by Siew Ann, EY-Baybeats Budding Music Writer 2012 

Photo by: Danny Widodo, Baybeats Budding Photographer 2012 

It’s 7pm and a large crowd has gathered at the Outdoor Theatre of the Esplanade to await the arrival of the Obedient Wives Club onstage. I’m not talking about that organisation which made big news last year for its controversial teachings, however. I’m talking about the band consisting of Yin Qi Lee (vocals), Keith Tan (guitar), Cherie Ko (guitar), Lennat Mak (drums) and Sulaiman Supian (bass) which had the honour of being one of the first performances for this year’s Baybeats.

“Hope you all like my fairy lights,” said lead singer Lee with a smile, indicating the fairy lights strung around her microphone as her band mates prepare their instruments. She is the only one dressed in white, a sharp contrast from her black-clad band mates. She is evidently nervous and not comfortable with being onstage as she makes small talk with the audience and rarely makes eye contact with them throughout the performance. Nevertheless, she still impresses with the dreamy vocals that she is known for during the seven song set.

Playing a repertoire of songs from their first EP (Obedient Wives Club, 2011) and a few other new songs, the Obedient Wives Club are able to evoke feelings of being on a beach in the summer; close your eyes and you may just drift away. Besides singing, Lee also chips in with the keyboard for “Requiem for a Lover”, a slower song compared to “That Boy”, the loud and peppy opening song of their set. She then switches to the tambourine for “Summerloove”, which has been specially  dedicated to Singapore weather - indeed, some of the days have been rather hot lately. More people were seen arriving at the venue to watch them play as their set progressed.

As the sun started setting and the sky dimmed to a cloudy grey, the band ended with “Fragments”, a slow and soothing song with thundering drum beats. While the band had not displayed much showmanship during the set, it went a bit further for the finale: Keith stripped off his black jacket and removed his shades, performing in a white singlet; Ko got down on her knees as she played her guitar, and Mak’s drumming only seemed to get more energetic. Some members of the audience were seen enthusiastically holding their cameras up in the air, capturing the candy-sweetness that was radiating from the band. Just two months shy from being a year old, this fledgling band is able to hold its own in its chosen niche of what has been described as “fuzzed out girl group indie pop”, and looks set to go far in Singapore’s music scene. 

Photo by: Hiu Zhi Wei, Baybeats Budding Photographer 2012 

Tags:Baybeats 2012 Baybeats Buzz 2012 EY Budding Music Writers Obedient Wives Club
Bookmark on del.icio.us