In a whirlwind of chords and heartstrings, my musical journey has been a rollercoaster ride through the soulful depths of rock and roll. Hailing from the vibrant music scene of Melbourne, Australia, my story begins amidst the heartland of Singapore, where I first found my voice.

Picture this: a punk band named The Boredphucks, rocking out so hard that we ruffled the feathers of the powers that be, earning ourselves a ban from the Singaporean government after a riot erupted at one of our shows! Wild, right? But every great story has its twists and turns.

Undeterred, we migrated to Australia and reincarnated ourselves as The SUNS, hitting the road in our trusty Ford Econovan. Over two years we performed at venues across the country, chasing our dreams. It was some  of the happiest times of our lives! But fate can be a cruel mistress, and tragedy struck when we lost our drummer and my best mate, Wayne Thunder, on tour. It felt like my heart died with him, and the band dissolved soon after into echoes of what once was.

Lost in a ocean of despair, I found myself drifting through the mundane humdrum of call centre jobs in Melbourne, until one day, I couldn’t stand the sound of it anymore—literally. Enough with the complaints about slow internet, I thought, it’s time to crank up the volume on my own life. Thus, from the ashes of despair rose a new band: EMPRA.

With a lineup with three blokes named Matt, EMPRA soared to heights I’d only ever dreamed of. From winning international competitions to sharing stages internationally with legends like Fall Out Boy, collaborating with Grammy-winning musician Gotye, and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Slash and Weezer, our journey was a whirlwind of sonic triumphs for an independent rock band.

But as the long road stretched out before us over the years, the strain began to show, and bandmates drifted away like notes in the wind. Yet, just when it seemed like the final curtain was drawing near, a beacon of hope emerged in the form of Australian drummer and pop-sensation G-Flip, who joined our band and breathed new life into our music and our spirits.

And so,  after a whirlwind 55-date tour across the USA, we bid farewell to the stage, our hearts filled with memories and our souls alight with the fire of accomplishment. But it was time to return to home. My father was ill so I left the touring life to help my family care for my Dad until he passed on.

But even amidst the quiet hum of everyday life, the music in me never truly faded. It whispered in the wind, and I kept playing my guitar and writing songs to heal my emptiness. Music danced in my dreams, until one night, a vision of my father appeared, urging me to keep the flame alive. And with tears in my eyes and a song in my heart, I knew that my music journey was far from over.

Enter Covid, stage left, throwing a curveball that no one saw coming. But adversity breeds creativity, and armed with nothing but my iPhone and a heart full of melodies, I set out to conquer the digital realm. Two singles, a handful of home-made music videos, and countless hours of social media guitar solo shenanigans later, the dream still burns bright.

Today, I stand on stages both real and virtual, my fingers dancing across the strings, my voice ringing out with stories of love, loss, chaos, and everything in between. From open mic nights to bonafide rock shows, each one of my songs is a testament to the power of resilience and the beauty and importance of human connection in an increasingly disconnected world.

And so, as I stand on the cusp of recording my debut solo album, surrounded by a new band of brothers, whose talents rival the stars themselves, I can’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for every twist and turn I’ve faced along the way. For in the end, it’s only about music that binds us together, echoing through the halls of time.

So here’s to the dreamers and the believers, the ones who dare to chase their passions against all odds. Here’s to the rockers and the rebels, the ones who refuse to be silenced by the noise of the world. And here’s to you, dear friend, for joining me on this wild and wonderful journey.

I hope to meet you in person one day!

Yours sincerely,

SANNY VELOO

PS: My music sounds like a mashup of Weezer, Foo Fighters, Oasis, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Santana, Queen, Kiss, Beach Boys, Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Ben Folds & Gary Clark Jr.

For all enquires please DM on my socials or email sanny.veloo@gmail.com