Charlotte LowProfile: Theodora Lau
Music has always been a major part of Theodora Lau’s life. “Before I finished my ‘O’ Levels, my dad told me: ‘If you want to sing, if that’s what you feel like doing for the rest of your life, then just drop out of school after ‘O’ Levels. Just make sure you can feed yourself’,” the singer-songwriter recounts with a smile.
“So I guess his drift was ‘do something with your life’.”
Burgeoning In Music
At first glance, Theodora looks like any other teenage girl, but the 18-year-old is making waves in the local music scene. She’s after all, one of the 8 finalists of the music mentorship programme that’s part of Baybeats, an annual music festival, and the only singer-songwriter among them.
With her powerful vocals and wisdom beyond her years, Theodora has proved that she’s an emerging talent to keep our eyes on.
“She’s a small, diminutive person in appearance, but has a powerful and mature voice. We’re all blown away. She’s got an amazing talent and voice and she can go quite far,” said Errol Tan, co-owner of Kitty Wu Records and Theodora’s Baybeats mentor.
An artist with a vision and immense respect for her craft, Theodora does not let her youth get in the way.
“She has her own stand and knows what she wants. But she’s also flexible,” says Auzaie Zie, better known as Zie, 22, the synthesizer player for local band Aquila Vasica, who’s collaborating on a song with Theodora.
Her Music Beginnings And Inspirations
Theodora, who’s currently in her second-year of polytechnic said: “I started as a singer-songwriter when I auditioned for Noise Singapore in 2014. Before that, I just really liked to sing, so I just sang anywhere I could.”
She credits her parents for her love for music. Her mother used to sing in an a cappella group and was a songwriter herself, and her father has always been very encouraging.
While music has always been an integral part of her life, Theodora only started writing songs in 2014.
“I draw my inspiration from experiences – either my experiences or someone else’s experiences – or generally what I think about something,” she shares.
Her song “Rabbit Hole”, for example, was inspired by a concept. “It’s the idea that sometimes when you allow someone in, [when] you buy into their beliefs, and allow them to influence your thoughts and what you believe in, [then] when the two of you are ripped apart, you find yourself very lost and you can no longer identify who you are,” explained Theodora.
A Debut Album In The Works
Currently working on an EP with Mr Leonard Soosay of Snakeweed Studios, Theodora shared what her (as yet) untitled EP would be like. “A compilation of all the work I’ve done so far. So it’s how I chronicle my journey, something I get to look back on.” The five-song EP is set for release by end 2015.
“It’s too early for me to see whether or not it’ll be a full-time thing, but it’s something that I will do for the rest of my life, whether or not I release stuff, or whether or not I choose to continue building it as a career,” she says with a laugh.
“But it’s something I’ll always do. I’ll always sing. I’ll always create. It’s a big part of who I am.”
To know her better in a nutshell, UrbanWire puts together 5 fun facts about Theodora that you’d probably didn’t know.
As we wait excitedly for more music from this rising young talent, take a listen to “Lines” – The first single release from her upcoming EP and share with us your thoughts on it in our poll below.
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Photos courtesy of Raphael Ong and Theodora Lau
Follow Theodora on her social media handles:
Instagram: @theodoralau
Twitter: @Theodoralau
Facebook: /theodoramusic
YouTube: /Theodoralau