« Kenny Sia Replies To Furong Jiejie | Main | Ask Me Anything »
04 August 2005
Shal Sagan
Shal Sagan is an independent music artist homegrown in Kuching, Sarawak.

I wrote about meeting her and her mate Brandon Juan at the Rainforest World Music Festival some time ago when JoyceTheFairy was in town. Prior to this I have heard of her though I never had the chance to listen to her music. Coincidentally, I bumped into them again at Bing the Coffee House last week. Brandon invited me to come to her gig on Sunday, so I figured why not.

For a 22-year-old, this fair-skinned beauty sure has accomplished a lot for herself. Shal Sagan has got some serious talent and I mean that in every sense of the word.
Get this - Shal doesn't just sing. She wrote all her songs, composed all her songs, plays lead guitar, co-produced them, and on top of all that, started her own record label Shzogawa Records to distribute her music. And she did all these when she was just 21 years old.
When I was 21, I was still sitting in front of my computer play The Sims.

The gig was held at Somerset Gateway as part of a charity carnival. The bands performing that day were great but too bad the event was poorly organised. For some silly reason the organisers put the stage right in front of entrance to the condomnium, which means every now and then you get residents walking behind the performers to get to their suite, as you'll see in the video clips later. Its very annoying.

It's then Shal Sagan's turn to go up there and do her thing as I readied my digital cameras and did my thing.
Halfway through her performance, I encountered a Freaky Fan Incident. Yes, I encountered it, not her.

A middle-aged man in his 40s or so (shown in this picture here) emerged from inside the building, walked past the stage and handed me a small folded note.

I looked at him quizzically and he smiled at me before walking away.
Now I don't know if he's the one reading my blog, or if he's just playing messenger and passed me the note from someone else. But, guys! If you do happen to bump into me, there are less freaky ways to let me know you're kennysia.com reader you know? Like, for example, "Hi Kenny, I read your blog. Nice to meet you!"

That guitarist bears an uncanny resemblance to Linus Chung from the movie Sepet.
Anyway, back to Shal Sagan.
Shal and band performed 4 songs from her debut album. They opened with Death's Fatal Kiss and finished with a Green Day/Good Charlotte-inspired Newsflash, both of them uptempo rock tracks. In between, she sang a slow alternative track Message in a Bottle (think Smashing Pumpkins) and ballad track Just Fine, my favourite song from her album.

"These chicks don't even know the name of my band... But they're all on me like they wanna hold hands..."
Shal Sagan sounds a lot better live than my camera can apperciate, but here are the videos anyway (in MOV format, Quicktime Player required).
- Death's Fatal Kiss video
- Just Fine video
- Message in a Bottle video
- Newsflash video
Samples of her songs can be downloaded from CD Baby. Pay attention and reflect on the lyrics as they are often the best parts to her songs.

Shal Sagan, Kuching's Rock Princess and Kenny Sia, Kuching's Rock.
Shal Sagan was nice enough to give me a copy of her CD. To show her my appreciation, I created for her a music video of her song 'Just Fine'. Try to spot my Freaky Fan in there.
Download music video of Just Fine, crappily produced by kennysia.com
- Low Res (17MB, WMV)
- Hi Res (33MB, WMV)
- Hi Res (alternate link) (33MB, WMV)
If you like what you hear, you can purchase her album from Tower Records if you're in Malaysia, buy online through CD Baby, or just e-mail Shzogawa Records directly at orders@shalsagan.net.
Support our local indie music industry. :)
:: Posted by Kenny at 9:03 AM | Link | Facebook It
:: Categorised as 'Distinctively Kuching'
| 'Event Coverage'
63 Comments:
wah. timing so good, ah. i'm the first to tag? woohoo!
okay. putting that aside, that shal girl looks really hot. and her guitar is suspiciously FAMILIAR.
hmm...
Posted by: fcukling at 04 August 2005 9:24 AM | Link to comment
next time i bum into u i'm gonna give u the same note XD
Posted by: ed at 04 August 2005 9:28 AM | Link to comment
Isn't that KNNCCB a S'porean thing? Don't be a sissy. Spit it out! Ka Ni Na Chau Chee Bye! ROFLMAO!
Posted by: Selina at 04 August 2005 9:34 AM | Link to comment
That chick looks a little like Mini. Could be her sister or something!!!!
Posted by: FireAngel at 04 August 2005 9:37 AM | Link to comment
How much was the CD in towers?
Posted by: Shagalot at 04 August 2005 9:44 AM | Link to comment
Aww so nice to wake up in the morn and see her pics first thing :D
Posted by: JoyceTheFairy at 04 August 2005 10:08 AM | Link to comment
Add a B for Bu in the KNNCCB combo. =)
Posted by: Avril at 04 August 2005 10:21 AM | Link to comment
Hey Dude, nice to know Kuchingites are accepting local talent. During my day's you'll get booed for singing your own songs.
Posted by: e at 04 August 2005 11:14 AM | Link to comment
她需要找个行像设计师教她如何把内衣穿好.
Posted by: HP at 04 August 2005 11:24 AM | Link to comment
Kenny! please tell me,where to get her CD? she is like the Avril Lavigne (the singer i like very much) so small to write her own song! can't wait to get her CD and listen!
Posted by: davdevil01 at 04 August 2005 11:27 AM | Link to comment
cool, hope she breaks into the big scene. Kuching people so talented. :P
Posted by: Leona at 04 August 2005 11:38 AM | Link to comment
the little note is HILARIOUS!
Posted by: 9 at 04 August 2005 12:03 PM | Link to comment
"Just Fine" also happens to be my favorite song of the whole album. I immediately sense the British slang in her songs ~ I'm proud of Shal ~
Posted by: Legend at 04 August 2005 12:48 PM | Link to comment
Nice write up you have there. I have to say her song a quite good. You can proudly tell her that 1 more of her CDs will be sold(Don't worry, will get the original CD, no pirated ones). Nice work..bro
Posted by: chris at 04 August 2005 12:50 PM | Link to comment
That girl 'sides the lead singer.. is she in the band??
She looks like my friend..... *freezes*
Posted by: Geroithe at 04 August 2005 1:26 PM | Link to comment
oooooooooo... chicks with guitars. me like...
Posted by: eyeris at 04 August 2005 1:38 PM | Link to comment
Support the local music industry..
buy the original
F la...
kidding.. hehe
would buy her CD soon when i find it in the stores..
would do my part for the local industry ;)
Posted by: ryousuke at 04 August 2005 1:57 PM | Link to comment
Thanks for the review dude. Kenny ROCKS!!
Posted by: Brandon at 04 August 2005 2:24 PM | Link to comment
Kuching seems to have quite a bit of ... erm.. interesting people...
Posted by: kamkuey at 04 August 2005 2:29 PM | Link to comment
Shal's really a talented girl. I love her voice.
So Kenny, how do you react when you read that note?
Posted by: She's Jess at 04 August 2005 2:40 PM | Link to comment
knnccb. The guy's scolding u la!
Posted by: kit fan at 04 August 2005 2:58 PM | Link to comment
Hahah... Spot ur freaky fan in ur "video".. Wah lau... LAO UNCLE lehh... ahhahaa
Posted by: Snoogums at 04 August 2005 3:11 PM | Link to comment
damn, she's hot.
iban izit?
Posted by: sheepbah at 04 August 2005 3:20 PM | Link to comment
I prefer these kind of posts to posts jeering about people in China. :-)
Posted by: JD at 04 August 2005 3:28 PM | Link to comment
Quote -"And she did all these when she was just 21 years old."
If got money everything can be done. Everybody can do it.
Posted by: Archimonde at 04 August 2005 4:01 PM | Link to comment
thank god for tellin us abt shal todae... its a good relief after tt disgusting entry abt some fugly china girl. Shal is lyk so much prettier and capable than that low-class slutty china girl who disgrace all chinese...
u shldn't haf wrote abt tt china girl... juz to think of tt fugly b**** gives me creeps.
Posted by: zp at 04 August 2005 4:46 PM | Link to comment
Shal Sagan looks a lot more prettier "live" than her album cover. I'd love to support the local music scene, especially budding artistes but I listened to all her sample songs online and found out that she can't cut it. I'm being very objective here, trust me. There's a few songs in which she went out of tune several times... in a CD! You're supposed to get it right in the CD at least. I suggest that she ditch her studio and continue practicing somemore. I hope she makes it big one day, I really do. But until she improves, I don't think I'm going to buy her CDs.
Posted by: Anonymous Cow at 04 August 2005 5:38 PM | Link to comment
rights. i'll get the cd if it comes out in kuching. the little hole i live in. never knew cool people were inside this hole with me. hehe.
Posted by: andrew at 04 August 2005 5:42 PM | Link to comment
Malaysian Chick with an Ibanez Guitar? oO - Sweet~
To HP: "她需要找个行像设计师教她如何把内衣穿好."
Well, I don't suppose indie rockers are much of a 'wear my bra properly', actually, most do not wear them (well, rockers from Portsmouth, UK don't seem to fuss over dress sense, it's the music and lyrics that counts)
Posted by: Colin at 04 August 2005 7:46 PM | Link to comment
You needn't have gone to such lengths to demonstrate the chinese proverb "First bitter, then sweet". ;P
Posted by: NoShitSaint at 04 August 2005 8:02 PM | Link to comment
HP 讲鸟话..
Posted by: w3s at 05 August 2005 3:15 AM | Link to comment
so small to write her own song!
It wasn't like that back in the 80s, when I was in a band. You had to be a certain size to write songs (and I'm not talking about...well, you know). I remember there used to be a sign outside the studio: "Must be this tall to write your own songs."
I'm sure glad those days are over, and small people can now enrich our lives with music. :D
Posted by: Su Ku Kia at 05 August 2005 3:31 AM | Link to comment
She has talents but needs serious professional vocal training. Her vocal and style is not rock. She was out of tune, lack of powerful voice when it needs to. Hopefully she reads this. One day, she makes it.
Posted by: music critic at 05 August 2005 3:42 AM | Link to comment
It is just great for what Kenny is doing here in promoting local talents or anything local at all.
Shal Sagan:You are absolutely beautiful and have a wonderful vocal, and definitely will check out your debut CD. Continue with incredible success!!!
Posted by: Pope at 05 August 2005 4:08 AM | Link to comment
Shagalot, I think its RM29... or RM39. I'm not sure?
Joyce, she looks fantastic doesn't she? ;)
e, maybe because you were bad. WAHAHAHAHA!! Kidding, kidding.
HP, why don't you help?
davdevil01, you're not the first to say she looks like Avril Lavigne! I thought so too when I first saw her. Their genre are totally different though.
chris, I don't think pirated ones are even available!
Brandon, heh. Its the least I could do.
NoShitSaint, I LOLed reading your comment. Heh.
sheepbah, Kenyah.
Archimonde, without determination and talent nothing can be done.
Su Ku Kia, you know what he meant! :)
musiccritic, she is a bit rough around the edges. She IS good, but she do require a bit of polishing to compete with the music artists we listen to on the radio these days.
Posted by: kennysia at 05 August 2005 4:15 AM | Link to comment
wow, amazing all this by the age of 22!
Posted by: ramesh at 05 August 2005 5:08 AM | Link to comment
Hello Kenny, I have dedicated a post to your coconuts.
Your coconut fixation fascinates me. Why did you choose coconuts and not pomelos? Why coconuts and not honeymelons? Honeymelons are sweeter after all ;)
Posted by: KucingGatal at 05 August 2005 9:07 AM | Link to comment
Mr. Kia: there's a new sign nowadays, it says "You must be thiiis long, or thiiss alpahabet size, to write your own songs!"
BTW, Avril Lavigne did NOT write her songs. It was written by a pop music churn-factory duo called "Matrix". The whole thing about snagging the boy who was "rockin' on MTV"? Sorry to burst your bubble. It didn't happen. Google it.
Hey, the lead singer looks like Shelly Leong's sister. Shelly rocks it with an acoustic guiter and piano, and write her own songs too.
http://www.faces.com.my/music/music.asp?id=1013
http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=shelleyleong
Posted by: aw3 at 05 August 2005 9:26 AM | Link to comment
kenny: btw good M&M lyric reference. Heh!!
Posted by: aw3 at 05 August 2005 9:33 AM | Link to comment
Hey Dude, I won the very first Song composition competition organized by Sarawak Music Society back in 83-84..top that ! well, back then I was also a classical music nerd.
Posted by: e at 05 August 2005 9:34 AM | Link to comment
"她需要找个行像设计师教她如何把内衣穿好." - e
what's the problem with flaunting nice undies?
She's cool! "Just Fine" is actually more than just fine!!
KNNBCCB (or KN²BC²B)...is it a S'porean thing? it's just a hokkien thing, right?
Posted by: I'm A Chicken With No Name. BWAK BWAK BWAK! at 05 August 2005 11:26 AM | Link to comment
oh my fave song on her album is no. 8.
Dunno why!
Her album launch performance was amazing tho, i got damn emo hearing her sing some of the songs.
Had to maintain tearing while holding the camera
0_o
*malu*
Posted by: JoyceTheFairy at 05 August 2005 12:39 PM | Link to comment
hey guy.....my friend had send me this add (is about furong jie jie one) hope you guy enjoy it!
Posted by: postaju at 05 August 2005 1:08 PM | Link to comment
http://new.cn.bbs.yahoo.com/message/read_carpic_7148.html
Posted by: postaju at 05 August 2005 1:09 PM | Link to comment
http://new.cn.bbs.yahoo.com/message/read_carpic_7148.html
absolutely disgusting!
Posted by: Button at 05 August 2005 1:35 PM | Link to comment
Man I sure miss Kuching...
Sigh.. wish I could fly back more often
Posted by: I'm A Chicken With No Name. BWAK BWAK BWAK! at 05 August 2005 2:38 PM | Link to comment
Good news: Kenny supports local indie music!
Posted by: lionel at 05 August 2005 6:24 PM | Link to comment
damn i wanna be hot like her *looks at the mirror and makes the hottest face eva*
Posted by: echa at 05 August 2005 6:25 PM | Link to comment
Kuching have a lot of talented ppl don't they?
Posted by: Lex at 05 August 2005 9:11 PM | Link to comment
indeed...
Posted by: ryousuke at 06 August 2005 12:11 AM | Link to comment
Goddamn!! She's so friggin' hot..
So sleek...*smacks lips*
So smooooth. *drools* I would kill....
...for one of those Ibanez guitars. hehehe
Btw, did any other guitar player here (if any) notice how the bassist was playing left-handed on a right-handed bass... I thought his bass strap looked kinda awkward!
Posted by: Jon at 06 August 2005 1:12 AM | Link to comment
Wah, she hot
Posted by: Jim at 06 August 2005 1:13 AM | Link to comment
Kenny, can you tell her that we all think she's so hot? :) And tell her to work hard on her vocal skills. I hope she makes it big one day. She'd be the hottest then. Move over, Avril Lavigne, your days are numbered (if Shal work hard).
Posted by: Anonymous Cow at 06 August 2005 2:01 AM | Link to comment
She is a very talented chic and + her look, definately a killer!
Keep improving ShaL! Youll make it even bigger...
Posted by: Anonymous at 06 August 2005 9:58 PM | Link to comment
Kenny (like so many other typical yuppies of his generation) support local music when it is attached to pretty young things with fresh pomelos (or coconuts). Discrimination happens even when lauding the success of others. This is condescending. So please lah -- I wish Kenny would actually listen to Shal's lyrics, to what she's saying, check her background, and give us a bit of context of her environment and what makes her so special -- not just train his digital camera on yet another one of his wet dreams.
Posted by: hotkey at 08 August 2005 11:38 AM | Link to comment
miss sagan rocks and so do u, kenny!
Posted by: I'm A Chicken With No Name. BWAK BWAK BWAK! at 21 August 2005 11:07 AM | Link to comment
Hi Kenny...
Shalom to a fellow kuchingnite...m from kuching...coincidentally a friend of joyce the fairy and coincedentally too that I was searching for shal after reading on her in Vida as I love to collaborate artistically with people from my lovely hometown...
Be home this month actually... miss my beloved kuching so much... :)
Warm regards
ah keong! Linus
Posted by: linus chung at 05 October 2005 5:00 AM | Link to comment
Well what a dillyo, Had a dream about my past life in kuching, what a nightmare, thought Id look up afew friends names on the net see if they were alive but whoa man never expected sharon to be a big singing success! Congrats girl! Top Props!
Posted by: jahfari at 15 February 2006 3:53 PM | Link to comment
anyone knows where can I get her CD in Malacca?
and the price?
Posted by: yivon at 03 March 2006 2:36 PM | Link to comment
Sharon is my senior in high school! Rock on, gal!!!
Posted by: jac at 07 May 2006 5:58 PM | Link to comment
Jon, that's the playing style of that guy you mentioned. years passed and still the same. *shakes head*
Posted by: anonymous at 07 June 2006 2:10 PM | Link to comment
oh my god !
shal looks so cute !
can i have her autograph ??? will she kill and take over avril's body ???
SPOOKY !
Posted by: benjamin and yus at 10 July 2006 7:51 PM | Link to comment
I Know Her...
Posted by: eliza at 25 August 2006 12:32 PM | Link to comment


com