Melaka-born violinist Martin Looi, however, is on a mission to change that perception of this instrument.
His music fuses the classical elegance of the violin with hip-hop, pop and R&B influences, resulting in a distinct and exciting, truly contemporary sound.
“I have a classical background, but like to push boundaries. I don’t like to play the conventional way. I enjoy experimenting with all sorts of different things. I’m open to what helps me to grow, and make me a versatile violinist,” Looi, 24, told FMT Lifestyle in a recent interview.
“The talented violinist will be releasing his second EP, “Sugary” on all major music platforms on Dec 7. His debut, “Maddy”, was released in 2022.
Why the title? “Oh, you gotta listen, man. It’s just got a sweet vibe to it, you know?” Looi said, laughing. “You should listen to it if you’re into violin music with contemporary influences. It’s going to be a musical experience like no other!”
The soft-spoken Looi started playing the violin when he was around five years old. Originally, he wasn’t a fan of the instrument, only picking it up to please his mother, who played the organ in her church. Despite preferring the guitar, Looi stuck with all his lessons, and even passed all his major music exams.
Looi fully intended to quit the violin after the whole ordeal. But everything changed in 2018, after he watched a music video of one of the world’s top violinists – Looi cannot remember exactly who it was, although he believes it was Vanessa Mae – in action. Witnessing the true potential of what the instrument could do, he was mesmerised.
“I was inspired. I ordered another violin, and when it came, I locked my guitar in the closet,” said Looi, who has a degree in Audio Engineering from the Australian Institute of Music.
“I would go to a nearby underground carpark. And after midnight, I would just play, play and play there. Obviously, I sounded horrible at first. But after three months, I finally got the hang of it again.”
Looi’s musical journey soon took off: he’s since performed at various gala nights, anniversaries, product launches, and corporate functions.
He’s also performed with the cream of the Malaysian music industry, including Aubrey Suwito, Alyph, Sonaone, Joe Flizzow, Vince Chong and Jaclyn Victor. His latest gig was at this year’s Malaysian Theatre Awards.
With “Sugary”, he said he hopes to showcase the versatility and musical power of the violin. The EP contains five tracks: two are covers, namely Jung Kook’s “Seven” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Nonsense”.
“When I first listened to the songs, I thought they had a lot of space for improvisation. I could reinterpret them.
“The songs could highlight the range of violin, and give me a chance to experiment with effects like reverb and delay, as well as a bit of distortion. I don’t know how listeners will take them, but they’re my favourite songs on the EP,” Looi said.
The other three songs are originals. Looi produced one, the R&B-infused “Just Talkin”.
The others, namely the bachata-pop track “Chisy” and catchy disco-pop tune “Nostalgia”, were produced by his sister, Lav Looi, whose original compositions and vocal contributions have been used in commercials for major brands like KFC, Pizza Hut and Llao Llao.
“’Nostalgia’ is like city pop. It’s catchy, you can definitely hum to it. And once you hear it, well, you’ll understand why the song is called that,” said Looi, whose influences include Mae, David Garrett and Lindsay Sterling.
Looi said there is something on his EP for all music lovers, whether they be lovers of contemporary or classical music. He also hopes to perform more soon: so keep an eye out for this violin virtuoso!
“I think that the violin is the instrument that’s closest to the human voice,” the violinist concluded. “I can’t sing, but I can express my feelings through it. It’s my voice.”