FROM SINGAPORE TO THE WORLD Corey Koh has traveled a long way from home to perform in Prague, New York, Tokyo, Vienna, and other major cities in the world

Classically-trained tenor Corey Koh makes his official debut as a music artiste with the release of his new single, “Only Love.” The original song is now available worldwide on Spotify, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, Apple Music, iTunes, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, Tencent, NetEase, and leading music streaming services and sound libraries.

Corey, who started classical vocal training at the age of six, got his first taste of stardom at age 11, when he sang with Il Divo “live” at their concert in Singapore in 2014, sparking his passion for classical music and opera singing. Since then, he has taken the stage at prestigious concert halls the world over, with an impressive repertoire of solo performances in Prague, New York (Carnegie Hall), Tokyo (Suntory Hall), Osaka, Vienna (Musikverein), Germany, Mexico, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore (Esplanade).

Corey sings fluently in six languages—Latin, Italian, German, French, English, and Chinese, and has studied under the Young Artist Program at the National University of Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. He has trained with famed New York-based operatic singer Neil Rosenshein and with renowned classical teacher Jonathan Charles Tay.

“While I have my roots in classical singing, I believe that the beauty of music transcends genres and barriers,” says Corey. “I’m thrilled to be on this fascinating journey of musical exploration across genres, as I continuously learn and share my unique sound with my audience.

My first official song release, “Only Love,” is a wistful look on the universal pain of loss—the loss of a relationship with a loved one, a friend, or someone who was once close to you. The ballad is an ode to those we have loved and lost. Looking back on our relationships that once were, it can be easy to be triggered by the pain of what went wrong. But at the end of the day, it’s best to just cherish the beautiful times together, let go of what wasn’t meant to be, and look back with only love.”

The original song was first released in English on March 27, then in Mandarin, accompanied by a music video and a dance remix version. The English lyrics were co-written by Corey and Singaporean singer-songwriter Lewis Loh. The song and the Chinese lyrics were written by acclaimed Malaysian lyricist Xu Yuanting and songwriter Keon Chia, winners of the Best Original Film Song at the 57th Golden Horse Awards and Song of the Year at the 32nd Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.

Helming Corey’s musical launch is executive producer Lim Sek, a highly-respected industry veteran who discovered and introduced popular local artistes Tanya Chua, Nathan Hartono, and Cheryl Wee. He has also managed singer-songwriter Dick Lee’s regional musical career, as well as managed top recording artistes Tracy Huang and Sandy Lam.

“Only Love” is also produced by award-winning music producer George Leong, who has worked with Mandopop superstars such as Jolin Tsai, A-Mei, Show Luo, and Sandy Lam.

In the song, Corey plays the electric guitar, a special one that is handmade by his mother, who introduced him to the world of classical music. Not one to be pigeonholed in a musical box, Corey’s passion for all kinds of music runs deep and wide. He plays the saxophone and oboe, and owns a sizeable collection of 34 electric guitars, including two signed by Slash, the famed Guns N’ Roses guitarist.

“I listen to anything from opera to jazz, pop, and rock,” intimates Corey. “Besides rock legends like Guns N’ Roses, Queen and Aerosmith, I love the sounds of Icelandic jazz singer Laufey, Ella Fitzgerald, Edith Piaf. On the classical front, I enjoy listening to Fritz Wunderlich and Carlo Bergonzi, as well as the music of composers like Elgar and Vaughan Williams.”

With plans to release more new music and an EP in the coming months, Corey will also be continuing his classical training and music studies in the US later this year. “My interest in music is vast and multifaceted,” he says. “I’m excited to explore more genres like jazz, opera, pop, and crossover, dabble in production and songwriting, and gain more performance opportunities across various music genres. Being Singaporean, it is my dream to be recognized as a Singaporean musician on a world stage. I would love to bring back the alluring charm of the big ballads and introduce them to my generation, singing the kind of songs that move hearts when you listen to them. I also hope to update and adapt classical music to modern tastes, and break the barriers between musical genres to show that the beauty of music truly knows no bounds.”

Having performed in numerous charity concerts and galas in his youth, Corey’s heart for music also extends to the underprivileged. In 2021, during the pandemic, he began partnering with the PARC Foundation to coach underprivileged children and youths in The Philippines, conducting weekly singing lessons virtually via Zoom. Starting with 11 children aged eight to 15 years, the choir grew to over 40 members and eventually performed in an in-person concert in December 2021.

Later this year, Corey hopes to stage his first solo charity concert to benefit the Business Times Budding Artists Fund and the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, both charities that support children from low-income families in Singapore. Having performed in ChildAid Singapore in 2013 and 2014, and in ChildAid Tokyo 2014, Corey is passionate about supporting children-in-need and bringing the joy of music to children from all walks of life.