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IAAS is feeling pretty lucky today, and so should you! We’re in for a treat, sitting down with award-winning independent Singaporean band LUCKYYOU for an interview.
2025 was a huge year for them. They’ve gigged everywhere from Timbre+ One-North, Wheeler’s Tropikana, Our Tampines Hub, and Phil’s Studio – names that any Singaporean music lover will recognise. On top of that, LUCKYYOU has landed in the top 10 finalists for BandJAM, competed in Battle of the Bands, and won Youth Music Matters Band Search. Most notably, they absolutely rocked the F1 stage last year – joining the ranks of G-Dragon, Elton John, CL, and Lewis Capaldi.
But I won’t be writing too much today, for a change of pace. Instead, I’ll let LUCKYYOU tell you about what they’re up to – in their own words.
(This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.)
IAAS Music: LUCKYYOU, thanks for taking the time to talk to us here at IAAS Music! Can you guys briefly introduce yourselves to our readers?
LUCKYYOU: Hey! We’re LUCKYYOU, a pop-rock band born from basement jams and a love of music. If you’re looking for the kind of sound that makes you sing, dance, and feel everything all at once, well, lucky you. 🎶✨
KRIS: Hi! I’m Kris, the singer for LUCKYYOU. When I’m not belting broadway tunes in the shower, you can find me totally engrossed in a movie, creatively directing, or playing poker (horribly).
ETHAN: My name’s Ethan, and I’m the rhythm guitarist for LUCKYYOU!. I believe that emotions and music should always have a connection. I’m a big fan of music with a bit of an edge, because life’s a bit of a mess. When I’m not drowning in distortion, you can find me trying to start a collection of things that I really don’t need or trying to see how many guitar picks I can lose in a room before it becomes a hazard.
POPE: Hey! I’m Pope (yes, that’s my name) and I’m the lead guitarist for LUCKYYOU! Part-time university student, part-time chess teacher, and part-time rockstar! I love playing funk and indie songs and if I’m not on the guitar, I’m usually at the side playing chess on my phone!
NOAH: Hi! I’m Noah, the drummer for LUCKYYOU. I love giving unglams [unglamorous pictures] when I’m caught on church livestreams 😜
WEI KANG: Hi! I’m Wei Kang and I’m the keyboardist for LUCKYYOU! I’m either in the studio working on new music or travelling the world! I play all genres, but I tend to infuse more jazz chords than necessary into my playing…
KAE: Hi! I’m Kae, the bassist for LUCKYYOU! I’m currently pursuing fashion studies while doing music on the side. I love building a high-energy community with my friends, and I absolutely love jumping and dancing to loud music!
IAAS Music: Love that intro! How did you guys come together? I’m told you have a variety of origin stories…
KRIS: It’s a long story. [Our bassist] Kae and I actually met in gymnastics when we were 8 or 9. When I wanted to start a band, I saw her playing bass on her Instagram story and reached out. We hadn’t spoken in years, but she agreed and brought [our guitarist] Ethan along with her. I found [our other guitarist] Pope because we worked at the same place teaching chess to children, and I saw him carrying a guitar around. We found Noah (drummer) through an Instagram story I posted, looking for a drummer. And Wei Kang (keyboardist) actually found us through Battle of the Bands, a competition held by Exfil at Phil’s Studios.
As for our name, it’s heavily inspired by a pair of jeans whose zipper reads “Lucky You”. We thought it was pretty fun.
IAAS Music: We agree – I’ve already made a play on it in the intro earlier.
We hear that you’re set to release your debut single, Can’t Stay Can’t Go, very, very soon – keep an eye out for exclusive release-day coverage on IAAS! What was the writing and production process like – and, since I hear that you have other originals in the works, what stood out about this song?
ETHAN: To be totally honest – and I know this is probably a “too much information” moment – the idea for this song actually came to me while I was on the toilet! It sounds ridiculous, but I think there’s something to be said for those moments of stillness where you’re finally alone with your thoughts, even the thoughts you’ve been trying to avoid thinking.
I was just sitting there, and the phrase “counterfeit dream” popped into my head. I knew I had to write it down right away. This somewhat less glamorous moment of epiphany is what made the song an emotional exorcism.
I wanted to write about the social side of a breakup, because I think that’s part of the weirdness of it all – someone can put on a perfect or innocent face to the world while you’re the only one who knows the truth. [It’s like] being in love with a version of a person that doesn’t really exist. It’s just so isolating when you’re putting your heart on your sleeve, and all you get in return is silence.
What sets Can’t Stay Can’t Go apart from the other songs we’ve been working on is that it lacks the clean pop ending where the hero walks away, head held high. I really wanted to drive the betrayal of the body home, where [your] mind knows the truth, but you still tremble when you touch. It’s a way of illustrating how our hearts and nervous system may not catch up with our minds right away. It’s not just a song about moving away, it’s about the long, arduous process of coming to terms with letting go when a part of you is still waiting in the doorway.
IAAS Music: The lack of resolution does make the narrative pretty compelling and true-to-life.
The perennial question for Singaporean musicians is always: how do you balance the band with other life commitments like school and work? Even finding a rehearsal space is tough in this economy!
POPE: All of us are either at work or school half the time, so finding a date to jam gets really tough. When we do meet, we always ensure we give it our 100%. We knew that we had something special to offer people and show everyone how much we loved music.
Burning through the late night in studios, constantly applying for gigs and always trying out new songs – we pushed through every step of the way and eventually? It all paid off.
IAAS Music: I’d say it did. You guys compete pretty prolifically as a band, and won Youth Music Matters last year for a slot on the F1 stage. Can you tell us about what that experience was like – any highlights, lowlights, or lessons learnt?
KAE: Winning Youth Music Matters (YMM) was such a surreal experience. I remember my friend who participated in last year’s YMM sending me the open call post on Instagram for [2025] entries, and our band was immediately up for it!
The wait for them to announce the top 8 for the showdown was so tense – I recall squealing in the bus at 11pm and calling the entire band up to say we made the first round! We practiced ALOT [sic] for the actual day, on which we actually had two competitions back to back – we ran from Tampines to One-North Timbre [26.3km, or 30min by car and over an hour by public transport either way] and back!
My personal favourite highlight was meeting all the other talented bands there, with some familiar faces as well! I recognised a few artists from Battle of the Bands 2025 – where we made our initial debut – before rebranding back in June, and all of us supporting and cheering each other on. The dinner debrief after was crazy…!
IAAS Music: I can only imagine. Though I certainly wouldn’t want to run across Singapore holding all my gear!
If you get to pick only one artist or band to open for on their Singapore stop, who’s on your list?
ETHAN: If we had to choose one band, it would have to be My Chemical Romance, hands down. No questions asked. There’s something so legendary about the energy that they bring to their shows, and since our music, especially Can’t Stay Can’t Go, is all about that raw energy and honesty, we think we would be perfect for them.
We’ve always been so inspired by how My Chemical Romance takes those darkest, most isolating emotions and spins them into these gigantic, collective anthems. They have this incredible ability to bring a large group of fans together and make them all feel like they’re all in this together. That’s exactly what our song is all about – taking something very private and frustrating and turning it into something cathartic.
IAAS Music: I love MCR too! And I did catch that reference to I’m Not Okay (I Promise), one of my favourites from them. Can you give any advice to all the other indie bands out there?
POPE: No one starts at peak performance. Every band has that period where you will have to learn and grow. For most, it’s through playing at gigs; for us, it was partaking in the competitions that got us to where we are today! So whatever you do, don’t back out too quickly! Keep playing and putting out the music you guys wanna! Oh, and supper definitely helps too if you practise as late as us!
IAAS Music: I don’t know about our international readers, but in Singapore and South-East Asia, food always makes everything look so much better!
Unfortunately, this is our last question for today: can you recommend one local Singaporean song you guys have been listening to lately?
KAE: There’s SO much good music in the local scene that’s so underrated or yet to be discovered! Quick mention of a couple names: ICEBOX, Lovelaine, Checkpoint, TSUKIYAKI, LESSLARS, off-tøpic, and Last Minute.
I personally discovered Last Minute back in 2023 through Cinderella Rockstar, which is still my fav from them, and I’ve recently been really enjoying their latest release Pool Of The Hearts. It ended up in my top 3 for my 2025 Spotify Wrapped!
If you’re looking to see more of LUCKYYOU, well… lucky you! (Sorry, I had to.)
You can find them on Instagram @luckyyousg, on TikTok @luckyyousg, and of course back here at IAAS Music on Friday – for an exclusive advance review of Can’t Stay Can’t Go, which you can listen to on Spotify here.
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