LTA (NS) Elias AlJoofri didn’t hit pause on his music career during National Service. Instead, the experience gave him the tools, discipline, and drive to pursue his passion professionally.
“I’m an introverted person, but when I get on stage, I’m a different person altogether,” said LTA (NS) Elias AlJoofri, 22, an undergraduate in Engineering Product Development at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. A Temasek Junior College (TJC) Integrated Programme (IP) alumnus (Class of 2021), Elias served in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) as a Rota Commander, leading a 30-member response team for firefighting, rescue and HazMat operations.
So how did this introverted and shy young man become a musician playing in a band? It started with small steps. Having played the guitar from a young age, Elias was no stranger to the guitar and to music. The turning point came when he was 14. As a student in TJC’s IP, he enrolled in a one-term music course and forming a band was part of the course requirements.
“I was excited to start playing music with my friends (in class). We formed a band and performed together for the rest of my school years,” Elias shares.
He remembers his first stage performance vividly.
“Originally, we wanted to play ‘Dark Necessities’ by Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it was too challenging for our beginner bassist. So, we did a rock cover of ‘Hotline Bling’ by Drake instead. I still remember making a huge mistake. There was supposed to be this big outro sync, but at that critical moment, I forgot to turn up the volume on my guitar. I was completely thrown off by it. Somehow, my classmates loved it; maybe the imperfection made it better. Our teacher, however, was not amused.”
For Elias, there was no looking back. The band stayed together through ups and downs for the rest of his school years. In 2019, the band participated in the National Schools Xinyao Singing and Writing Competition’s songwriting category. They reached the semi-finals, but a particular incident left a deep impression on him ever since.
“We were the only ones who played our own song. But just minutes before the performance, I broke my best friend’s guitar tuner. The judges didn’t mention it, but we all knew in our hearts that we were out of tune. The incident caused a rift between me and my best friend. At that moment, it felt like everything we had worked so hard for came crashing down, and I felt like I didn’t want to do it (music) anymore.”
Eventually, his friend forgave him, but the experience stayed with him. “Since then, I always tune the instruments before a performance,” he says.
Just like other young men serving their NS, Elias coped with the rigours of training, while finding time to pursue his hobbies. “Time for music was really precious, especially during the training phase,” Elias recalled. He remembers one big perk though. With careful budgeting, he managed to save up for a new guitar with his NS allowance. He is now the proud owner of eight guitars.
Four months before the end of his NS, an opportunity landed. His Warrant Officer, who knew that he was a guitarist, recommended him to audition for the SCDF Music and Performing Arts Club (MPAC). He remembers, with a laugh, “I had no idea what was going to happen, but if it’s music related, I’m all for it.”
This decision was the defining moment in his musical journey, opening new doors and giving him countless opportunities to learn, grow, and shine.
“I was an amateur,” he says, “Even though I was an amateur, the experienced band members taught me everything I needed to know,” he says. He remembers his first jam session. His new band mates were a “well-oiled machine who already had a repertoire of songs that they were familiar with.” A few minutes into a rehearsal, one of the lead guitarists paused. After looking at Elias’ guitar settings, he said, “This is what you’ve got to do.” Soon he put Elias through the paces on sounding good when playing onstage. Aside from being mentored, Elias also relished being part of a community and the pure satisfaction and joy from playing with “really good musicians”. He also acquired first-hand knowledge of the backroom operations and logistics of staging a performance such as seeing his first “flight case”, which is a custom-made box for instruments, and helping to unload, set up equipment, and handle the teardown afterwards.
“Since then, I constantly received compliments about my guitar tone. I’ve always attributed it to him and the guidance he shared. Even now, I’m still using those tips and sharing them with others.”
But it was not all about music and the stage performances. When performing for various events, he had the opportunity to interact with various officers from the SCDF and the Home Team. This opened up his perspectives on how different officers contribute to the Home Team in their unique ways.
Elias is someone who has an eye for good aesthetics. He appreciates a well-tuned guitar, bags incorporating clever design, and visually pleasing fountain pens that write well. This appreciation for design is close to an obsession for him. He puts it quite simply, “I like good design.” It is here that we see Elias’ pursuit of perfection come into play in dimensions outside of music. While he once considered pursuing music full-time, Elias has since chosen to study engineering product development. The course, with its strong emphasis on cross-disciplinary skillsets, gives Elias a chance to apply his love for good craftsmanship and design in a more tangible manner.
Music, however, continues to be a big part of his life. He hopes to rediscover his creative spark, writing his own music and developing a distinctive voice in both lyric and melody. What began as an after-school hobby has grown into a personal calling, one that Elias continues to shape through constant practice. His journey reflects how passion and a willingness to learn can transform a simple pastime into a true craft.
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