Music Lab The Straits Times

Home-grown singer and songwriter rhyu is the 11th guest in this music channel.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In the 11th episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts home-grown singer and songwriter rhyu.

The newcomer’s arresting vocals and original songs, a mixture of pop, jazz, and R&B, have garnered comparisons to popular Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey, who reposted one of her videos on TikTok.

The 19-year-old, whose real name is Raine Hahn Yu, started releasing music in 2022 and started dabbling in writing and composing songs as a child.

She has since staged performances at venues such as the Esplanade, music festivals and was an opening act for Taiwanese band Cicada’s concert in Singapore.

In this episode of Music Lab, she sang a live rendition of It’s fine, a song that has garnered over 1.3 million streams on Spotify alone.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:15 Having her song blow up on TikTok

3:28 She came up with the melody while queuing at Old Chang Kee 

4:46 Laufey reposted one of her videos on TikTok

6:04 She started writing songs at the age of 4

10:36 Her early influences were Mandopop artistes like JJ Lin and A-mei

13:59 On her studies and a music career

16:25 Her new song came to her in a dream

21:47 Her family used to organise concerts

Watch the special live performance and video podcast version of this episode on the new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/tWma

Listen to rhyu’s live performance of It’s fine here: https://str.sg/3FX8Y

Discover home-grown artiste rhyu at: 

Spotify: https://str.sg/bxbh

Instagram: https://str.sg/g9Pt

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Recorded by: ST Podcast Team

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Music Lab Podcast here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

---

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home-grown singer-songwriter rhyu's intimate live studio take of It's fine, a song first released in 2023, which has a million streams on just Spotify alone.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): This Music Lab playlist features the full live performance of music acts invited by The Straits Times to its podcast studio.

Listen to rhyu talk about her musical journey in the full podcast here: https://str.sg/Aqou

Discover home-grown artiste rhyu at:

Spotify: https://str.sg/bxbh

Instagram: https://str.sg/g9Pt

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Recorded by: ST Podcast Team

Mixed by: Amirul Karim

Follow Music Lab Podcast here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

---

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones is the tenth guest in this music channel.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In the 10th episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones.

He might not be a household name in Singapore, but in recent years, the 27-year-old has been steadily building up a fanbase in the region with his R&B/pop songs.

On streaming services, the Singapore-based singer has racked up millions of plays, mostly from fans in the Philippines and Indonesia, where he was born. Call Me, a song first released in 2022, has 23 million streams on just Spotify alone. 

The song also caught the attention of Ruka, a member of South Korean girl group Babymonster, who added it to her public Apple Music playlist.

Jones, who started releasing music in 2019, dropped his first full-length album, Emotions, in late 2023. He has already started on new projects, and recently released his latest single, Pushing Me Away.

In this episode of Music Lab, he sang live renditions of Call Me as well as Not Good Enough, one of the songs off Emotions.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:45 - On having K-pop star Ruka from Babymonster as a fan

4:19 - Turning his self-consciousness into a song 

7:41 - His transition from metalhead to pop singer

9:26 - Ed Sheeran inspired him to be a songwriter

13:01 - On becoming a full-time singer just before the pandemic hit

15:36 - He only learnt to speak English at eight years old

16:04 - On his international fanbase

18:51 - Fans recognise him at his part-time job at a cafe

19:43 - A recent break-up inspired his latest song

Watch the special live performance and video podcast version of this episode on the new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/KRFD

Listen to Rangga's live performance of Call Me here: https://str.sg/GpM7

Listen to Rangga's live performance of not good enough here: https://str.sg/77tv

Discover home-grown artiste Rangga Jones at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/uqA8

Spotify: https://str.sg/LNPc

Instagram: https://str.sg/koXE

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai & Amirul Karim

Recorded by: ST Podcast Team

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow Music Lab Podcast here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones' intimate live studio take of Call Me, a song first released in 2022, has 23 million streams on just Spotify alone. 

Synopsis (headphones recommended): This Music Lab playlist features the full live performance of music acts invited by The Straits Times to its podcast studio.

Watch the special live performance and video podcast version of this episode on the new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/KRFD

Listen to Rangga Jones talk about his musical journey in the full audio-only podcast here: https://str.sg/eN65

Discover home-grown artiste Rangga Jones at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/uqA8

Spotify: https://str.sg/LNPc

Instagram: https://str.sg/koXE

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai & Amirul Karim

Recorded by: ST Podcast Team

Mixed by: Teo Tong Kai

Follow Music Lab Podcast here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones' intimate live studio take of not good enough, a song from his first full-length album, Emotions.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): This Music Lab playlist features the full live performance of music acts invited by The Straits Times to its podcast studio.

Watch the special live performance and video podcast version of this episode on the new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/KRFD

Listen to Rangga Jones talk about his musical journey in the full audio-only podcast here: https://str.sg/eN65

Discover home-grown artiste Rangga Jones at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/uqA8

Spotify: https://str.sg/LNPc

Instagram: https://str.sg/koXE

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai & Amirul Karim

Recorded by: ST Podcast Team

Mixed by: Teo Tong Kai

Follow Music Lab Podcast here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home-grown singer and songwriter Josh Makazo tells us about his breakout year in 2023.

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In this ninth episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Josh Makazo.

A rising name in the home-grown music scene, he is one of the most popular artists on TikTok in Singapore in 2023.

While he was still serving national service, he released his song - half of my heart - which went viral on TikTok and has since racked up over 5.3 million views.

Makazo discusses how his strategy of targeting the fanbase of artistes that he was inspired by, such as Korean-Australian singer DPR Ian, helped his music blow up on TikTok. The two versions of the song that he released on Spotify have also clocked over 6 million streams in all. 

In November, Makazo, 20, released his debut album, Gradient, and it has already gained over 10 million streams across various platforms.

In this episode of Music Lab, he sings a live rendition of half of my heart, which is also in his new album.

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:59 K-pop fans are using his song to soundtrack their TikTok videos

5:42 How he made his song half of my heart go viral

8:20 His hit song inspired by his first love

14:01 On his musical theatre background and acting in hit musical The Sound Of Music

16:47 His beginnings as a songwriter

21:17 How he used to make music to become famous

Listen to Josh's live performance here: https://str.sg/iYCk

Discover Singaporean artiste Josh Makazo at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/iY96

Spotify: https://str.sg/iY9u

Instagram: https://str.sg/iY9L

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim,  Eden Soh & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.