Exclusive Interview: Etty Lau Farrell Discusses Her Interpretation of “He’s a Rebel”

Etty Lau Farrell has built an illustrious career as the vocalist for Satellite Party and the lead singer-dancer for Kind Heaven Orchestra. But this year, she’s embarking on a new chapter in her career as a solo artist. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Etty about this exciting milestone and her inspiration of the cult classic “He’s A Rebel.”

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Etty: As a dancer, I’ve recognized that dancing is an art form. Performance art has always been closely related to music. As I have moved along in life, I have come to think of music as something that is incredibly interwoven into our lives. I think everyone out there has a passion for music. I’ve always had a passion for music. While I danced, it became something that I wanted to try. Starting as a dancer, I recognized that dancing and music are so closely interrelated that you cannot have one without the other. As a dancer, I’ve had to try out different dance forms, so I was exposed to different types of music—whether as a ballerina with classical music or the hip-hop/R&B. I realized that our lives are one big soundtrack, so the passion has always been there.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Etty: Gosh, my husband. I would say, Perry. He was the one that thought I had it in me. He asked me to sing on his records and wanted to take his time to develop me. We’ve had a few conversations about “Would he have done it if I wasn’t talented?” His answer was, “No, I wouldn’t because clearly I’ve had other women that have been interested in singing, but I never really wanted to develop them.” So, he trusted me and believed in me and it only took twelve years to perfect. [laugh] So, it goes to show that singing is a craft that needs to be worked on and perfected. But it would be Perry who really gave me my start and kept believing in me and propelling me forward.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success throughout your career. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Etty: There are a few moments that stand out. As a dancer, I would say when I did the GRAMMYs with Madonna. That same year, I booked a commercial with Ricky Martin. I know it sounds a little silly, but back then for a dancer in the ’90s it was a very big deal and it stood out.

But as a singer, I would say the one moment that really stood out to me was the show Heaven After Dark that we just did at the Belasco Theater in LA. It was the first time that I opened a show featured as a lead. It was scary, but I pushed through. That definitely is going to go down as one of the biggest moments of my life.

PC: Tell us about your new single “He’s a Rebel.” How did you first come across the song? What was your process like taking the original and making it your own?
Etty: So how it came about is our boys—you know we have two sons, aged nineteen and seventeen—and their love for music. Every so often, a couple of times a week, maybe a few times a day, my boys, Perry, and I would throw on records that cover all genres.

As kids, they like discovering things, and we want to introduce them to some of the classics. It was during the pandemic, and we were really into Diana Ross and other great female artists. Perry came across that song and thought the style, range, and feel would really fit me.

Of course, being Perry, he changed the lyrics from “He’s No Rebel” to “He’s a Rebel” because at the end of the day, I’m still singing about him. That’s how we changed it. We brought in different players that we know and love and just built the song.

PC: This is your solo debut. What have you learned from your past experiences in a group that you’ve been able to apply to this new chapter in your career?
Etty: For a couple of the shows (I’m not going to say which ones), I felt that we went in overconfident and under-rehearsed. We went in as a group under-rehearsed but overconfident because we had been playing together for so long, and we just were not at our best. So now I know that, as with dancing and everything else, it’s practice, man. Practice, practice, practice. Practice makes perfect. You must practice.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2022, what can fans expect from you?
Etty: I would say, aside from “He’s a Rebel,” we have a couple of original songs with a few more electronic music producers. So we’re working on a few original hits. We also have another cover, which is one of my favorite songs, “I Drove All Night,” that is being finished. We also have the “He’s a Rebel” music video coming out as well.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Etty: Matchbox 20.

PC: First album you bought?
Etty: Oh god, I actually don’t remember. Because it’s all Chinese artists and I don’t remember their names. The first English album that I bought in the United States was Lionel Ritchie. It was Dancing on the Ceiling.

PC: First concert you attended?
Etty: Bon Jovi.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Etty: You know, I’m gonna have to say Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. If you lived through that part of the ’90s, it was the first time a woman wasn’t afraid to sing about her feelings, and she wasn’t afraid to sing about those that f*cked her over, you know what I mean? I feel like, at that time, every single woman and every single coming-of-age girl all felt that that record was the soundtrack to their lives.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Etty: Carnegie Hall.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Etty: A good water filter.

To keep up with Etty, follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify.

Photo Credit: Faustian Society