Interview: WHYLUCAS at ‘Music Matters Live’: A Full Circle Moment and an ORANGE-Colored Story
- Komal Gupta
- Sep 30
- 4 min read
On September 27, Singapore’s Clarke Quay wasn’t just buzzing from this year’s Music Matters Live; it was vibrating with the sound of artists from across Asia and beyond. Kicking off the night as the opening act, Singapore’s own WHYLUCAS stepped onto the stage with his guitar and an ORANGE story to tell.
It didn’t take long for him to win the crowd over. From the first strum of his new song, the audience fell quiet—mesmerised. You could tell they were loving it; every note, every lyric pulled them in, and by the end, the applause spoke volumes.
The timing couldn’t have been better: his debut EP ORANGE dropped the very same day. So the audience wasn’t just at a gig—they were part of a launch. With tracks like “Tulips,” “Tiara,” “Dirty Jokes,” and “Hurt People,” WHYLUCAS wasn’t simply performing songs—he was opening a diary, right there on stage.
A lot of those tracks come from the months he spent in Bangkok for the reality music competition Chuang Asia 2.
“Because I was there for a long time, I think a lot of friendships and relationships got really strained back at home. And because of that, it taught me a lot and made me grow a lot as a person as well,” he shared. “Because of that, I wrote a song about how sometimes, when you love someone too much, you give too much, people pull away for no reason, and this song is a part of my EP that just came out today, and it’s called “Dirty Jokes.”
Fresh off stage, Mido Media caught up with him to talk about ORANGE, Chuang Asia 2, and the moments that have shaped his journey.
Q: How did it feel to perform at Music Matters Live?
WHYLUCAS: I think for me it was quite a dream come true and a full circle moment because last year I performed at Music Matters Live, the bands edition, and it was for the juniors edition. I guess kids until the age of 21 could perform or something like that. And I think, I went on the show called Chuang Asia 2, and things just changed a little bit from there. And I'm very grateful to be performing here tonight.
Q: So, looking at your time with Chuang Asia 2 and having now released your first EP ORANGE today, has there been a moment in your career that you look back on as being your proudest moment?
WHYLUCAS: Yeah, it actually happened about a month ago. I was performing at Waterbomb Singapore, and the Waterbomb festival is the first of its kind for me, at least in my history of performing. Because at Waterbomb, I had to prepare with backup dancers as well. I had to rehearse dancing. I mean, I did dance on the show, Chuang Asia 2, but back then, even then, we were not like “centre-centre” “solo-solo” artists. So having the chance to be the solo artist with the dancers, I think is amazing, and it's very nerve-racking as well. I was blabbering nonstop on the show, but I'm very happy that I did have that.
Q: Today, there were so many people out there. So, for all the first-time listeners who are listening to you for the very first time, which one song would you recommend to them?
WHYLUCAS: Every song represents me. This is where I get indecisive…You know what? Go listen to “Dirty Jokes” by WHYLUCAS because the name is kinda suggestive and sultry, but I'm not like that at all. And the song is not like that at all.
Q: How would you describe your music in a few words?
WHYLUCAS: Experimental, pop, guitar.
Q: For the EP ORANGE, you had previously mentioned that working on this project helped you through tough times. If you could paint one lyric from the EP on a wall for listeners to see, which would it be?
WHYLUCAS: This lyric will be from “Hurt People.” The second part of verse two [goes], “Time was like eternity. So I can't blame you for losing me, after all, we were only loving through a screen.” It kind of talks about loving someone when you are doing long distance—can be a friend, can be a family member, can be a loved one.
Q: On the lighter side, which song was the most fun, and which one was the most experimental to record?
WHYLUCAS: I would say two songs. The first song will be “Tulips” because “Tulips” is really dance-y, and “Tulips” was the first song where I worked with someone else on my vocals, and I really learned a lot about recording songs and working with someone new. “Tulips” is also the first song that I teased at Waterbomb. That's why it's really special to me. And the other song would be “Dirty Jokes” because “Dirty Jokes” is a slow song, and I'm not used to slow songs.
Q: Before we wrap up, what's one song or artist you’ve been listening to on repeat lately?
WHYLUCAS: Teddy Swims – Guilty
Q: Any last words you would like to share with the Mido readers out there?
WHYLUCAS: Look outside the world, and you’ll find a gem of music that is probably across the world in Singapore.
ORANGE is out now, and WHYLUCAS is just getting started. Stream his debut EP here, and if you caught him live at Music Matters Live, let us know: did “Dirty Jokes” hit you in the gut, too? Share in the comments below or connect with us on Instagram or X!
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Edited by Martina Yee
I love Dirty Jokes so much 😍