Quotes from the Lesser-Known: The End

'The idea for this compilation came about like most ideas often do: while I was checking Twitter & Tumblr & the rest of the new-fangled social networking sites on an otherwise mundane afternoon. I don't quite know how it happened, but I was just suddenly aware of how much & how often we quote famous people. People, myself included, are constantly filling their blogs with verbatim from the influentials: authors, poets, celebrities, musicians, politicians, artists, philosophers, & the like... & for some reason, it got me a bit upset. Please don't get me wrong: it isn't bad to quote the aforementioned. They were, are, famous for a reason; if not for wisdom or advice or life experience, at least for being wildly entertaining. It does lead us to the question though... What is worth quoting? What is it exactly that deems a person 'quotable'? Surely it is not based solely on the worldly prominence or social status of the individual, but the weight of meaning in that statement that deigns itself worthy to be remembered. I'd like to think ordinary people like you & me say extraordinary things every day, that everyone in this seven billion population on Earth has something to say, simple or profound. 

So here we go, these are Quotes from the Lesser-Known.'

Prologue to the QFTLK compilation

Stacy T, 20

Too embarrassed to write a self-professed, self-praising, one-liner biography

___________________________________________________



It all started from a creative writing project final. I remember writing something like this in my journal, two weeks before it was due: 'Oh god I have no idea what to do. A blank slate. Nil nil nil. Gods of creative writing, HALP!' Excuse me, I was a bit deranged by then, starved of sleep & good ideas.

When I finally struck creativity gold (or at least, I'd like the think I did), the problem of the number of subjects came up. Who would help me with this mad prospect? I had less than two weeks, so I set my bar pretty low: at least fifteen people would be good enough to make a decent final project. But it was amazing, the amount of help that poured in. Family, friends, colleagues & even acquaintances, all of you amazing people. People set aside time for video interviews, long talks over coffee, phone calls (long-distance, mind you), random polaroid-taking sessions, answering emails etc. After two weeks of working, I looked at my scrapbook consisting of nearly forty interviews & a video compilation, & almost wept with relief. I was exhausted, but overwhelmingly happy.

There were so many more wonderful interviews, but the ones that were put up here best represented their respective fields & topics of music, photography, writing, acting etc etc. (You can ask me for the video or the complete book if you'd like a peek though, I'd be happy to pass it to you). It's a little late, but I just want to say that I loved every minute of this project, & that I enjoyed sharing all of it with you.

Here are the previous QFTLK entries:

(1) Claudia, Paris & Travel
(2) Lizzie M,Theater 
(3) Samuel, Running
(4) Jennifer, Books
(5) J.J, Music
(6) August, Photography & the Arts
(7) Myself, Love & Finer Things 
(8) Megan, Art & Happiness
(9) Nicholas, Music
(10) Swee Cheng, Travelling & Photography
(11) Samantha, Writing
(12) Alarice, Purpose
(13) Marc, Journalism
(14) Vanessa, Books & The Imagination
(15) Jayne, Dance
(16) Sheri, Art 
(17) Alex, Love
(18) Dylan, Music & The Beatles
(19) Tiara, Education
(20) Melanie, Fashion

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 20

'Give a brief description of yourself.' 

'Melanie. Mel for short. I don't like my name Melanie, so call me Mel. I'm like a nanna. I think like one & behave like one. I like to do things that nannas do. Baking, cooking, rocking on my swivel chair & looking totally clueless when a teenager asks me to name three albums about desert island which I kept pronouncing as dessert island which I had to Google to find out that it was an actual island, but that is besides the point because this is supposed to be a description about me.' 

'Three things whilst backpacking around the world. Go.' 

'IPhone - It's basically your 3-in-1, except that it's more 3-in-1. Camera, writing, cell phone, music, internet, etc. Shitloads of cash - So that I won't have to live the life of a backpacker. I can check myself into a decent hotel & dump my backpack in there & start exploring in the most comfortable way. A companion - What? You're going to exclaim how great this macaron is to yourself? Get out of here.' 

'If you could live in any other place in the world, where would it be?' 

'Paris. There's something about Paris that makes it nostalgic. And also, I live for butter. No one does it better than the French.' 

'Why is fashion an integral part of our lives?' 

'Fashion distinguishes you from the rest of the people! You can go out wearing your pyjamas & be known as the pyjamas girl, that might set you aside from the rest (but seriously, is that what you want?). Fashion displays the amount of confidence that you have for yourself. What you wear is how you want people to see you. Impressions. Not to impress someone, but to leave an impression that could possibly inspire someone else. The needle pulls the thread & this could go on & on, & you're changing things with a mere impression.' 

'Talk about the fashion scene in Singapore.' 

'Well, 'fashion' in Singapore is overrated. Everyone is basically a clone of each other & the ones who are trying to stand out are basically trying too hard to be different. It's just baffling how people can don winter coats or unrealistic clothing for such a climate. There's too many people trying to be something else. Just be yourself & wear what fits & suits you best. That's the best accessory that you can put on yourself.'

Melanie Tang, 23

Fashionista, baker, & all-round foodie

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 19

'Hey Tiara! What's a place you'd like to visit before you die?' 

'Africa! I want to be one with nature. And animals. I love animals.' 

'Let's talk about the local education system. Is there anything fundamentally wrong with it?' 

'I think the problem with the Singaporean education system is that there's just too much focus on results. It doesn't matter how you get there, but as long as you hit the mark, you're gold. Even if it means sacrificing sleep, or mindlessly memorising till you can't absorb anything else. Do kids even learn anything that way? Do they even remember half of what they've learnt once exams are through? I know I didn't.'

Tiara C, 20

Doodler. Has a cat. 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 18

'Give a brief description of yourself.' 

'My name is Dylan (Chan). I'm 16 & I attend SOTA, a local arts school. I specialize in visual arts & even more specifically, graphic design (typography!). I consider music my hobby, an unprofessional art form. Both are things I'm highly passionate about.' 

'Do you have an artistic role model?' 

'I am not really a fan of any human being. Most of the time you develop your own taste & style. But one ultimate designer I look up to is God the creator of the seas & the sky. Like good design, everything has its function & aesthetics. From the intricate nephrons in your kidneys to the expanse of the milky ways, it is impossible to ignore all the beauty around us.'  

'Why do you love the Beatles so much?' 

'The mere mention of their name makes me smile. The Beatles are wonderful! They're legendary. I can say without a doubt that they are the best musicians in the world, although to some people their sounds are a bit outdated, coming from half a century ago... But their melodies, tunes, lyrics & arrangements are just so skilful & thoughtful. 'Foot-tapping beauty'. Some lyrics are frustratingly simple. Simple chords, simple lyrics, all add up to an enjoyable experience of music. Great arrangements credits to the fifth Beatle, George Martin.' 

'What is music to you?' 

'Admittedly, I get excited at the topic of it. Music is immensely powerful. It determines mood, emotion & atmosphere. By nature, it travels through air, which makes it formless & free. What I love about music is the fact that it is there to keep. Forever & ever & ever. Today's technology has made that even more so... Music is unique in form, it exists in sound. It is unseen, which makes it even more real. To me, it's a whole new sense.'

Dylan C, 16

Art student, musician, & clearly suffering from well-known Beatlemania 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 17

'What do you think of the idea of soul-mates?' 

'Soul-mates are real to a certain extent... There may be one person out there for you, but as you change, so does your soul-mate. I believe you can try looking for your soul-mate, and your soul-mate can try to find you, but it doesn't always work that way.' 

'Here's the hard-hitter: what is love to you?' 

'Love simply means giving in & being there when he/she needs you. Love means loving the person at her worst.'

Alex T, 17

Drummer. Specializes in being hilarious, & also, weird.

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 16

'Give a brief description of yourself.' 

'I'm Sheri. I'm a graphic designer, Stacy's sister & an avid believer in originality.' 

'Team Peeta or Team Gale?' 

'Team Gale! But it's never going to happen. I don't mind Peetniss though. Even if it sounds quite like a southern male apparatus.' (The fandom changed it to Peenis soon after, by the way)

'What inspired you to pursue art in school?' 

'I just have a passion for it... I feel the need to communicate through the medium. I don't take my passion for it lightly. I'm very, very lucky to have my passion aligned with what I study.' 

'What do you think of the art scene in Singapore?' 

'Bad. So. Ridiculously bad. We aren't trying hard enough. We have the talent. We don't have the opportunities, or the determination to push ourselves to go overseas. We are complacent & comfortable here, & we will die if we don't change. Art is a central point of my life & I think people who have this gift need to make it the centre of their lives too.'

Sheri T, 18

Graphic design student, curiously aloof 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 15

'What inspired you to start dancing?' 

'It started off as more like an extension of my love for music. I wanted to connect to music on another level... but now dance is on a plane of its own.' 

'What does dance mean to you & can you imagine life without it?' 

'It is definitely hard to assign a specific value to dance as it encompasses so many aspects of my life. This may sound like a cliche, but I feel alive when I dance. It means happiness & fulfilment but also challenge & mental strength. It has also given me a chance to be in a community of great dancers who have taught me many things, not just about dance, but about life. I can't imagine life without it.'

Jayne Y. 20

Dancer & music enthusiast

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 14

'Give a brief description of yourself.' 

'Physically 24, mentally 40; I'm old-fashioned, and never out of style.' 

'Desert island: three books & why?' 

'I love books, but honestly, if I'm going to find myself trapped on an island, the last thing I'd be doing is reading a book. Not unless the desert island comes with a villa, lagoon & an endless parade of cocktails.' 

'Do you have a favourite journalist, or author?'  

'Marc Jitab' (see previous subject) 

'Why do you think books are important?' 

'Books aren't important, per se, but the imagination & the ability to exercise it is. The imagination gives one escape, relief, fantasy, you name it.' 

Vanessa Tang, 24

Coffee. That is all. 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 13

'Talk about being a journalist & maybe an interesting experience you've had.' 

'Being a journalist... I've had to speak with all sorts of people, from villagers to cabinet ministers - so you need to be ready for both scenarios. An interesting experience I've had was marching through the streets of New Delhi, observing protesters in India protest the EU-India Free Trade Agreement. It was pretty amazing.' 

Marc Jitab, 25

Journalist & graphic designer

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 12

'You've been to so many places, due to the nature of your job and throughout your childhood. Is there any place in particular you'd like to live in, and why?' 

'Honestly, it's wherever I feel God wants me to be, wherever I have purpose, you know? (laughs) So it's not necessarily about wanting to live in a country like say, the States, so I can have a big house there, because these things don't really matter much to me. Honestly, I don't mind living in a box in some third-world country as long as I have purpose and I have an impact.'

Alarice T. 26

Singer-songwriter, recording artist

You can find out more about Alarice & her music here.

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 11

'Let's start with a brief description of yourself.' 

'I'm Sam. I like to buy useless things. Writer, sort of. Film enthusiast & critic... okay that sounds ridiculously pompous. Scratch that. I like movies. Sometimes have trouble distinguishing real life from, say, television or novels.' 

'If you could live in any other era, what era would that be and why?' 

'Perhaps the '50s. I feel as if I could have been good friends with the average Jack Kerouac or Allen Ginsberg. Or maybe the '60s... Yeah, the '60s. I want to see Johnny Cash & The Beatles & The Sex Pistols. I want to go to Woodstock and, ah hem, accidentally get stoned because honest to goodness, I can't tell a bong from a pretty vase... (laughs). I think I would also find it hard to say no to cute hippies.' 

'(Laughs) So anyway, what do you think inspired you to start writing?' 

'I just couldn't help it.' 

'Explain.' 

'Well, first of all, I started doing it because apparently I was pretty good at it. Good grades in English compositions, prizes at writing competitions, all that jazz. But then I realised it just felt good... I could string words together and lay it out on a page and people would read it and feel... (long pause) changed. I find that the love of writing always stems from reading. Once you have that love for reading, words & poems & stories flow out of you uncontrollably, whether you want it to or not.'

Samantha T. 20

Communications major & fiction-writer

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 10

'Why do you like to travel?' 

'I have always been fascinated by the size of the world, the diversity of human race, their cultures, the terrains they live in and many, many other things. I won't say it's important for everyone to see the world. Everyone has different interests, but new sights definitely give more perspective.  

'What was your favourite place in the world that you have been to?' 

'I don't really have a favourite place. Everyone is different & I like these differences. My favourite place will be the next one that I am going to.'

Swee Cheng, 35

Marine biologist, photographer, avid traveller. 

The above picture is taken by Swee Cheng himself during a recent trip to NYC. You can see more of his beautiful photographs of places across the globe here.

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 9

'Hi Nick.' 

'Hi. (laughs)' 

'So... what's a place you would like to visit before you die and why?' 

'I want to visit... well I want to go to the Montreal Jazz Festival. It's the biggest jazz festival in the world. I went for the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta recently and that was one of the best experiences I've ever had. It's just so inspirational... I want to know and see the music scene outside of Singapore.' 

'Do you have a particular role model or musical artist whose style you admire?' 

'Marcus Miller. Hands down.' 

'That was quick! (laughs)Why?' 

'(Laughs) Well, I only really started to admire this guy when I watched this video of him from his biography. Sometimes you think that these guys are made out of pure talent, that they come out into the scene and they can just play everything. But what I realized was that they actually put in a lot of effort into playing and practicing... not everything is given to you for free. You have to work for it, there's a certain amount of effort you have to put into the theory.' 

'Okay. So why bass? Out of all the instruments...' 

'The groove. For me, music is all about the groove. It's the groove that attracts me to it, it's the rhythm. When I first started playing music, I didn't like piano... I tried guitar for a while and it was fine, but the bass just really attracted me. It's just such a cool instrument! There's really nothing quite like it.' 

'Talk about what inspired you to learn music. Your first experience, or pivotal moment you remember. and said 'Oh my goodness, I must learn the bass!' 

'The video that changed my life was... (laughs) Level 42 playing Mr. Pink. That video of Mark King playing that song was just... I mean, that was the point where I decided I wanted to take bass more seriously. Bass and music. And after that I started exploring a bit more... When I went to Poly and got into jazz band, that was when I started to take it even more seriously because it was there that I got introduced to Jazz. Prior to that I was just playing for fun. I mean, I liked it and all, and I was trying to get better, but I didn't take it too seriously.' 

'Can you imagine the world without music.' 

'No. (laughs)' 

'Why?' 

'Music is just so integrated into everyone's lives. It's so much a part of one's existence. It's like taking music out of a movie. The movie would just die, I think.'

Nicholas Lee, 19.

Engineering student, tres charming, & hands down the best 19-year-old bassist I know 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 8

'What inspired you to pursue art?' 

'Things that inspired me or pushed me into pursuing art would have to be my passion for it, and shamelessly quoting here (and also defeating the purpose of this interview): 'Most of the time, I have all these thoughts bouncing around in my head... but with a brush in my hand, the world gets kinda quiet.' - Allie, The Notebook. Mainly, I think that if something makes me happy, I should just go ahead & do it. Nothing beats being happy.'

Megan T. 15

Art student

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 7

'What does the word 'love' mean to you?' 

'Love is... I don't really know. I'm only 19. All I know is that love happens to us everyday of our lives.' 

'So you're saying it's possible to fall in love with just... anyone?' 

'Not anyone. Anything. Sometimes, I fall in love with a book. I fall in love with the scent of lavender. Or the colour orange. Sometimes I walk the streets, and for a while I believe that I'm falling in love with the stranger walking three feet in front of me.' 

'Isn't that strange, that we 'fall' in love?' 

'Yes, it is strange, this notion of falling. Then again, we are always falling. But unlike most things, when we fall in love, we don't fall into endless oblivion but into the comfort of a mug of tea, an illustrated novel, or a warm pair of arms.'

Conversations 
(with my mind)

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 6

'What is photography to you?' 

'I think it's an extension of what I see. I try to focus on things that people find mundane, or things that people will not take a second look at. It's a way for me to say that there are things that are important and beautiful around us, and we need to slow down a little bit... slow down a little to appreciate the environment, and the people around us.' 

'That's incredible. How do you think photography can change the world?' 

'Wow. I've never thought of this before. (laughs) Well... photography is a powerful medium because it's so visual... When a good photograph goes viral around the world, it gets so many people talking. In the right shot, the right time and the right context, photography impacts people with its significance. It makes people rethink their values, and what they believe in.' 

August L.

Singer-songwriter, thespian & photographer. 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 5

'What is your reaction to people who say music isn't essential?' 

'I would agree with them.' 

'What! No way.' 

'Absolutely. Music isn't essential in the way that things like, basic mathematical or language skills are to everyday life. But for all the years I've been a musician, the happiest people I have come to know are the ones whose lives are steeped in the The Arts. It's a richer kind of existence. Yes, we could live without music, but aren't you afraid to see what that world would be like? I am. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that, yes, music is only the icing on the cake, but isn't the icing the best part of it all?'

J.J. Davis, 26

Music producer, multi-instrumentalist & skeptic 

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 4

'What do you enjoy most about reading?' 

'What I enjoy most about books is how it opens up your world, how it allows you to use your imagination to recreate the places that the author puts forth in his stories. The thought of it is just so attractive: you are allowed to shape that place & those characters according to what you see in your mind. That's why I don't really like movies, because they force you into a way of looking at these characters, which doesn't give you that same liberty to craft them.'

Jennifer Lee, 22.

Literature student, doodler & avid Beatles fan

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 3

'What is the rush you get from running like?' 

'Sometimes, running feels like you're chasing pavements. It’s a mimic of the journey of life. The rush never comes in the middle; it always comes at the start of the end. When your legs feel like slabs of concrete, and your lungs squeeze in agony, and your body screams to stop but you know you can't, because somehow you have to finish what you have started...' 

Samuel C. 22

Student & sports enthusiast

Quotes from the Lesser-Known: Part 2

'What inspired you to get into theatre?' 

'My friend pressured me into auditioning for the school play. I was sick and unwilling to fight so I did and I managed to score one of the lead roles. Prior to that I was simply happy being an audience member captivated by what took place onstage.  But when I realized I could be a part of that experience as well and present truthfully to people that which isn't true, I fell in love with it. I know I sound like a sociopathic liar but I'm not, honest. Life is about telling stories, and telling them well.' 

'Was there a particular pivotal moment, or experience?' 

'One life-changing experience was when I went to watch a tiny production of Oliver Twist. Cast of 5 and only 2 major props which doubled as a boat, door, coffin, gallows, Fagin's underground shithole for runaways and other assorted naughty children, etc. Every single one of the songs were sung in 5-part harmony and it was fantastic. I think I was 14 when I watched it. I stayed back to congratulate Fagin and when I saw him up close, my mind was blown to see how a skinny, 6-foot-tall man could have been so many things on that stage. I think I still have that ticket with me.'

Elizabeth Mak, 19

High school thespian