Students: The Heartbeat of Playback Music School

At Playback Music School, we’ve always believed in one thing:

Anyone can grow. Music is for everyone.

And the journey is always sweeter when you’re surrounded by a community that feels like home.

Over the years, I’ve been blessed to teach hundreds of students, some who stayed for months, many who stayed for years, and a handful who have grown into friends and memories I cherish deeply.

These are some of their stories.

Not the “overnight success” type, but the real ones, slow, honest, stubborn, emotional, funny, and heartwarming.

Yuheng — The Power of Showing Up for Years

If consistency were a person, her name would be Yuheng.

She joined shortly after her parents enrolled in my vocal classes, and before long, Saturday mornings became her sacred routine. She’s the most structured, routine-driven person I’ve ever met, which is both her greatest strength and her biggest weakness.

People of routine tend to resist change.

And that resistance found its way into her singing too.

She’s incredibly smart, very capable, but there was always something, a hesitation, a muscle memory, a comfort zone that kept her from adopting the right technique quickly.

But here’s the thing:

As resistant to change as she is, she is equally resistant to giving up.

Week after week, year after year, she kept showing up.

Even when progress was slow.

Even when things didn’t click yet.

Even when it felt frustrating.

Now, 11 years later, she sings so much better than the girl who first stood in front of me.

That quiet perseverance… I’m super proud of her.

Not everyone improves at the same speed.

But everyone can improve, as long as they don’t stop showing up.

Yuheng is proof of that.

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The Sisters Who Aren’t Sisters — Cherylin & Chai Yee

When I first met Cherylin and Chai Yee, I genuinely thought they were sisters.

Both 文縐縐, both soft spoken (at first lah), both with good pitch, and both with that classic “office lady who secretly sings in the pantry” vibe.

Turns out?

They’re colleagues.

But honestly, even now, I think they’re sisters in spirit.

They’ve been learning with me for many years, just like Yuheng, and because of their vocal chemistry, I always assign them duet or trio songs for our annual concerts.

And wah, they deliver.

I still remember the time they choreographed their own dance moves for their performance. So wholesome, so funny, so them.

Cherylin — please, less air lah.

Chai Yee — please adduct your vocal cords properly can?

I say this with love.

They’re wonderful, they work hard, they shine on stage and they always bring joy to the classroom.

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Jenny — The “Celebrity Non-Celebrity” Who Became Family

I don’t even know how to describe Jenny properly.

She’s like…

a celebrity,

but also a commoner.

A singer,

but also your friendly neighbourhood Zumba teacher.

She sings with a kind of natural confidence that makes people assume she must be an artist or influencer and honestly, I can’t blame them. I’ve even had students tell me, “Eh, isn’t that the Zumba instructor?!” when she walks into class.

Jenny is a very strong singer. But even strong singers have old habits that die hard and yes, she has her share of “naggy issues.” Still, she works at them, and she grows.

But beyond singing, Jenny became a real friend.

She helped take care of my dog, Totti (my Morkiepoo), when he was sick. We chat like old friends, and we’re even planning a holiday together with the "sisters" this Chinese New Year.

These are the connections that make Playback… Playback.

Not just a school, but a place where friendships form naturally, sometimes unexpectedly.

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A Moment I’ll Never Forget - Covid

The name “Playback Music” isn’t just a brand.

It carries history.

During Covid, when singing in schools wasn’t allowed, we had to scramble to keep our passion alive. We experimented with an online platform that allowed ultra-low latency singing and instrument playing.

And from there?

Our weekly online performances were born.

We streamed to social media every week

rehearsing until 1 AM on some nights (nothing else to do ma)

and we created something magical together. We sang National Day songs, Christmas Caroles and Chinese New Year songs.

It was pure fun.

Now, when I play back those recordings, it hits me with waves of nostalgia.

And what touches me most is this:

Most of the people from those streams… are still with me today.

Playback isn’t just a name.

It’s a memory.

A feeling.

A reminder that even through distance, music keeps us close.

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What “Success” Really Means at Playback

Success isn’t only about technique.

Or range.

Or whether you can belt a high note.

For me, success looks like this:

• When students look forward to coming to class

• When they genuinely try their best to correct their singing

• When I see them bonding inside and outside of lessons

• When they shine on stage, even if they were once terrified

• When they nail something right after a correction (shiok!)

• Witnessing friendships form naturally

• When they feel safe, accepted, and truly themselves

That is success.

That is Playback.