Are Nanta performers required to have formal culinary, music or acting training?
We focus on rhythmic and acting training more than culinary training. We must deliver the plot and flow of the show through only body and facial movements.

What are some uniquely Korean aspects of the show?
The traditional Korean rhythms and compositions. I feel very proud that they impress not only Koreans but also other audiences all over the world.

What is the most challenging part of the performance?
It's the beating on the chopping board with a knife. That requires a lot of physical strength. I try to stay physically fit at all times.

How do audiences usually react to the show?
Some people dance, others applaud and some give gifts. I once got a knife set from a famous brand. I use thee knives a lot at home. 

It's not your first time in Singapore. What do you like to do when you’re in town?
I plan to eat delicious Singaporean dishes at a fancy restaurant while looking at the cityscape at night.

Dae Ho Kim performs in Nanta (Cookin’) September 25-30 at the Sands Theater.

Why did you decide to record a three-part album?
I had a lot of songs written and I wanted to get out on the road quicker than usual because I love to tour. I wanted to see if I could so both of the things I love at the same time. So I recorded the album in parts and toured in between. It worked, but I don´t think I´ll ever release three albums in one year again—I´m just starting to recover.

What is the running theme through the three releases?
The Body Talk albums are inspired by the contrasts and connections between technology and nature. They are also about how what we feel with our bodies and what we think are so intensely connected.

Do you prefer performing live to recording a studio?
I love both. They are two very different things. I´m lucky, I don´t have to choose, I can do both. Both let me be creative. Sometimes performing creates ideas for new music and sometimes making music is like performing.

Touring can be gruelling. How do you deal with fatigue?
I eat greens and fruit and work out. And I try to get better at not worrying.

Robyn is on September 26, 8:30pm at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

What sort of training goes in before the race?
Charles Pic: The training between races is actually quite easy. Over the winter months, I train very hard and spend lots of time at the gym weight training or working on my fitness levels.
Timo Glock: Over a race weekend very little training takes place. Occasionally I will cycle the track but I do not do this at every circuit. Watching what I eat is also very important.

How do you stay focused during such a high-speed and high-intensity race?
CP: Staying focused during the race itself comes very naturally to me. What is harder is arriving at the race weekend with a good level of energy so that I can stay focused across the whole weekend.
TG: Experience helps. Being physically fit and having good stamina and endurance are important aspects of being able to maintain that focus during a race.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about the sport of Formula One?
CP: A lot of people assume that it is the driver that does all the hard work but Formula One really is a team sport. We have nearly 200 people working behind the scenes on the development of the car, looking after sponsors, and managing the
day-to-day running of the team.
TG: Most people know that Formula One involves lots of travel but I don’t think people understand exactly how demanding the travel is. There are 20 races across six continents on the Formula One calendar this year and with normally only a one-week break between races it can be a challenge.

What is it like driving in a regular car when you’re not racing?
CP: Driving in a regular car when I am not racing is very normal for me. Like all road users, I take care to care to stick to the speed limits, and I am aware of the other drivers around me.
TG: Driving a regular car is a very normal activity for racing drivers, exactly the same as for every other road user. I enjoy driving on the road as I find it relaxing, which is
a completely different experience to when driving in a race.

Which driver do you think will win the Championship this year?
CP: I think one of the drivers from Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull will win the championship but it is very hard to pick a winner at this stage.
TG: It is very difficult to say which driver will win. There have been many different winners in the first half of the season but I think Fernando Alonso is very strong so I would put him top of the list for the time being.

For more on what's happening this F1 Singapore Grand Prix season, download our Night Race Guide 2012!

How did you get into jazz?
As a little kid, I remember always humming and singing along to songs. When I was old enough, I took part in TCS Talentime. I didn't win but that sparked an interest in becoming a professional singer. I joined various pop bands like Frenzy Friends with Othman Hamzar, Eurasia, Hangloose and Rubberband. Then, I went solo with hotel gigs. The first hotel gig I did at the Hilton Hotel Singapore wanted me to include more jazz songs in my repertoire and that's when I discovered all the jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson and Natalie Cole.

You also market jazz acts for Blu Jaz Cafe. How do you juggle both that and performing?
I am fortunate that my working hours still allow me to perform at night. Performances don't usually start till 9:30pm (I finish work at 8pm at the office). It’s tiring but very satisfying to be able to do both.

How do you relax and unwind?
I find pleasure in cooking and inviting friends and family over for meals after work or on weekends. I bake too (hence the extra weight...). I taught my Caucasian partner how to play mahjong and we've been playing quite often. It’s a perfect night of relaxation: dinner and mahjong!

Tell us about some of your favorite gigs.
I love open air gigs at Sentosa Island, by the beach, as well as Fort Canning Park. Usually these gigs have dance floors for the audience to groove and party along.

What is one funny incident that happened while you were performing?
Back in the 1990s, I was on this big stage at least six feet above the ground. There I was dancing away. But the smoke machine made the stage slippery. I went flying and landed on my ass. I ripped my skirt and sprained my ankle. My foot went under one of the stairs on stage. My colleagues couldn't stop laughing and all I could do was pick myself up, go backstage to straighten up, and reappear like nothing happened.

What do you think of the Singapore jazz scene?
Singapore is such a small country, we're fortunate to even have a jazz scene. But I do wish we would have a proper school of jazz open to musicians as well as singers. At present, those who wish to hone their craft have to be able to afford an overseas program, which makes it very difficult.

Anne Weerapass performs September 14, 9:30pm at the The Sultan Hotel.

As a child: I was very lonely. Because I was the only male in my family, besides my dad, it was kind of hard to find someone to spend time with. When I would feel lonely I turned to music. I feel like music has been one of my best mates ever since.

First job: I used to run a street clothing label called “Diorama.” I designed some of the products and was also in charge of the marketing strategy. I quit the job when my business partner moved to New York.

Rule for life: Give a lot of love to the people who love you and care about you. Be optimistic and open-minded to what life can offer you.  
Happiest moment: When I graduated from Chulalongkorn University. Finally it was over—thank God!

Can’t live without: My family, my friends and cigarettes.

Hum in the shower: I hum along to anything my iPod is playing at that moment. I always put music on loud speakers when I shower.

Musical guilty pleasures: Some of Skrillex’s tunes and “Levels” by Avicii.

Best gig I have ever been to:  UKF 3rd Anniversary in London.

Biggest inspiration: My dad. He works hard, plays hard and will do anything to keep his family happy. I have so much respect for the man.
Most annoying thing about everyday life: People who talk too much but don’t know shit... oh, and stupid drivers.

Three words to describe yourself: Passionate, stubborn and aggressive.

In 20 years: I will be married, have two kids and definitely still live in Bangkok. I might be running something of my own and also DJing part-time, if I’m not too old for it.

I dreamed of being an astronaut, as I loved science when I was young. I even created homemade rockets when I was in elementary school.

I hated playing piano at first. My dad, an engineer, tried to persuade me to try it because he loved classical music and played a little piano himself. But all I wanted to do was study science.

I got fed up with pop songs all about love and being heartbroken. They’re so boring. That’s why I got into Carabao, whose songs deal with serious issues like drugs and troubles in life.

I realized I wanted to play piano after seeing my aunt teach one of her students to play at her house. I was 13.

My piano skills advanced really fast. I could play Beethoven after just two weeks. Then I started composing my own songs after six months and passed the highest piano exam after two years.

Eventually I met Somtow [Sucharitkul, leading composer and novelist] who showed me the world of classical music. I asked him for his autograph then told him that I wanted to be a conductor and composer. He later took me to study with him after he saw the songs that I had composed.

Working for real is the only way to get true experience. I quit Mahidol’s College of Music to work with Somtow. People might think this was a difficult decision. But my dad, who is quite a progressive thinker, and I agreed that this would really help me become the real deal.

You have to know how to win people’s hearts for them to listen to you. I was only 18 when I went to work as a conductor and resident coach at the Opera Studio Nederland [in Amsterdam]. While most of my colleagues were older than me, I finally proved that I could do the job.

No matter how good a conductor you are, you won’t get the right sound from the musicians if they don’t have faith in you.

Old and young are equally likely to be wrong. As a society, we should question and discuss things more openly. It’s counter-productive if we stick to the rule that seniors are always right.

Being a conductor is a high-pressure job. Things can go wrong at any time, which can ruin the whole show.

I’m nervous every time I meet a new orchestra. I feel like these 60-70 people could eat you alive. So it’s up to me to express my vision and explain the hidden emotion of the music for them.

Conducting is the same as creating music. Like a pianist uses a piano, a conductor controls the whole orchestra.

It’s difficult to reach new audiences with classical music. It’s not considered mainstream here, or anywhere, really. Most people into classical music are quite old.

Classical was the music of the masses in the old days. Guys like Mozart would play in the square in the middle of the city.

I’m at my happiest living in Thailand. This is the first year that I plan to take a break from working abroad. I’ve worked non-stop for 3-4 years, so I haven’t had time to enjoy things like our delicious food. That’s not to say I won’t be busy—I’ve got lots of projects, including working as music director for Reya the Musical.

Television dramas reflect real life. Adultery has been documented since the ancient Greeks, and if it didn’t happen in real life then lakorns [Thai soap operas] like Dok Som See Thong wouldn’t be so popular. Drama is all about showing the bad side of humanity.

Monogamous relationships are against human nature. If we weren’t told that it’s a good thing, it’s probable that we wouldn’t be monogamous. However, I hope to spend the rest of my life with the one person that I truly love.

I dream of being a conductor for the world’s top three orchestras: the Berlin Philharmonic from Germany, the Vienna Philharmonic from Austria and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from the Netherlands. It might take me decades, but it’s something to aim for.

I am driven every day by a need to prove myself. I remember one time a friend of mine saw me trying to compose and he said that I worked haphazardly. I think he might understand what I was trying to do now.

Being naturally gifted only gives you a head start. The best way to succeed is to set yourself goals and work hard to achieve them. I may have quit school but I’ve never stopped learning.

Set yourself goals and believe in yourself. If you keep practicing, then one day you will get to where you want to.

BK: How would you describe your music?
Noth: We try to put new things in our songs, so we call it experimental pop. We started off as electronic but we now want to be something special, something more than that. We are trying out new instruments, not just guitar, bass and drums, but we still remain electronic. We haven’t changed our style completely. We’ve just added something on top of our old way of doing things.
Name: I tried to introduce a Britpop theme to my solo album in 2006 but it didn’t really work. Now we want to engage our fanbase with this new style, so that they accept the way we are. Obviously, we’ve taken a lot of influence from UK bands, because we caught many gigs while living there, from small bars to big stages. Noi Pru and Pod Moderndog also inspired me to become a singer because of the uniqueness of their music and their personalities.

BK: How has London influenced the band?
Noth: Like Name said, we’ve been to a lot of concerts. When we released our first record, some people said we have a very similar style to British indie band Bloc Party. It took some time to prove that we aren’t just a rip-off. Life in London is very fun and exciting because you have so much freedom—you have to be a responsible adult, though.

BK: What do you think of people saying you’re just a hi-so band?
Name: One thing I believe is that no matter who you are, from a poor peasant to a billionaire, everyone has a dream. It’s a once in a lifetime thing to follow your own dream. Family background doesn’t matter. It is about how much effort you put into what you love.

BK: What’s the hardest thing about making music?
Noth: Writing lyrics is the hardest part for me because I only want the best lyrics in our songs. We do have the label’s composers, but we want to do the music ourselves as much as we can. That’s why our band takes a long time to release a song. Another obstacle is that we change producers so often. It’s hard to find one who has the same style as us and then it takes time to connect and get to know each other. Another obstacle, of course, is that Name and I are based in London and the others are in Thailand.

BK: Do you have any projects outside of music?
Natee: I’m running my family’s business, which produces energy drinks like M-150. I’m also an assistant manager of Osotspa Football Club.
Noth: I used to be involved in my family’s business but right now I’m only focused on my music career.
Name: I have a production house. I do everything from video shooting, logo design and art layout. I’m also responsible for various projects for S&P Bakery, my family’s business.

How has life changed since you first started your career in the 1980s?
When my brother Craig and I started it was almost all record sales; now it's more live work, festivals and tours. I actually prefer it now.

How do you feel about performing at the F1 pow-wow this year? Do you have a special interest in car races?
I loved cars when I was a kid but I’m more of a football and athletics guy now. Still, I’m really excited about being part of the build-up to the race.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
We warm up our voices by singing for 10 minutes.

What do you personally listen to in your spare time?
All kinds of music: opera, blues, folk, country and pop.

What do you do when you get tired on tour?
Rest, exercise—it really helps us to stay fit as we get older—and a glass of wine.

Other than performing, what else do you plan to see and do in Singapore?
Just strolling around, the best way to experience any place!

The Proclaimers perform September 21, 8:30pm; September 22, 8pm; September 23, 5:45pm at the F1 Pit Building. Download our Night Race Guide 2012 for more on the 2012 F1 Singapore Grand Prix!
 

Why did you name the project Can(e)?
There are three ideas behind the name: Can as a verb. Can as the spray can. And cane as the instrument of corporal punishment.

What drove you to start this project?
I had the idea for this project quite a while ago. But the recent debate about street art in Singapore, which was started by SKLO (aka the sticker girl), was the main motivation to start doing it.

How did you decide where to paint?
The places were mainly chosen to match the images I used. For instance, I chose a bicycle lane to display an image of an old rickshaw. For certain images, I had to choose places that are more hidden and quiet.

Do you have a certain affinity with the past that you can't let go of?
Don’t get me wrong—I don’t wish to return to the past. What I want is to use imagery from the past to remind people of a simpler time when their city was not dominated by high-rise buildings, shopping malls and temperature-controlled environments.

How would you differentiate what is art and what is pure vandalism when it comes to graffiti?
Properly answering this question would require a precise definition of art, which is very difficult. Moreover, the borders between art and vandalism are not fixed; they are always evolving.

It is interesting to see how some graffiti art, even if made illegally, has become a tourist attraction in cities like Melbourne, London or New York. And ironically, the city authorities there have started taking measures to protect street artworks and installations.

One common way to differentiate is to say vandalism is a destructive activity, where the main goal is to damage public spaces. Graffiti art, or any other form of street art, is more constructive: it conveys an idea, puts forward an aesthetic statement and makes people think.

Gentrification in Singapore—what’s your take on it?
In Singapore, like in many other cities, gentrification is inevitable. Condos and malls are popping up everywhere and rents have gone up like crazy in recent years.We need to ensure that, in this transformation, money is not the only criterion used to determine what is built where. It's possible to reinvent urban spaces in a way that does not benefit only the rich and while maintaining a sense of local community. It's important that we collectively think about ways to achieve this. It is up to us, as citizens—and here, I think street artists can play a crucial role—to put forward alternative ways to appropriate urban spaces.

What do you think of change and how do you embrace it?
Change is inevitable and necessary. The main idea of Can(e) is not to suggest or embrace any particular model for change, but rather to make people reflect on how Singapore is changing.

What do you hope to invoke in the people who see your art?
I hope that my work makes people think about the use of public spaces. Throughout history, “the street” has always been a forum for people to express their ideas. I want them to ask themselves: Are we using public spaces the right way in Singapore?

I hope that the images I create will also make people think about how fast the city is changing and how these changes are affecting our lifestyle and identity.
 

What’s different about your new album Driving Towards The Daylight?
I think I’m singing better on this album. Years on the road and all those singing lessons are paying off.

This is your 13th album. How do you feel about that? Are you superstitious?
I haven’t even thought about it. All I know is that it’s my biggest album and I think the best. Only took me 13 tries to get it right... I feel like a late bloomer.

Who are your biggest influences?
B.B. King, Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton are pretty much tied for first.

Who would you like to work with next?
I would love to work with Mark Knopfler or Joe Walsh one day. Walsh’s a personal hero who I have never met.

You have quite a collection of guitars. Which is your favorite?
My favorite guitar is a Gibson Les Paul Standard 9-1951, made in 1959. Unfortunately, I don’t bring any of the old ones abroad due to airline restrictions.

What do you want audiences to take away from the concert?
I want audiences to feel they got their money’s worth—enjoying the great sound and not realizing two hours just flew by.

Joe Bonamassa plays on September 17 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.