Three of you are ex-members of Potato. How did you form R9?
Note: It was all serendipity. Bom and I had talked about playing together again just before I ran into Win, who suggested we give it another shot. We discussed who we used to be and what we used to want in the Potato days and realized the points where we hated and loved each other most are behind us now. We decided to start again, and here we are.
You’re a new band now, but are you still compared to Potato?
Note: Yes, but to me it’s like saying we remind them of the old Potato. And because we actually are the old Potato, it feels nice. We don’t intend to be like that, but since we put our own signatures in the music, it’s inevitable. This is still Win’s guitar riffs and Bom’s drum beats after all.
Are you bothered by the comparisons and sometimes snide remarks?
Note: No. Some fans have asked us directly whether we reunited to take revenge, but R9 was formed out of coincidence. If we’d wanted to beat Potato, we would’ve come back sooner. We don’t want this nonsense to distract our fans from what we’re determined to create for them.
Bom: It’s childish stuff. If you care about anything written on social media, you’re screwed. It’s just dust in the galaxy. We rockers should focus on rock music and leave the drama to the gossip tabloids.
As the only girl in the band, are you comfortable working with these three guys, Fai?
Fai: I’m not that feminine to begin with, so I’m fine. When I work, I don’t think about boy-girl issues. Our job is to make music. It’s playing with girls that feels weirdly refreshing, because they curl each other’s hair and put on each other’s makeup, which is not really me. This band feels totally natural.
What’s your definition of success?
Note: Some might say that you need many views or likes to be successful, but it’s not like that for us. We read the comments to know our fans are waiting for us, and we’re not imagining it. That’s success, too. We just want this. We don’t need to be worshipped.
Fai: Having people at least recognize a few of our songs is success for me. I also want my mother to accept that being a musician can afford me stability, and to be proud of me and what I’ve done. I’m addicted to her happiness, and I want to make sure she keeps feeling happy.
What do you hope to achieve with your music?
Win: We want to make good music, not just hit music. Good songs are those that give something to the audience, be it good lessons or good feelings. For example, heartbreak songs are abundant, but most only rub the salt into the wound. Our heartbreak songs should soothe or cheer up the audience and give them something to chew over.
Bom: We musicians can make people’s lives better here and now. We can’t lead them to nirvana; we only want to be the bridge that creates happiness for them. R9 is gonna be around as long as our music’s still able to make people happy.
