How would you describe your typical listener?
Well, I’m always surprised at my shows—there’s a great diversity. When we were doing a muppets show, we suddenly had four-year old fans! I guess they go across the board in terms of age; it’s a person who likes piano, melodies, lyrics and stories.

How does it feel like being in existence for more than a decade now?
Just being in a band for 10 years is incredible. We’re blown away that we lasted so long and that in itself is an accomplishment. I’m just thankful that I can quit my job at the autoshop. We consider ourselves to be very lucky.

Where do you guys see yourselves in another 10 years?
Maybe one or two of us might have a slight beer belly? We’ll still be one of those bands wearing skinny jeans with a beer belly cos we think it looks kinda cool.

Guinness Singapore are creative with their ticket sales for this concert. What do you think of that?
We’re always ready to try new things. We played at so many environments, from performing for presidents in little rooms to large audiences in stadiums. We’ve also done secret shows for just 25 fans before. so we love to change it up a little.

Scars and Stories seem to be more sing-along compared to previous albums. Was there a conscious effort on your part to stay relevant to the fans?
We wanted to follow our instincts; whether that would mean doing well commercially and so on. If anything, an artist should always go where their gut takes them to. Our lives were reflected in that record. There was some darkness and horrible emotions during that period so it came out in our music.

A new album coming out?
We’re actually done with that. We’re in the mixing stage now and looking for artwork. It’s coming out pretty soon! No release dates for that but you’ll start hearing our new single before the end of the year.

We know we’re not the first people to ask this. Have you ever had to save a life? Pun intended
One time when I was in junior high we were sitting during lunch eating our packed sandwiches and I realized my buddy’s face was blood red and he just couldn’t breathe. Luckily I took a Heimlich course as my mom was a nurse! I gave him a couple of thrusts. I remember what came out—a ham and cheese sandwich. I might have broken a ribcage too.

You come from Colorado. So we have to ask, are you a big fan of the show?
Oh I love South Park! I took my fiancé to Casa Bonita just a couple of weeks ago and I made her watch through the whole satire episode of that place before we went in. It’s hilarious when you see all the elements in the show. They have brilliant writers in there. Trey Parker, the co-creator, said that the most creative period in your life is your 20s and 30s. To a large extent I think it’s true—for an artist that’s the most influential period of time. 

The Fray performs at Guinness Arthur's Day on September 27. Check out their Facebook page for updates on venue and how to score tickets.

What are some of your best memories on stage throughout all these years?
We’ve had so many great live moments down the years but we take our live appearances a lot more seriously now. In the 90s a gig was just part of the continuous circus-cum-party that was our lives. Now they are the entire focus of our lives as Suede.

So taking that into account, I’d have to say that when played “Metal Mickey” at the Royal Albert hall in 2010, the standing ovation seemed to go on for about twenty minutes. It was total vindication of the reunion and proved to us that our career was worthwhile; that there was a demand for us to come back and a genuine emotional response to that.

Were you guys absolutely sure about another Suede record when you promised the fans at London Astoria in 2003?
Well, you never want to say never but we couldn’t actually see it happening in 2003.

You guys have been credited for having kick started the Britpop scene and are now definitely part of a more global music culture. What do you think of that?
Well, we started singing about British life, using British vocabulary and it got turned into a horrible beery cartoon that we hated and rejected. We weren’t a part of that and we didn’t want to be part of it.

Is rock barely surviving now?
I think it’s more than surviving. These things are always cyclical. You have an emphasis on dance music in the charts for a bit and then hip-hop or whatever and then it comes back to guitar music for abit and so on. As I write, the new Arctic Monkeys album has just become the second fastest selling album of 2013 in the UK, after Daft Punk. Foals, Vaccines, Maccabees and loads of others have been really successful over the past 18 months. You know… it’s ok.

Is Bloodsports loaded in terms of meaning?
It’s a wry look at the endless game of love—the fact that it’s got blood and sports in there together sums it up: a slightly cynical look at romance.

Has the routine toned down for Suede?
Yes and no. We don’t tour quite so much but we push ourselves harder when we do play. The writing and recording is probably more intense. It helps that our chemical intake isn’t as punishing.

One artist or band that you’d love to collaborate with?
Err… don’t know. Who have you got?

Going around so many cities and being away from home making you miss something?
Well, yeah. We all have lives and partners and families to come home to that are more more of a priority now than before. Of course it’s difficult to leave that.

What’s it feel like singing the same song again and again yet receiving that same roar of approval?
Yea, it’s great. How couldn’t it be?

What’s the meaning of life?
To gather together as many lizards as you can.

Suede performs at The Coliseum, Resorts World Sentosa on September 27, 8pm. Tickets at $115 from Sistic.

You’re often described as deeply shy and introverted. How’s it like being popular?
It is a really weird concept to me because I still am that "deeply shy and introverted" kind from a small town. I don't think I will ever get used to the idea of people recognizing me and knowing my name outside my hometown.

Are you even a fan of fast cars?
Cars are actually a major passion of mine. Adding fast cars and racing together is a dream.

Excited to rub shoulders with the likes of Rihanna and Justin Bieber?
They are such major international stars that I am humbled to be sharing a stage with them.

How do you juggle between Owl City and your other solo projects like Port Blue and Swimming With Dolphins?
Currently, Owl City has taken the majority of my time. Everything else has just been side projects and different outlets for me to express different forms of music and art.

You have plenty of touring members. The more the merrier?
Creating the music has always been a singular task but when I perform, it’s a different experience. I wanted fans to get something they couldn't get from just listening to the album. I like that the live show is a bit more of a loud rock show.

Anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Enya.

What’s on your playlist?
Right now, I’m so behind in music. I have just gotten off tour so I am not sure what new music is out.

What would you be doing if you’re not a music artist?
Probably working at a gas station, or still at my first job—loading boxes at the Universal Postal Service store.

Small town dude with a twist of fate that got you to where you are today. Inspiring. If there’s something you’d change, what would that be?
Nothing.  I get to do something I love everyday.  It’s not even work to me.  It’s just fun and who wouldn't want that?

Most outrageous fan mail?
Someone sent me cereal once. That was pretty outrageous… outrageously awesome.

Owl City performs at The Closing Concert at The Padang on Sep 23. Tickets at $98 - $4226.50 from the F1 Singapore Grand Prix website.

How did your journey begin?
In terms of starting to make my own music and becoming active, it was only in mid-2012 when some friends bought me a looper for my birthday. That excited the hell out of me because it offered so many possibilities. But it wasn't till local band Plainsunset found an old cover I did of their song that I become visible at all; I was invited to play a show alongside local musician Jon Chan and was generously given my own set time, which I used to debut my looper stuff. The response was great, and things have miraculously picked up since.

Where do you draw your musical inspirations from?
Musically, it's hard to say. I grew up on Bach and The Beatles, spent my teenage years with everything from Eminem to Death Cab, Justin Timberlake to Radiohead, Zero 7 to The Strokes. I also am tremendously inspired by various people that I've worked with in the local scene. We've got some really amazing musicians, poets, and playwrights.

How do you feel being in an entertainment lineup with the likes of Rihanna?
It feels pretty darn weird. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen. I’m way more stoked about The Killers though! But I doubt we’ll be on similar stages nor share holding rooms, or anything like that. So I’ll be spending all my off-stage time slinking around tents to stalk them down.

Weish performs on Sep 21-22 at various locations around Zone 1 and 4 of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. For tickets and more info on the entertainment lineup, log on to the Singapore GP website.

When you look back at your time at Mountview and relate it to today, how much do you think you’ve grown in terms of acting?
I loved my time at Mountview—I learnt so much about the musical theater craft and the industry and although I learnt huge amounts there are things you can't teach that's impossible to do while you're training. I also think that the types of jobs I've done help round you as a performer. I did the show Avenue Q for a while and it completely developed my voice, made it stronger and worked different areas of it. I also like the element of meeting new people. Although at drama school you become very close to the people you train with and those people I will treasure for a long time once you get out you meet so many more people at auditions and jobs. 

How much can you relate to Tracy Turnblad?
I can relate a lot to Tracy. She is very positive and always sees the best in people. I may not be as excited and positive all the time but I try and keep the same energy in my everyday life.

What’s your secret at staying active in acting and music?
I made a promise with myself when I left drama school to try and do something creative every day whether that's reading a play or seeing some theatre or playing an instrument or painting—anything really. When I'm not working on a show I'm a theatre junkie and spend most of my money seeing theatre. I also write music with a couple of boys I went to drama school with. At the moment we're called Music Sunday and we cover songs and write songs and company ourselves and each other. It's just difficult because we're all actors and sometimes work keeps us apart.

Favorite moment in the musical?
My favourite moment is a hard one to pin down [because] it changes so often. The finale is obviously spectacular. My favourite song to sing is probably without love. I also love watching Jon and Damien perform "You're Timeless to Me". It never fails to make me smile!

We checked out your social media page and saw that you tweet quite abit these days. Do you get weird requests or direct messages? What’s the weirdest?
I do tweet a lot. Mostly I get nice messages from people who have seen shows I've done and enjoyed it and when people take the time to tell me that they had a good time it's always nice. I have had a request to sing an Avenue Q song at a concert and the person said that if I did, they would donate £500 to the charity we were collecting for. I thought it was maybe a stunt but we sang the song and he donated the money. I was surprised but so grateful!

What’s one character you’d want to play before you end off your career?
That's a hard one! I'd love to do more Shakespeare. I've done a bit in the past but would love to do more. Perhaps Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing when I'm older. I'd also like to do some more plays. So far I've done a lot of musicals and actor musician shows but I know as soon as I get a non-singing role I'll want to do a musical again!

What’s your impression of Singapore? You can be perfectly honest!
I've never been but this is all I've heard about it: It's very clean; everyone is very friendly; they have an amazing zoo!

Do you miss home while on tour?
Of course you miss home and family and friends but its also exciting to be away and do great show and see incredible new places. Touring is a great opportunity and if you're able to go why not?

A piece of advice for aspiring actors/actresses out there?
Work hard and don't give up. Training is important but so is passion.

Hairspray The Musical runs from September 26 to October 1. Tickets from $60-$230 from SISTIC.

Tell us more about the project.
Moongrazing is a conceptual "visual play" loosely based on themes inspired by the moon set to an original score by Victor Low aka Affixen. The visual consists of a series of animated loops and a main surreal animated clip. There will be 2 x 20min live improvised performance by Victor Low and multi-talented artist Andy Yang for each night. There is also a special live drawing projection segment where selected artists from OICsingapore will be drawing live.

Is this one of the biggest project displays you guys have come up with?
Yes, it is the most important one to date. This is not only our biggest project; it is also our first time participating at the festival. It is great that we, as Singaporeans, are able to perform at such an important platform to showcase our passions and our talents. We also have right partners alongside us that have provided their technical expertise which allow us to do what we do best: Illustrate.

What are some of the challenges you faced?
With the distinct individual styles of our illustrators, we wanted to find a nice blend between making the projection look wholesome while highlighting the individual characteristics of each style at the same time. This involved lots of planning.

Do you come across many artists in it for the money?
Yes, but we believe we should not look at it in a negative context. Like any other profession, a full time artist needs to be able to make a living out of his talents unless of course, you are doing art leisurely. That said, we are always encouraging our peers to look beyond just bread and butter but to find and fine tune their visual voice and do more personal art pieces that are more soulful and less commercialized.

Can Singapore compete with art capitals such as New York, London and Berlin?
Commercially speaking, we are. Singapore is pretty much in the forefront of the Southeast art scene. Having said that, we still are lacking in terms of celebrating our local talents. We have to address this from a grassroots level, appreciating the art for art itself and not the names tagged to it. So platforms like Singapore Night Festival should be applauded for celebrating local talent and putting them on par with international artists.

Singapore Night Festival 2013 is on August 23-24 and 30-31 at various locations along the Bras Basah Bugis precinct. Free.

What's the concept of this performance?
Wilson: From what i understood from (the director) Goh Boon Teck, it really is about giving a voice to men involved in all the (high-profile) scandals the past year. Also, scandals really capture the attention of the masses. People love to read and talk about it.
Ryd: It is about time that someone wrote about this hidden agenda. In the great hands of the director, I reckon the idea was to give the common man and woman an undisclosed and open conversation about this particular genitalia and its daily adventures.
Prem: All good comedy tend to be based upon darker allegorical themes and I’ve approached this particular text from that perspective and am basing a lot of what I bring to the table upon the greater and baser truths of being a man in a metropolis.

What if you woke up one day without your jewels?
W: I would mourn first, maybe hold a memorial for them, but after that I would probably get over it. I think life would be a lot easier actually, without sexual urges.
R: I’ll scream, hopefully not in falsetto, and immediately slap myself to check if I’m asleep.
P: After 30 minutes of high-pitched screaming and much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I think I might start getting practical and start making a list.

Some say men have been tamed over the times with the popularity of monogamy. Do you think so?
W: Are you saying that men are by nature polygamous? My tamed mind cannot fathom anything else other than monogamy.
R: If that’s the case, isn’t that a good thing?
P: Monogamy is a cultural construct that exists in Hollywood, romance novels and in myths.

What if women ruled the world?
W: Don't they already?
R: I’ll follow their lead. They have what I want. If you can’t beat them, you might as well please them.
P: I absolutely believe that if women ruled the world, it’d be a better world. There’d be no wars, no famine, Malaria would go the way of the dodo and all men would be wearing fitted shirts, Italian shirts and suits.

Do you think you can handle a pregnancy?
W: Of course. Just get the epidural ready.
R: Definitely. I’ve made plans to wear costumes in the delivery room. One of which is a satay man. Truth.
P: That depends. Do I have a uterus that I haven’t known about since birth?

The Penis Society is on at Aquanova Restaurant Bar from September 10-29. Tickets from SISTIC at $26.

The play is about a character haunting the Paris Opera House. Have you experienced any hauntings yourself?
I’ve had a few ghostly experiences in my time. One would be while I was doing a production at the George M. Cohan theater in New York. I was sitting in the centre set piece and felt this extremely cold wind hit me. It was late at night and my friend and I were just talking on the set. One of the poles from which were holding a string of light just fell and crushed the set piece.

What is your personal interpretation of the Phantom?
This is a man who has lived in the bowels of the opera house his whole life. He doesn’t really know society. He doesn’t go outside. His education of what people do and how they live is through opera. It’s overly dramatic. It’s what he thinks people do for love. This dark side of him probably comes from being shunned but also from how he’s been educated in his life. He’s not mentally educated like how we have been in society. He’s a different animal.

Do you relate to the character then?
I understand where he comes from. I understand why he does the things he does. When you put things into perspective, I can absolutely see how a human being who has been put into that sort of situation can come out as dark as the Phantom. What’s great is the manipulation of musical theater which actually enables audiences to empathize with the character.

But are there any personal parallels between yourself and Phantom?
It’s because I’m dyslexic and I know what it was like to be called stupid and all these things from other people so I can relate to the character. I’ve had so many letters of things that people let out—as far as their own skeletons in the closet—that they’re finally able to release because of this show.

What about your love life—any parallels there?
I don’t know how many Christines I’ve had in my lifetime, actually! That said, I don’t know if that makes the Phantom a playboy!

The Phantom of the Opera is on through Sep 1, 8pm at The MasterCard Theatre, Tickets at $55-230 from Sistic.