Fan diary: Notes from David Choi’s Forever and Ever Tour in Melbourne
WHAT is it about meeting David Choi face-to-face that makes your heart skip a beat? Marcella Purnama finds out.
Photo: Thomas Prabawa
View photos of the concert and photos of fans
Down to earth, sincere and affable, YouTube singing sensation David Choi charmed audiences off-screen when he stopped by Melbourne earlier this month.
On tour to promote his new album “Forever and Ever”, he played to some 150 fans – many of them students, at BMW Edge in Federation Square.
Nevermind it was a weekday night, that the school semester was in full swing, and assignment deadlines were looming. The opportunity to meet David Choi himself was an opportunity fans like Monash University student Jaykerr would rather die than pass up.
“I literally stopped breathing for two seconds when I saw him,” Jaykerr said.
“It’s like when seeing your girlfriend, your heart skips a beat. But when I see David Choi, my heart skips two beats.”
Student Ai Vyn had a 7am class the next day, but her presence at the concert proved her dedication.
“I love his voice. I think his songs are really personal, and his performance is interactive. He actually talks to the audience while performing!” she said.
Opening act Melbourne based singer/songwriter Emmy Bryce warmed up the crowd and entertained them with her own songs, and when the much anticipated moment arrived for David to take the stage, everybody in the room screamed.
It was the first time Melbourne audiences got to hear him perform his new songs live, complete with a band.
For Melbourne University student Patrick, the Melbourne concert was the third time he had seen David perform live, having attended his concerts in Jakarta and Sydney.
He confessed he had rushed to finish an assignment that afternoon to make it to the concert.
“I’m here to watch him perform, and to support him,” Patrick said.
“David Choi is a very nice guy, and very humble. He is sincere, and when he sings, there’s not much packaging. It’s just him.”
Another student Thomas shared similar sentiments, saying “you can imagine him (David) being your friend”.
“I think his songs are emotional. They talk about friendship, love, and ups and downs, and at some point we can relate to that,” Thomas said.
Photo: Samuel Eng
View photos of the concert and photos of fans
For another fan Jason, it was the way David “put his thoughts into his lyrics and song writing”.
“I love the way he puts his message in his music”, he said.
But while the songs touched on familiar topics like friendship (You Were My Friend), love (This and That is Life) and heartbreak (Lucky Guy), it was clear the singer-songwriter had taken some bold steps in a new direction, varying his sound and style. You only had to look to Forever and Ever, the song the album’s titled after to figure that out.
That said, David also performed some oldies but goodies, with ballads like That Girl, Won’t Even Start, and By My Side.
A concert would also have been incomplete without a meet and greet session, where fans had a chance to brush shoulders, get their albums signed and had their photos taken with the down-to-earth and affable favourite star.
Meld's Marcella Purnama with the man himself. Photo: Thomas Prabawa