A rare gem in the local music scene, Gena Sim first found her passion for singing while participating in karaoke at weddings when she was a little girl.
Gena Sim: Making life more melodious
As a little girl, Gena Sim had always dreamed of being a mermaid. With “The Little Mermaid” as her favourite Disney musical, she had always wanted to sing and act on stage — just like Ariel.
Sim is now a rare gem in Kuching, Sarawak, as she can strum her vocals as high as the Queen of the Night F + 1 semitone higher. The opera singer added that her voice type is coloratura soprano, which is the highest voice type in opera.
Attributing her singing career to her voice teacher Madam Linda Lin Liying, whom she took lessons from after graduating from a university in Singapore, the 36-year-old recalled her early singing experiences.
“It had to be one of those wedding karaokes,” she said as she gave a chuckle.
She had her first core memory of singing when she was nine years old, and while she enjoyed it, she never thought she was talented at it.
“But that’s a good thing because realising you’re not talented motivates you to work even harder.”
Sim, who is classically trained, started singing professionally after she left university at the age of 23. Despite her desire to study engineering, her father had different plans for her and encouraged her to study music instead. As a passionate musician, she can also play the piano and cello.
Coming out of her shell
Despite having performed in numerous shows, Sim admitted to having an inferiority complex.
“I’m always wondering whether I’m good enough. Because I am not naturally talented, I need to work hard. I’ve been singing for a while now, so it’s like a skill that I’ve developed over time.”
She added that she would feel nervous before each show, thinking that she would perform badly. But when she takes the stage, she feels at peace.
“The hardest thing for me is to come out of my shell. So I create a different character when I’m on stage. I’d wear a different mask. And when I look back, I would wonder if that’s me.”
The character, which she adapts to on stage, is a persona she recognises as a platform of freedom.
“With that mask on, I can be more free … as if there isn’t a barrier that makes me believe I’m not good enough.”
Sim, in addition to singing opera, also dabbles in Shanghai Jazz and musical theatre. Although not a mainstream genre, the singer said the genre of her interest seemed more exciting to pursue.
“With musical theatre, I can express a wide range of emotions. Comedy is my preferred genre to perform, so I can act and sing accordingly.”
Gena Sim, the vocal teacher
Sim, a certified vocal teacher at her studio, ‘G Music Vocals’, was asked if everybody can sing. She answered with a resounding “yes”! Among her many best teaching achievements, she revealed that she was able to train a tone-deaf student to sing in a good tone for 95 per cent of a song.
“I believe that with a little patience, anyone can sing. There are a lot of technicalities involved, such as how to get a sound out of them. But, at the end of the day, they can sing if they practise and know how to pull their vocal cords.”
She recently introduced musical theatre to her students. As she explores musical theatre production in Kuching, she wants her students to embrace the joys of singing while acting and dancing.
Always dedicated to perfecting her craft, she believes that there is still room for improvement in the music industry in Kuching, particularly in non-mainstream areas such as musical theatre production and others.
“I think that singers are often underappreciated here, and that they tend to serve as background music instead,” she said.
On her way to creating steady development in performances and productions with the local community here, Sim aims to raise awareness of musical theatre. As she trains her students to not only sing but also dance and act, she hopes for a better future for the contemporary classical music scene here.
