By the way, by the way, I got a brand
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: new postcode. Tell me, me.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: Show me. Show me that I have made it this far.
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: My mama used to say, just the light, don't let
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: it fade standing on the station, I'd know.
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: looking back.
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: Realize that I'm just a boarding knight, boarding knight.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: Why you like telling myself.
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: That I'm not just a bo bo.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: Me something. Tell me something, prove.
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: Show me, show me.
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: it this far.
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: Stuck in yesterday repeating all the things you say, standing
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: on the station.
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: looking back.
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: Realize that I'm just a boarding knight, boarding knight.
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: Why you like telling myself.
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: I'm not just a bonbon. I already.
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: No, my mama used to say, just the light, don't
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: let it fade. So stuck in yesterday, repeating all the
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: things you say. I know my mama used to say,
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: just the light, don't let it fade.
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: And that's Robert live in the studio.
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: talented vocals just like that at 9:32 a.m. on a
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: Monday morning. He didn't even flinch. He didn't even take
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: a sip of water before the performance. Yes, mic was on.
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: If you missed it, not to worry, it's available for
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: you on TikTok and I'm very sure on me Listen
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: and Spotify. I mean, so many people coming through with
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: love on TikTok comments right now saying, wow, this guy
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: sounds super good. I, I held on. I got to
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: go to work now, but I stayed for the whole performance.
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: Robert, that's, I mean, you perform for cloud, you perform
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: for Summer Sonic. Will there be a stand-alone Robert tour
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: maybe in Asia happening soon, sometime next year or the
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: year after? I hope so. I think, I think it
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: has to happen. You're ready for it. You're ready. You
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: have so much ahead of you. Thank you so much
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: for making time. Yeah, thank you so much for having
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: me here. Um, for the, for our listeners who may
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: have just gotten to know you, maybe you can share
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: with them how they can find you. Yeah. Yeah, I
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: do have some Instagram.
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: And TikTok, I do, uh, every social media and I
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: do also have like a website where you can check
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: my upcoming shows, uh, releases.
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: And like snipped a little demo version of my songs.
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: So yeah, please check it out. Check them out. Yeah.
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: Thank you for being here. Yeah, thank you so much
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: for having me here. Hopefully you come back again really
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: soon or we'll catch you in Japan. So just to
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: shout out his Instagram, it's 3. I'm showing it to
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: the screen right now on TikTok. Go give him a
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: follow and look, you're supporting what I dare say a
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: superstar in the making. Yeah, we'll see you again soon. Thanks.