For the first time ever, two of Singapore’s most prolific singer-songwriters, Gentle Bones and Charlie Lim, have come together to pen the bittersweet anthem “Two Sides.” This is the third of ten singles Gentle Bones has planned for release this year, after the light and playful tracks, “Why Do We?” and “Be Cool.”
On top of that, “Two Sides” will be released under brand new label, Yung Lee Records (YLR), helmed by Gentle Bones. This is an exciting debut for YLR amidst the glooming climate of 2020. Written and produced jointly by Gentle Bones and Charlie Lim, the song represents the two sides in every relationship.
“Joel has a strong sense of melody which made writing and producing this song quite effortless,” explains Charlie. “I believe we’ve come up with a song that perfectly addresses our struggles of the duality we face in both our personal relationships and our strive to touch people with our music,” Bones continues.
With Bone’s soothing bedroom vocals and Charlie’s smooth, jazzy tones, the two artists want to convey a perspective of heartbreak and longing. It is an ode to those going through difficult times with loved ones; showing them that on both sides, there are some things that only an honesty with self, one another and time can heal.
“Two Sides” starts off with a distinct, lilting beat which introduces the listener to a hopeful but tender mood. Having been a fan of each other’s works for many years, Gentle Bones and Charlie Lim utilised their shared love for late 90s/early 2000s boy bands by putting their own stamp on it. It is through this sound that listeners were able to enjoy the artists’ beautiful meld of vocal harmonies, designed to bring us on a journey of nostalgia.
Providing some insight into the song’s message, Charlie Lim shares, “A lot of the lyrics came from a place of frustration with someone, but also knowing there’s a reason why things happen the way they do and why people are the way they are.” Gentle Bones chimes in with, “It all stems from love and a bit of heartbreak to arrive at an understanding that we are all one with our differences.”
True to the artists’ vision, Two Sides serves as an epistle for the lovelorn and lonely, to come together in this trying time where empathy and forgiveness hold currency.
More About Gentle Bones
Born and raised in sunny Singapore, Joel Tan, who goes by his stage name Gentle Bones, is one of the city-state’s top English artists who has made waves across the globe with live performances, selling out solo concerts and playing festivals across the world.
Gentle Bones was the first Singaporean music act to be signed by Universal Music Group and was also the first youngest English music recording artist to achieve two sold-out concerts at The Esplanade Concert Hall. In 2016, he earned himself a spot at the inaugural Forbes ‘30 under 30’ list for entertainment personalities.
I Wouldn’t Know Any Better Than You which has amassed more than 20 million streams on Spotify alone a year after its release earned him a spot in Spotify’s Top 5 Most Streamed Singapore artists in late 2019, amongst his peers, namely JJ Lin, Jasmine Sokko, Tanya Chua & Stephanie Sun.
More About Charlie Lim
Charlie Lim is a singer-songwriter/producer based in Singapore, whose records TIME/SPACE and CHECK-HOOK clinched #1 spot on the iTunes Singapore chart when they were released, and was named Best Pop Album of the Year by The Straits Times and awarded Best of the Year by Apple Music Singapore.
Gathering accolades and prominent festival slots along the way, including a central role in writing and performing the theme song for Singapore’s National Day, Charlie has quickly grown into one of Southeast Asia’s most unique voices in modern pop music.
Charlie’s music has spread across the region’s live stages from Summersonic Tokyo, Asian Picks Fukuoka, Wanderland Festival Philippines, Clockenflap Hong Kong, Georgetown Festival Malaysia and Bigsound Brisbane to name a few. Following two landmark, sold out shows at Mosaic Music Festival Singapore – an achievement never claimed by a Singaporean artist – Charlie headlined the 1,600-seater Esplanade Concert Hall and held a solo concert at the Star Performing Arts Theatre.
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