“Fun fact: Lew and Rene are both Leos. As the baby Taurus of the group, I’m well-protected by these two,” says musician Marian Carmel. “Star signs aside, we’ve been friends for years. We’ve seen each other through different lifetimes and I’m very happy to be going on tour with these two.”
Carmel is joined by Lewis Loh and Rene Ann Wong (better known by their stage names Lewloh and Rene) as they embark on shows across Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines, kicking off The Lilypad Tour in Asia.
Don’t mistake them for being in a band; each singer-songwriter is a distinct act.
Beyond idiosyncratic personal styles and impressive songwriting prowess, what they do share is a fundamental desire to create a safe space for their audience. And while their music is universal, there is no denying the special resonance it holds for their queer community.
With frog-themed dress codes, concert bingo and three blockbuster sets from three talented musicians, The Lilypad Tour is set to be fun, liberating and the most inclusive space in town as it moves through cities. Here, the trio shares a little bit about how this joint tour was born, what they each bring to the table and their favourite songs on the setlist.
Each of you is an independent artist. How did this joint tour come about?
Wong: I wanted to go on tour and Lew and Marian said they were going to miss me too much so I decided to bring them along.
Loh: When Rene told me they were planning a solo tour, I shamelessly planted a seed by asking if they had space for one more.
Carmel: If I’m being honest, yeah. I just didn’t want to miss Rene too much.
How do you think the three of you complement each other in one show?
Wong: The show is interesting because sonically, our music is quite different from each other’s. We have a common thread that runs through our art. We’re singer-songwriters and we tell stories through our lyrics. However, as an audience you will receive these words very differently, through a range of genres like folk, indie pop and rock all in one night.
Carmel: We also bring different things to the table in terms of putting this tour together. Rene is good at logistics and coordinating, Lew is good at connecting with people and brings the best vibes, and I’m the in-house designer.
“Hearing an explicitly queer song in Singapore is a rare treat”
What are you most excited for as you embark on your tour?
Wong: I’m excited to meet our listeners overseas. I’ve never played a show outside Singapore so there are a lot of firsts happening for me these next few months.
Loh: I’m excited to reunite with listeners who came to the shows from my last tour, and am also looking forward to making new memories with Rene and Marian. I’ve been trying to remind myself that being able to go on tour is a huge privilege and that we should continue to work hard to make the shows perfect. But I should also allow myself to indulge in the well-deserved fruit from ‘trees’ I planted years ago.
Carmel: I’ll be playing full sets of my original songs in my hometown of Laguna for the first time. I’ve been living in Singapore for 22 years and have been here without family for three years now. This will be the first time my entire family will watch me play a set. I feel a little vulnerable, to be honest, but I’m excited. I’m also stoked to connect with other Filipino artists and to explore more of Manila.
Could each of you share your favourite songs from the other two?
Wong: ‘Summer Boy’ by Lewloh. His voice sounds incredibly delicious on this track. The storytelling is also so immersive and hearing an explicitly queer song in Singapore is a rare treat.
‘What if Nobody Kisses Me?’ by Marian Carmel. This song goes crazy live. I’m not kidding. If I’m playing my set after Marian’s, I have to pace myself during their performance of this song so I don’t use up all my energy dancing.
Loh: ‘The Whole World Shook Alive’ by Rene. This song triggers nostalgia and sends me straight into a reflective state. The lyrics are observations on how the world has changed over the years and invite me to question how I have contributed to that change.
‘Take What I Can Get’ by Marian Carmel. My favourite part is the last chorus where the drums and distorted electric guitars create an explosive release of energy. It makes me feel like a teenager pining for an unrequited crush.
Carmel: ‘UFO’ by Rene. I have never screamed along to any other chorus louder than the last chorus of this song.
‘Loose Ends’ by Lewloh. This song has my favourite songwriting from Lewloh and that says a lot. Lew is an incredible writer and he puts the feeling of being in limbo and being unable to share how you really feel into words.
The July/August ‘Cravings’ issue of Vogue Singapore issue is available online or on newsstands.
