Interview with Freshmusic Awards' Yuneng Chen

We invited our dear friend and founder of media platform ⁠Freshmusic Awards⁠ Yuneng Chen to join us on this very special episode of Everywhere and Nowhere titled 'COMMUNITY'. Inspired by the tireless work Yuneng and his team have been doing for the regional music scene over the last 16 years, we wanted to shed a light on what they've done for the community and get an insiders' opinion from Yuneng on who he felt should have made the ⁠winners' list ⁠at this years' Freshmusic awards.

But more than that, this conversation was special to us because underneath it all, it's all about Community. About the work it takes from people who have no rational reason to do what they do; and how they create these magical experiences, spaces, conversations which benefit the wider music scene. I had the pleasure of attending the Freshmusic awards LIVE for the first time ever last month, and it really reminded me about the value of the communities people like Yuneng are building.

It’s not just about being able to put on an event, a show, write a piece with the same 'quality' as a for-profit who’s getting paid to do it; it’s about all those little nuances that come together and add up to create something magical, something transcendent. Something bigger than us all. And those are the experiences we seek out, we live for, we remember the longest. Why? Because in shared experiences and spaces we find community. We find solace and a shred of similarity that tides us through for one more day. That feeling of being in a room full of like minded and well intentioned individuals is like no other. And these are the moments that contribute to a healthier, safer, prosperous music ecosystem.

So grab a seat and let's dive deep into music nerdery as Yuneng and I deconstruct some of his favourite albums and artists of 2022 from across Singapore, Malaysia and the Greater China music space!

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