Never too late to chase your dreams

0

PROFESSIONAL singer Cat Ong has always dreamt of writing her own songs but never found the inspiration until her Sarawakian foster mother passed away.

I’ve been wanting to write songs for the longest time but I never seriously sat down to pursue it. — Cat Ong, professional singer

“When Mama passed on a few years ago, I felt the burning desire to express my feelings through music dedicated especially to her,” she told thesundaypost.

No stranger to the music scene, Ong has been performing since the 70’s at various clubs such as Tropicana, Club 392 and many others in her hometown of Singapore.

However, her journey in the music industry wasn’t always smooth sailing as she often felt ‘empty’ and sought for acceptance from the people around her, leading to loss of self-identity.

“At the time, I felt if only people would willingly accept me for who I was, I would have a lot of love to give,” she said.

“I battled with low self-esteem and singing was a way for me to express myself.”

Then in 1979 came the pivotal point in Ong’s life. She met Christina Foo during a gig with all-girl band, Satyn, at Holiday Inn Kuching (now Grand Margherita) Rajang Bar.

The two instantly clicked and became best friends with Ong splitting her time between Singapore and Kuching. When Foo left for her studies in Kuala Lumpur, Ong formed a close bond with Foo’s parents who cared for her like she was their own daughter.

“It was through Tina and her family that I found unconditional love and acceptance that became the anchor of my life.”

Ong confessed that the passing of one of the most important persons in her life finally led her to heed the call of her heart.

“I’ve been wanting to write songs for the longest time but I never seriously sat down to pursue it.”

Drawing heavily on life’s experiences, Ong teamed up with Foo, writing songs after songs, each encapsulating the intimate moments of their journey through life.

Though it was her first foray in songwriting, Foo, an accountant, was able to pen out the lyrics easily as she poured herself out and found solace through the words.

“Together, we sat down and went through the lyrics, expressing our emotions and journey through the good and the bad, and Cat, who is very much musically gifted, would come up with the music and breathe life into those words,” she revealed.

Within the space of six months, the talented duo had written more than 10 songs and in April 2008, with materials in hand, Ong sought assistance from her close friend, award-winning arranger Martin Tang, for the song arrangement before she finally had the audio mastered in Sydney last year.

To launch her debut album, Coming Home, the down-to-earth singer-songwriter returned to Kuching, her second home, and performed the heartfelt songs in front of family and friends who gathered at Victoria Arms in Merdeka Palace here recently. The album, also produced by Foo, featured seven songs of folk-pop genre, each bearing a message of its own.

Having experienced her fair share of ups and downs, Foo believes anyone can relate to the songs.

“In the song Bread of Life, it’s an expression of giving thanks and gratitude for all the blessings while the song Forgive Me was written based on a personal experience when I was in a church in Penang,” she explained.

“I was very emotional then and angry at myself for the things I had done in the past that I was not proud of.

But I met a priest who simply said these two word: ‘forgive yourself.’ That’s when it hit me.”

“It’s very difficult for people to do so as they are always very hard on themselves, so through the lyrics, I do hope the message will get across,” Foo said.

“We sincerely hope when people listen to these songs, they will be able to find some comfort in them,” Ong added.

This dynamic duo certainly represent the epitome of sisterhood and have proven that regardless of age, it is never too late to chase your dreams.

Be serenaded by the melodious voice of Cat Ong at www.reverbnation.com/catong.