William Singe
After two years or so of doing covers, remixes and mashups of various pop hits, the Australian musician William Singe has amassed almost two million subscribers and over 305 million views on the video-sharing website YouTube, making him one of the most popular stars on the internet.
But he aspires to go beyond that. With a new, self-penned single and a newly minted contract with RCA Records, he now finds himself in a transition from being an internet sensation into more of an original artist. And it’s a challenge, he said, that he has been raring to take on.
“I’m trying to break away from doing covers or from being considered only as a YouTube star. I’m a singer, songwriter, sound engineer and producer,” related the former member of the boyband The Collective, which was formed and finished third in “X Factor Australia” in 2012.
The 24-year-old singer, whose most-viewed videos include a cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” and a mashup of Drake’s “Fake Love,” D.R.A.M.’s “Broccoli” and Aminè’s “Caroline,” recently headlined the “Manila X Festival.”
Excerpts from the Inquirer interview—arranged by Wilbros Live—with William.
What has changed since your last visit here last January? I have done a lot more performing since, and I have become more confident onstage. The last year and a half, I played at least 150 gigs.
Are you open to collaborating with Filipino artists? I’m always open to collaborations. And I know that there are a lot of talented people here.
Singe
Tell us about your debut single, “Rush” (released in digital format locally by Ivory Records). It samples the 1990s hit “Crush” by Jennifer Paige. It’s about people’s vices and demons, and saying “no” to them.
So did you feel like explaining the song to your audience? I let them feel how they want to feel about it.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge in becoming an original artist? Making my original songs as big as my covers.
But you’re not going to stop making covers completely? No, there will be songs that I will like and wish I wrote.
Do you sometimes feel that YouTube artists are looked down upon? Yeah, it’s crazy, ridiculous. Some people would say, “Nah, he’s just a YouTube kid.” But I sing, play instruments; I can mix, master and engineer—all those stuff.
And putting your own twist to a song takes creativity. Yeah, you have to get the creative juices flowing. And you can make a particular tune sound and feel totally different by playing around or remaking the instrumentals and such.
Are you compelled to prove to people that you’re a true artist? Deep down inside, I do feel at times that I have to prove to people that I’m actually an artist.
Are you worried that being signed with a label would limit your creative control? Not at all. I think they’re fine with me expressing my creativity.
How far are you willing to compromise, if things need to come to that? I’m open to everything, but if they’re asking for something I’m not vibing with, then I will tell them right away.
But to make a good song, you do have to compromise at times.