Denise Kang
The quintet started out back in “old school” Internet – via MySpace. With Dreaming Out Loud, a certified platinum album in the United States in 2007, OneRepublic conquered the world with singles like “Apologize”, “Stop And Stare” and “All The Right Moves”.
Here are 5 reasons to catch ’em on Oct 29 at the Hard Rock Coliseum, Sentosa:
1. Because of “Apologize”
“It’s too late to apologize… It’s too late”
Admit it, you were singing along to it in your head.
That was the anthem of our teenage-hood (or adulthood, or childhood, depending out your age). It was almost impossible to go through an entire shopping mall without hearing this hit single, which hit 10,331 plays on US radio, played at least thrice. This UrbanWire writer also remember belting out this song (albeit off-key) with her friends the moment it comes on radio, or when someone decides to play it out loud, on a mobile phone – with buttons. Those were the days.
What about Timbaland’s remix of this song? Well, it obliterated the competition, reaching number 1 in 16 countries, and gained a whopping 10 million download. This also earned them a Grammy award nomination.
2. Because they sound amazing live
There aren’t many bands among their contemporaries that bring something different to their live performances, but OneRepublic are known to deliver raw emotions impossible to receive through aural means. You may remember their second hit single, “Stop And Stare”, a classic heartbreaker for the young souls.
3. Because of Ryan Tedder
Lead singer Ryan Tedder has always been your life, even if OneRepublic wasn’t. A talented songwriter, he has written (or co-written) popular hits sung by powerhouses that you probably didn’t know was written by the front man of this band.
Here’s a list of songs you probably didn’t know were written (or co-written) by him:
- “Halo” by Beyoncé Knowles
- “Sleepwalker” by Adam Lambert
- “Rumour Has It” by Adele
- “Already Gone” by Kelly Clarkson
Aside from his songwriting prowess, we all have got to admit, Tedder is really easy on the eyes.
4. Because of the instruments they use
Think “instruments in a rock band” and the instruments that comes to mind are: electric guitars, a steady drum set, synthesizers, and a hardy pair of lungs that comes with resilient vocal chords. OneRepublic blasts that notion out the window with their usage of instruments that are usually associated with orchestras.
Members Zach Filkins, Drew Brown, Eddie Fisher and Brent Kutzle have UrbanWire’s respect for their competency with instruments. Aside from playing the key instruments needed to play rock numbers, the OneRepublic have in their arsenal, members who are well-versed in both guitars or drums, and instruments like the glockenspiel (a metallic xylophone), the marimba, the viola, the cello, and the cajón.
The result? A very interesting mix of harsh and mellow tunes, resulting in the hits as mentioned in point 1 and point 2.
5. Because they perform awesome covers
OneRepublic has quite a few covers up their sleeves. This, in particular, is this writer’s favorite – a medley of the classic “Stand By Me” (by Ben E. King), the wacky “Seven Nation Army” (by The White Stripes) and “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake. A perfect marriage of the old and new; besides, Ryan Tedder’s wide vocal range does help make this cover all the more enjoyable.
Event details
When: Oct 29
Where: The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel, Sentosa
Price: $108 (early bird), $128 (standard), $148 (at the door) from SISTIC
Photos courtesy of Midas Promotions (unless otherwise stated).