By Shaylea Ng (Chairperson)

Close your eyes, and feel.

The kick drum, with every beat reverberating through your body. The electric bass, its rhythm grounding the song into place. The main guitar riff, that sparks a wave of recognition among the audience. The keys that chime in, adding accents with orchestral hits or the occasional brass. The harmonies of the vocalists blending into each other, as you feel yourself ascending, higher, and higher, and higher. 

Up on stage, fingers sink into the keys, tap against the mic, grip wooden drumsticks or slide across the fretboard. Your eyes open to 10 standing on that elevated platform, lights illuminating their figures as they take a full dive into the song. 

You exist; and you are here. This is it—the moment that you’ve been waiting for. 

The crowd cheers, applause resounding through the venue as screams and whistles of support shake the venue. 10 beaming faces scan the crowd, high on performance adrenaline, looking for their adoring fans and family—This, is Raffles Rock. 

The flip of a switch, a gentle buzzing as electricity crackles, and the red LED sign flickers to life. 

Tucked away in an unassuming corner of block D, enclosed within layers of soundproof doors, magic lies within. Welcome, to our humble abode—the Jam Studio. 

Every Tuesday and Thursday, our rockers slip away from their various chaotic lives and come together with kindred spirits, retreating to the studio from 4-6 pm. If you happen to walk by at the right time, you may catch whispers of the next song drifting through the cracks of the door, as our dearest rockers work on their latest craft. 

What we do in Rock differs widely each session. One moment, we could be crowded around the piano learning the chord progressions of Jamiroquai or sharing about our respective musical journeys, and the next, you may find our guitarist screaming like a banshee to NSYNC. 

Sessions are held by our instructor Mr Ian (more so lovingly referred to as Big Ian), who has been with us for more than 10 years. He guides us through our rock journey via somewhat unorthodox lessons, ranging from Mandalorian analysis sessions and Ghibli listen-alongs, to comprehensive theory sessions. 

And we mustn’t forget the ones who manage to keep our Virtual Insanity in check—our teachers in charge, Ms Ng PS and Mr Ngan WY. 

As RI’s resident rock band, putting on a show isn’t a problem for us. Each year, we host our annual Rock-In, which is a free concert held in school, as well as our main event—Rock-Out. 

With tickets selling out within hours, the competition to witness the annual Rock-Out is undeniably fierce. Complete with electrifying lights, smoke machines, professional sets, and the trendy costumes, Rock-Out is our magnum opus—the show where we write our legacy and pave the road for future generations of rockers to come. It is one that presents all that we’ve learnt in our time with Rock, and is the one where the Y6 band takes their final bow as a part of Raffles Rock. A definite teary affair. 

If you didn’t manage to snag tickets for Rock-Out, or get a spot in line for Rock-In, don’t fret. You can always catch us at community VIA concerts, or school-wide celebrations like Teachers Day, or Batch Night! If there’s a band on stage, there’s a good chance it’s us ;)

So, the flashing lights and thrill of the performer lifestyle has captivated you—and you’re more certain than ever that this is the life you want to lead. But where does your rock journey start? 

Pop by during Open Jam (during orientation period) to catch a glimpse into what the exclusive rock life is like, and you’ll get the opportunity to jam with the super cool seniors (us!!). And if the studio feels like a place you can call home, you’ll be able to sign up for official auditions that will be held during JIP (January Induction Programme) and JAEIP (JAE Induction Programme). 

If your dream is to one day be on that stage, rocking out with your band, don’t let that fizzle out and away. At Raffles Rock, we strive to keep your raw, untamed spirit alive. Bring us your A-game, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you. 

Rock on. 

Photo credits: Raffles Photographic Society