HeyMun Tan won the hearts of Malaysians when she won first place in the Folk/Singer-Songweiter category of a US-based music competition, 2013 Unsigned Only Music Competition. The young indie star has already earned airplay on Australia’s Triple J’s Unearthed digital radio. HeyMun currently resides in Sydney, Australia, but we managed to get in touch with the young up-and-coming star for a quick interview session just to get to know more about the rising star.
Q. Growing up, did you ever think about being a musician?
I’ve always felt connected to music growing up and enjoyed singing, but I didn’t think about pursuing it as a career. It was only when I started songwriting and finding that medium of expression so organic and therapeutic, that it has become my day and night job now.
Q. What are some of your musical influences?
Bob Dylan would be one of them. I was at his concert in Sydney and to see him doing his thing, evolving and still expressing through his music with his long career is very inspiring.
Q. Who is your favorite female icon in the music industry?
There are many strong, talented beautiful women in the music industry and one of them that I had the pleasure of meeting was Sheila Majid. She is beautiful both inside and out.
Q. You’ve gotten airplay on Triple J – a really good platform for up-and-coming indie musicians. How did you feel when you first heard the news?
I was humbled by the mere fact that they listened to my songs let alone put it on air, so naturally I was happy and grateful to know that stations like Triple J and also “FBi” radio care immensely for their musicians. They have created a wonderful platform for us to continue progressing.
Q. Now onto fashion – how would you describe your sense of style?
Comfort and colours is the fun theme at the moment.For daily wear I love high-waisted pants and bright T-shirts. I also have a penchant for jumpsuits.
Q. You’ve mentioned that guitar-picking often damages your nails. Are there any other beauty woes you face?
Oh, plenty – especially my hair, it gets so dry in winter but I’ve picked up many handy tips from Lipstiq.com. I found that the apple cider vinegar remedy for weakened nails really helpful.
Q. When you perform, do you often get jitters? How do you get over them?
There’s always little jitters and nerves but I think that’s one of the best things about performing.There’s something very present about being in that moment. All our senses are alive! Once I start playing that feeling evolves to simply being happy to share my music with an audience.
Q. Now that you’re a gem in the eyes on Malaysians, what do you hope to succeed with your music career?
Oh, I wouldn’t be so brazen to think that I’m a gem in such a sense, there is such a long way more to go for me. With music,I hope to continue creating,expressing and evolving. Success would mean to one day be able to inspire others to recognise their individuality,unique qualities and amplify that with pure passion and zero inhibitions.
Listen to HeyMun’s music here:
