Sing(e) your heart out

MANILA, Philippines – “Hi, this is Will,” warmly greeted William Singe when he called up The STAR using what seemed like his personal number and sounding pretty much like your regular next-door guy or friend ringing for a chat.

But the 23-year-old Australian singer-songwriter is about to break out internationally — if not already. Singe caught attention beyond his home country when he started posting his versions of chart-toppers over a year ago on YouTube, which he re-arranged and recorded himself in his own bedroom.

YouTube has been the go-to platform for many an aspiring act but it’s so saturated that to say it’s not easy to be noticed would be an understatement. For Singe to become one of them most talked about online these days — a No. 1 position on Spotify, 20 million Spotify streams, more than 50 million YouTube views, among others — goes to show that Singe is something else.

In the Philippines, he’s been building up a fan base for the past year, and probably even more so when yup, “That Girl” who happens to hold (as of late 2015) the third fastest-growing Twitter account in the world was fan-girling and tweeting: “I swear I could listen to @WillSinge’s song covers everyday for the rest of my life.”

Singe responded with a laugh and a retweet. When The STAR reminded him about it during the phone interview, Singe said he would love to have AlDub’s Maine Mendoza on his show. (Maybe date night for AlDub?)

Singe is coming to Manila to perform at the #3LOGYinManila with Jayda Avanzado, The Tide, Before You Exit and The Vamps on Jan. 30 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. He’s set to return in March for another show but this time, as the headline act (date to be announced soon).

“I’d love to meet her,” Singe said of Maine. “That would be awesome. All she has to do is message me and I’ll sort that so we could have her there.”

Singe added, “I’m looking forward to get out there. I can’t wait to be there. I’ve always wanted to go to the Philippines. I’ve never been there before. There’s been a lot of support that’s been coming through for me. It’s crazy. I know Manila is very supportive of my music.”

After his Manila visit, he’s headed for the US in February and April, and Europe in May for a backbreaking tour itinerary. His show has been dubbed William Singe: The Introduction.

“It’s already crazy at the moment, but’s yeah, it’s going to be tenfold as crazy,” Singe said, referring to his schedule. “I’m just about to start touring. I’ve started in my home country, and then moving to there (Manila), and then the US and then Europe.”

A quick look at his tour dates on his website would reveal sold-out venues in the US and London. “So, you know, I’m just preparing, taking care of my voice, my health and my well-being. I’m just focused on what lies ahead and making sure that I’m doing the best job that I can do.”

That is because he is living a dream. The Sydney-based Singe, who is of Maori descent, said, “Since I was about a little boy, I’ve always wanted to do music. Music is in my (core). I kind of pick that up from my dad. He plays the bass and the guitar and he’s a singer- songwriter. One hundred  percent (he’s the one who got me into music). So, yeah, I belong to a musical family. I just ran with it.”

Even if it didn’t turn out the way it did and his talent was ignored on YouTube or other social media, he can’t imagine doing anything else. “Of course, I’d still be pursuing music but if YouTube wasn’t around or stuff like that, I’d definitely be working harder, be more practical and get a day job at the same time to (tide) me over. Luckily, I don’t have to do that.”

Apart from the tour, Singe is reportedly doing his first major project with One Direction’s Liam Payne. After discovering him on the Internet, the 1D member who has put up his own music label reportedly sent him a direct message on Twitter, asking for his number, and they’ve been communicating ever since. “I can’t talk about it right now. But yeah, I’ve been talking to him for a while and everything right now is going real well,” was all Singe could say.

Now, what’s a popular online personality without bashers? According to one interview, he got bashed by 1D fans when Payne reached out to him amidst the 1D hiatus and rumors that members were going to pursue solo careers.

“I just let their insecurities eat them alive,” said Singe of his how-to-deal-with-haters manual, “and turn my attention (to people) who showed me support. For everyone who hated, there are a hundred people who showed me love and so you know, I’m going to spend time showing them love than focusing on the negatives.”

Prior to his online fame, Singe was beginning to make a name for himself in the music scene as a member of The Collective, a boy band formed during the 2012 season of The X Factor Australia, and that got signed up by Sony Music and released an album. The group, however, broke up last year after Singe decided to go solo.

With exciting days ahead of him, Singe also wants to show that he has more to offer besides great (if not better) covers. “I’ve actually done a lot of original music,” he said with a laugh. “I’m actually performing some of my music, so hopefully I’m gonna hear good things about it.”

Describing his genre as R&B and pop, Singe said, “I’d like to write about whatever is going on with me at that point of time or situations I’m, which I’m sure a lot of people can relate with. I mean, I’m a deep person, I’d like to dig deep into the psyche but at the same time, you make things that are gonna lift everyone up. So, yeah, it’s kind of light and shine, and touches everyone’s emotions and situations because they’ve probably experienced it at one point in their lives.”

(The concert is produced by Music Management International. Tickets are available through SM Tickets outlets and via online at www.smtickets.com. Call 470.2222 for ticket inquiries.)

Singe became an online hit, getting attention from the likes of One Direction, after posting cover versions on YouTube which he recorded from his bedroom