Story of "Music of MY Heart"
Hi,
Music has always been my passion since I was a child. I loved to sing from a very young age, but I did not appreciate the discipline of having to go through piano lessons at 6 years old, so there were some many wasted years on the piano.
However, God is gracious, and He knew how much I loved singing, and despite my having forgotten much of my music training, I remembered the fundamentals of composition that I learnt as a teenager. I also remembered wishing that I could write songs - I didn’t pray that, I just wished in my heart. Still, I say again, God is gracious and He hears our hearts’ desires and our little whispers, even if we do not tell Him about them.
I started writing songs when I was 18, and it was only after having accepted Christ into my life for sometime did the Lord remind me of my “if only I could write songs” wish, and how He listens to everything we tell Him.
I started to perform my songs in my university fellowships and to friends. Then after working for some years, and when I could afford it, I learnt opera for a few years as a hobby. I wanted to explore how far I could stretch my voice and whether I could really sing. My opera teacher then invited me to join her choir to be able to practice what I learnt. It was a children’s choir - the oldest member was 18 years, apart from me! Still I didn’t mind because I learnt so much from training with these kids! I would spend the weekends rehearsing with the choir (sometimes spending up to 9 hours each weekend). I performed with the choir in Europe and the United States for a few years … as a hobby, all because of my passion for singing.
Years went by and due to my inferiority complex of not being a trained musician, I stopped writing songs for many years.
One day I realized that the Lord may just take back the gift of music and song-writing from me, after all I was not using it. The story of the servant who hid his talent was always at the back of my mind (Matthew 5 : 14 - 30). I felt like that servant, so after 15 years of refusing to write songs, I resumed composing songs again, as and when the Lord inspired me or let me hear melodies and words in my spirit; or sometimes the melodies would just play in my head, out of nowhere.
I was leading in worship for Life Fellowship meetings for years, and maybe sing my songs for small groups of friends. Still, I didn’t launch out singing solos in my church or anywhere but my songs were increasing. There were two reasons for that. One was my not daring to do so. The other was that because music was such a passion in my life, I realised that I needed to be careful in my motives. Do I sing for my ego or glory or do I sing to lift the name of Jesus and exalt His name? Do I sing that people may be blessed or do I sing so that I can feel good only? I am glad that the Lord's timing is always perfect and His ways are always perfect too.
I continued to hone the art of singing. I would say that I have been singing almost everyday of my life. I would have a tune and “lyrics” for many situations in my life - a tune when I am hungry or happy, a tune when I am uncertain or “yes! I got it”...and I kept singing my songs in my personal worship time. Each time I sang to the Lord in my devotion time I would sing with all of my heart, mind and might as if I was presenting the songs to the Lord.
I continued to hone the art of singing. I would say that I have been singing almost everyday of my life. I would have a tune and “lyrics” for many situations in my life - a tune when I am hungry or happy, a tune when I am uncertain or “yes! I got it”...and I kept singing my songs in my personal worship time. Each time I sang to the Lord in my devotion time I would sing with all of my heart, mind and might as if I was presenting the songs to the Lord.
In late 2010, after a medical scare, and stunned as I sat in a hospital, all I said to the Lord was “Ok Lord I will sing for you, anytime, anywhere, anyhow, no more excuses, no more delays, no more procrastination”
I started to volunteer to sing in church. And I thought “Yes, I am making use of my talents”.
By early 2011, a friend with whom I had been serving together in volunteer facilitation work, and who had also asked me to lead worship when there was no one available, asked me “Have you ever thought of recording your songs?” All I could answer her was “It’s not whether I have ever thought of it, it’s more of if I have ever dared to think of such an idea!”
My friend went on to ask me “Why not?” Back and forth I would say things like “To record an album involves a whole load of stuff .... (with my friend filling in my sentences for me from saying "yes you need people to arrange, produce and you need musicians" and etc) and besides I don’t know people in the music industry. I am not a musician nor a professional singer. I just love to sing (I remember my teacher’s comments when she auditioned me before making the decision to teach me “For an untrained voice you have very good tonal quality”) and happen to have all these ideas and inspiration to write songs as and when I hear them from God’s heart”
No wonder my friend could ask and complete my questions with her own answers as her next question was “You remember my son is a recording engineer...?”
That was how my friend “started the ball rolling”
So yeah, that’s about me... the singer, song-writer behind Music of MY Heart.
The Lord has preserved my life - the medical scare turned out to be "a medical scare" only; a wake-up call as someone said to me. As I sit down to count my blessings with thankfulness and gratefulness of heart to the Lord, I can thank Him once again for taking me on this awesome musical adventure. I’ve been a “jack of many trades” having been in the banking and corporate world, teaching kids in a pre-school to teaching communications and public speaking, yet I never imagined this dream of releasing my album could ever come through.
I have the Lord Jesus to thank because of His faithfulness and grace, and my family for being supportive of my crazy idea.
May the Music of MY Heart truly bless you and bring you closer to Jesus.
Blessings,
Swee See
May the Music of MY Heart truly bless you and bring you closer to Jesus.
Blessings,
Swee See
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