Singapore Indie Rock Band Astreal Is Back, And Better Than Ever
There’s no denying the appeal of the female pop chanteuse/rock star or female-fronted band. Add a dose of rebelliousness, a quirk (or a few) and an indie spirit, and the cool factor goes off the charts. We speak to seven ruling the Singapore scene, including Singapore band Astreal.
(From left) On Chian: Wool trenchcoat, denim jacket, and cotton shirt. On Ang: Wool suit and cotton shirt. On Chittick: Silk chiffon midi dress, polyester turtleneck sweater, and wool pants. On Alkhatib: Suede shirt and denim jeans. All H&M
Who they are: One of Singapore’s longest running bands dating back to 1992 (then under the moniker Breed). Multiple line-up changes later, it’s now made up of (from left) drummer Joseph Chian, 28, keyboardist Jason Ang, 28, bassist/vocalist/multi-hyphenate cool chick Ginette Chittick, 40, and guitarist/original member Muhammad Alkhatib, 41.
Know them ’cos: Um, how can you not know them – not just for being one of Singapore’s loudest champions of shoegaze music, but also for being one of the first local indie acts to be fronted by a female vocalist? And after more than a decade since their last release, their third EP Light should drop just about the time you’re reading this.
What’s next for 2017: What better way to kick off the launch of Light than by debuting it live at the St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival? Chittick calls the EP a paean to Astreal’s roots – “a sonic assault with an ethereal voice floating above it”. Excited much?
Photography Zaphs Zhang & Vee Chin Styling Imran Jalal, assisted by Sapphire Chin Hair & Makeup Sha Shamsi, Laea Hidayah, Karen H & Zoel Tee, using La Biosthetique & M.A.C
This story first appeared in Female's February 2017 issue.
Like this? Check out 12 stylish folks spotted at Laneway Festival, the coolest clubs in Singapore to party and be seen at and Singapore singer Sam Rui, who's all about catchy, heartfelt tunes.