In the era of bedroom pop—when music’s up-and-coming stars are made overnight on TikTok and precocious teens are writing the next biggest hits right from, well, their bedrooms—it has become more important than ever for young artists to be equipped with tools that can keep up with their boundless creativity.
Enter: the iPad mini. In its latest update, the iPad mini puts a lot of power right into the palm of its user’s hand. Supercharged by the all-new A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence, the device is faster and more versatile than ever. Amongst its many uses, most notable perhaps is the ultraportable gadget’s ability to serve as the perfect creative sidekick.
Central to this is the iPad mini’s new compatibility with Apple Pencil Pro—an essential tool for instantly turning the device into a sketchpad, journal or vision board. With custom haptics and the ability to sense a user’s squeeze, the Apple Pencil Pro offers a remarkably intuitive experience and precise control. But don’t take it from us—hear straight from three young artists in Singapore on how the device fits into their creative process.
23-year-old Shazza, 20-year-old Regina Song and 16-year-old Mila Bea are amongst some of Singapore’s most exciting new musical acts. Something else they share in common? Each songstress has a special relationship with her iPad mini—whether they use it for recording melodies or penning lyrics on the go, designing their uniquely aestheticised worlds, or simply organising their busy schedules. Here, they open up about their music journeys, how the iPad mini is fuelling their creativity, and their best tips and tricks for fellow users.
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Shazza
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
I can’t pinpoint when I fell in love with music. The deal was sealed when I started writing songs at 11, and since then, there’s never been any question as to what my dream job would be. So far it’s been a journey of high highs and low lows, the road has gone up and down more times than I can count and I’ve ultimately learnt that the point of it all is to take everything as it comes and use everything as a point of learning.
What is the best piece of advice you have received as a young musician?
Things move very fast in this industry and it can be hard to really process all the things that are coming your way. Whenever I feel anxious about a new project, or when I find it hard to embrace a new opportunity, one thing that gets me through is the idea that I should try to do things for my younger self. A lot of these opportunities are things I would only have dreamed of getting to do when I was younger, and while it’s also really important that I take care of my mental health, it does help to put things into perspective when I think that way.
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Shazza
How do you personally incorporate the iPad mini into your creative process?
I LOVE my iPad mini. I use it to plan out my days, and I’ve seen such a massive difference in the upkeep of my life ever since I started doing so. I feel so much more productive and I really value the clarity this habit brings. Aside from that, I enjoy doing a lot of my own design work, whether for brand collaborations or music releases. The iPad mini and the Apple Pencil Pro have been two of my best assets for this. I actually designed the logo for my very first fragrance, Perfume: by shazza, using my trusty Macbook and iPad / Apple Pencil Pro duo. It’s one of the works I’m proudest of.
Are there any handy user tips, apps or features you would recommend?
I personally love using Procreate. I designed my own planner on Procreate and I’ve found that doing so has given me so much flexibility to craft the perfect system to plan out my releases, projects and days in general. It works really well for me because I was able to design it myself, and I would recommend doing the same to anyone who might be struggling to find the right planning system.
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Regina Song
How would you describe the music you make?
I would describe it as girly singer-songwriter pop; my music tends to be charged with emotion. I love to do lots of storytelling—I would say that the songwriting is the aspect I spend the most time on. I like to write songs in a reflective and diaristic manner.
What is your ultimate goal as a musician and a creative?
The ultimate goal is to do what I love: which is to make art that is true to myself, and make it sustainably. I’m lucky to be one of the creatives who is starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel—I have some amazing people on my team. At the end of the day, I just want to be able to buy my parents a good meal, and hopefully it will be more than that in the future. And of course, I want to make my listeners happy.
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Regina Song
How do you personally incorporate the iPad mini into your creative process?
I enjoy doodling very much, so the iPad mini and Apple Pencil Pro are absolutely perfect for adding a cute touch of personality to my pictures. I also really like using the iPad mini during my rehearsals to read my charts and take down notes.
Are there any handy user tips, apps or features you would recommend?
I love using the built-in applications from Apple on the iPad mini. I actually write all my songs on the Notes app! I’ve been writing some new songs on the iPad mini recently—the larger display as compared to my phone helps me write my songs much more effectively because I can see all my lyrics at once. For me, the best thing about the iPad mini is that it is light and portable, perfect for a small girl like me.
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Mila Bea
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
My parents have amazing taste in music, so I was exposed to muses like Nina Simone and Tori Amos from a young age. I think this played a huge role in my upbringing, and taught me the importance of song in telling stories and connecting with other people. So far, the journey has been incredibly surreal. I have the most welcoming and supportive fan base, and I’m so grateful for the community we’ve created.
How would you describe the music you make?
Healing, bittersweet and poetic. I love disguising melancholy themes in upbeat rhythms and funky chords. Most importantly, I take great pride in the complexity of my lyrics.
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Mila Bea
How do you personally incorporate the iPad mini into your creative process?
I love making my own digital art, which I use for my merch and music videos. I especially enjoy using the app, Procreate, on the iPad mini to create little doodles. My favourite function on Procreate is the ‘animation assist’ which allows me to make little animations for my posts. For me, lyrics, melodies and visuals are all part of the creative process and the iPad mini allows me to switch between these really seamlessly.
Are there any handy user tips, apps or features you would recommend?
I write my lyrics on the notes app and to have it on the iPad mini is great for when I get ideas on the go and need to jot them down. I love the function of pinning my notes as it helps me to remember which demos I want to go back to and reform. I also add quick voice recordings of melody ideas to the notes.
Discover the iPad mini at apple.com.
