This amazing guitarist is in town
Fancy a holiday but can’t make it off the red dot? Do yourself a favour and head to our local island getaway this Saturday for the Sentosa Ukulele Festival. You’ll feel like you’re in Hawaii when you hear the sweet sounds emanating from international and local guitar heros of this petite string instrument.
And we can’t believe who will be here – child protégé and YouTube phenomenon Sungha Jung (yes, he of the 42 million views) will be playing live for us. We were lucky enough to catch up with him on the eve of his performance in Singapore.
Hi Sungha Jung, it’s great to have such an amazing young artist in Singapore. What are you most looking forward to about being here?
I’m really looking forward to meeting a new audience during this Ukulele Festival. I hope they like my performance!
You’ve been playing a variety of string instruments since you were about 9 years old. What does the ukulele mean to you and how is it different to your other instruments?
The ukulele gives me possibilities to express music in a way that’s much different than the guitar. It may sound light and happy all the time, but at the same time it allows you to play some serious music as well.
You have over 2.5 million subscribers to your You Tube channel. Is social media an important part of your practice?
Yes, especially when I choose cover songs to perform because some tunes have better responses than others. I’m always curious how my originals will be responded to as well, so it’s a good showcase or stage for me this way.
Your version of Pirates of the Caribbean has had over 42 million views and Jason Mraz called you his hero. Amazing! Who have you enjoyed covering, playing with and working with most?
Jason Mraz! He invited me to play together on 3 of his songs, including I’m Yours, last year at his live concert in Seoul. It was like a dream come true. I hope to get the chance to work with him again on a recording one day. And being on TV with G-Dragon was really great too as he’s my favourite K-pop artist.
We fell in love with the ukulele after hearing Israel Kamakawiwo’oles version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow several years ago. What’s your favourite piece?
Yes I like his version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow too. I’ve played it a lot. I also really like Jake Shimabukuro’s cover of the Beatles song While My Guitar Gently Weeps, which was actually the very first ukulele video of mine on YouTube.
You seem so gifted but you practice routinely as well. You say on your website that it is your dream to become a professional fingerstyle guitarist. What advice would you give to kids who want to pursue music or any dream?
Try to listen to a lot of music and practice every day. It’s great fun to learn your favourite tunes and to be able to play them yourself. Don’t ever give up on your dreams and just keep going!
It was great to chat with you, Sungha Jung. What does the future hold for you?
More albums, and tours to places that I haven’t been yet. I want to continue to create music and work on my musicianship. I will be happy as long as I can play the guitar.
Sungha Jung
Sentosa Ukulele Festival Sat 3 May, 4-10:30pm, Palawan Beach