Meet Bihzhu Foo | Singer-Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bihzhu Foo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bihzhu, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I don’t wanna pull the astrology card here, but I’m a Libra, and you could say that a need for balance is inherent in my being. I find that I thrive the best when my work and my life co-exist harmoniously – the better I do at work, the happier I am in my life; the more fufilled I am in my life, the better art I create. They’re not two separate things, but so intertwined that I don’t think I could be a successful creative today if my personal life wasn’t equally as joyful. I know this work life balance equation will look different for everyone, but I believe I’ve discovered the formula that works for me: Do it with love, or don’t do it at all.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
“Why are we here?” – that age-old question that haunts us all. Reading this, whether you subscribe to it or not, I think that it’s simple, we’re here to learn how to love, and be loved. And I think I’m super fortunate to be able to marry this bigger version of life’s purpose with my personal passion of making music. I get this question a lot “what genre of music do you play?”, and my answer is always “heart music”. It comes from a real place and transcends genres, and is literally my life story broken up into songs.

Was it easy? Hell nah. Haha.
But then again, nothing that is worthwhile is easy is it? I’ve had to battle a lot of self-doubt to even venture into my career now as a solo artiste; I’ve lived through too many days of having only RM5 (approx USD1) in my bank account; been in situations around people who didn’t quite have my best interests at heart; but I wouldn’t change a single thing.

Because through making music, I found my true calling, I discovered exactly how much strength and resilience I possessed; learnt how to love myself more and in turn allow others to love themselves too; got a lot better at respecting my own and other people’s boundaries; discover the true power of surrender, trust, and forgiveness; experienced the best of humanity, friendship, and community; but most of all, be able to serve my heart up on a plate and not be scared of how it would be received.

Music is medicine, music is connection. And I have been allowed to exercise my gift of music, give it out to the world, and be blessed a million times over with the return of that gift.

Music is also subjective, and I don’t hold out for universal popularity, nor am I attached to how it is received.
I put it out there with sincerity, if it doesn’t strike a chord, it’s cool; if it resonates with you somehow, then I thank you for listening.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One week? That’s not enough time! But I’m going to try my best.

First of all, Malaysians plan travel itineraries based on what you’re eating HAHA, so you bet I’m going to be taking you to some of my favourite joints – from the local mamak (think 24/7 alfresco dining) where you can get fresh roti and curry any time of the day; Ho Li Chow, where Auntie Sue makes the meanest Penang laksa lemak; restaurants like Table & Apron where their fried chicken is like crack, and my fav dish is nasi ulam (rice with local herbs); fine dining joints like Entier (french techniques with local Malaysian ingredients); seriously I could go on forever, and I’ve barely scratched the surface hahaha.

KL city is full of fun things to do – Fono KL, an intimate music joint for niche DJ nights; Ilham Gallery for some of the best contemporary art from the country; REX KL, a fun event space for whatever is on their roster that week (I’ve seen drumlines and brass bands, or intimate solo acts, or crowded dance parties); Crackhouse Comedy Club, Malaysia’s first dedicated comedy club who are big on grassroots comedy but who also draw big names regionally and internationally who make it their pitstop; and Bobo KL, arguably one of the best music joints in town right now.

I’ll definitely throw in a nature jaunt or two, we have amazing waterfalls just an hour’s drive away from the city, and lots of hiking trails to explore.

Man, if you can’t tell, I love my country.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I always say this, “It takes a kampung” (village in Malay), and every thing I do is not just borne from my own efforts, but the coordinated energy and love that my collaborators put into. There are many, too many to thank, but if I had to single out only one person, then it would be Mr. Paul Augustin, director of Penang Island Jazz Festival, and the curator of Penang House of Music. He saw the potential in me and had so much faith in my abilities before I truly believed in myself, and he gave me so many opportunities in my career, opened doors for me that allowed me to tour in countries like South Korea and China. And his advice and mentorship would see me experience many turning points in my career. And he is a living example of the sub-title on the book he co-authored “Just for the love of it”. I owe him so much and am forever grateful.

Website: www.bihzhu.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bihzhu

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bihzhu

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bihzhumusic

Youtube: www.youtube.com/bihzhu

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7jWrldG5cwvykOJWaZogZY http://bihzhu.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
Prakash Daniel Photography Robin Wong