Summer Hsu, lead singer of Relax-ONE, qualifying judge for ICRT’s Battle of the Bands, a woman who survived a spectacular onstage face-plant in the middle of an international show.
“It was my first performance in Japan” she says with a laugh, “I started out stiff and nervous, and as I was dancing, my high heel caught in my miniskirt!”
First of all, what sort of limb-contorting, joint-popping dance move would cause one’s high heel to become entangled in one’s miniskirt?
But secondly, this was also a moment that defined the lead singer’s take on music and performance.
You can hear Summer’s love for music in her clear, unhesitating voice. She speaks of music the way one speaks of a significant other, a life partner. It’s the kind of long, steady love that is grounded by hard-won experience, worn smooth by raging arguments and heart-wrenching near break-ups.
Summer says music was an integral part of her life from a very young age. Her mother is half aboriginal, and there was often music and dancing in the Hsu household.
After several years composing and singing in competitions, Summer was on the verge of settling for a “regular” job after graduating university, when she met the members of her current band, Relax-ONE.
From there, everything fell into place.
She was inspired to compose. She loved the way her songs sounded when enriched with what she called “the band sound”. Their work together is almost a lifestyle, Summer says, “it’s organic”.
You can hear Summer’s love for music in her clear, unhesitating voice. She speaks of music the way one speaks of a significant other, a life partner.
It’s the kind of long, steady love that is grounded by hard-won experience, worn smooth by raging arguments and heart-wrenching near break-ups.
In fact, this is a challenge the lead vocalist and Relax-ONE have struggled with since putting out their first album in 2005.
“Band members have come and gone since then, talented, valued band members,” Summer says emphatically, “it’s the emotional equivalent of a huge breakup!”
She cites the example of their bass guitarist, who left the band for a few years over artistic differences.
Summer says these moments are inevitable in career bands. But, she has since learned that there are no absolutes, and a common love for music sometimes brings people back together.
Said bass guitarist is currently back with the band, and they’re all loving it.
On how she defines “success” in music, Summer says it’s all about the love.
“If you can retain your love for music, and you’re still passionate about it even after everything you go through as an artist, that is success,” Summer says with a smile.
As for success in ICRT’s Battle of the Bands, the singer says she’s looking for originality and spark.
“Certainly the song should sound good, but part of what makes a band stand out, is that they are connected, and happy to be performing.”
According to the songwriter, a band that is connected and enjoying its time on stage is electric, creates a happy atmosphere.
Summer is quite emphatic about this. You’re a metal band you say? Singing about death and fury you say? The audience should be able to feel your enjoyment of that death and fury.
If you can retain your love for music, and you’re still passionate about it even after everything you go through as an artist, that is success.
Complete preparation is also essential. The singer says only with thorough prep work can a performer be truly and fully present on stage, totally in the moment.
“You’ll know you’ve prepared well enough because you can just let go and throw yourself into the performance.”
Just ask her about the time she was so prepared, and so deep in it, that she danced herself right off the edge of a 2-meter high stage, pulling a Houdini mid-song.
As a final piece of advice to BOB contestants, Summer admits that competitions can be cruel. But, she says, they create a common goal, bringing your band members together. No matter what happens before your performance, be fully present during your time in the spotlight, and savor that moment.
Back to Summer lying on her face onstage in Japan, all those years ago.
The woman made a choice.
With a face-plant in front of hundreds of people being pretty high on the scale of humiliation, Summer decided she had nothing left to lose.
She peeled herself off the floor, cracked a joke, and threw herself into the rest of the set, with the crowd going wild.
And that’s how it’s done.
If you’d like to learn more about Summer Hsu and Relax-ONE, you can check out their next performance on August 10th at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park.
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