Review: CHEEYANG NG is an Artist on the Rise at Feinstein's 54 Below

As much as I like seeing the shows of major cabaret artists who are at the top of their game, the thing that brings me the most joy is the showcases by new writers. It's always such an honor to be present at the debut of a tune that may one day work itself into the Great American Songbook. I think it's entirely possible that someday I will be able to say I was there at the first performance of a song by Cheeyang Ng.

Their self-titled show was part of an ongoing New Writers Series at Feinstein's 54 Below. They claim to have forgotten how to write during the pandemic, but their music doesn't bear this out. Although they are a comparatively new writer, they have a style that is very personal and one of a kind. They're having an extraordinary year. They have written three shows, all with different collaborators. Their Eastbound, written with Khiyon Hursey will have a developmental workshop in Seattle this summer, and their newer Rise of the Phoenix, a collaboration with Eric Sorrels will have developmental readings in the city later this year. That's an impressive feat by any standard.

But Cheeyang Ng is an impressive human. They are celebrating nearly a decade as a resident of New York. The native of Singapore came here, as they said to escape some traditions and find a truer, more authentic version of themself. That journey is reflected in many of their songs, which focus on the joys and the uncertainty of being in unfamiliar territory, whether it be relationships or career ambitions of just self-actualization. They seem drawn to examining the multitude of thoughts and feelings that occur in a split second of actual time. In short, Cheeyang Ng writes about the active mind.

They had some help last night from some wonderfully talented guests. Amisha Bhandari sang selections from Ng's musical Māyā. She brought great concentration and stillness to "There Will Come a Day." She was featured in one of Ng's best songs "The Banyan Tree," a portrait of a tree that remains after the ravages of a battle. It couldn't be more timely. Cheeyang Ng was also supported by the gifts of Shuyan Yang. This incredibly talented performer is currently starring in the Chinese production of Spring Awakening. She displayed some powerhouse belting in his Eastbound song, " Gravity." One of the highlights of the evening was her performance of Ng's piece, "Divine" which tells the story of one perfect moment in the life of a dancer. It comes as close to describing the experience of creation as "Finishing the Hat." The song is built mostly on pentatonic scales which added to its almost trance-like quality.

As for Cheeyang Ng, they are an engaging and confessional performer. They have a self-deprecating wit and a deep well of emotions to draw from. They displayed this in his song "Enough," written with Celine Snippe. The song is about finding contentment in the little moments along the road to the big dream. "Fit Into His Story" is an internal monologue about summoning the courage to express your love before the opportunity passes. They told a very personal story in "Tradition" about the toll the status quo takes on queer-identifying persons. They took a humorous look at Broadway in "If You Were a Man," personifying Broadway as the hot guy you just hope you might have a chance with. I was particularly impressed with "Nothing As Planned," a touching song about two people with busy lives just trying to have an unscheduled day. It was a great idea for a song. I was also very impressed with their closing number, "Let My Life Be My Song," a song cut from his musical Māyā.

Cheeyang Ng was well supported by excellent musical direction by Eric Fegan and by Jarrett Murray on bass and Joshua Roberts on drums. All three musicians did great work on challenging tunes with shifting meters. Cheeyang Ng is someone to keep your eye on. Their songs are sensitive, distinctive, and smart. It will be exciting to see what the next few years bring to this new musical theatre voice.

To learn more about Cheeyang Ng, go to cheeyang.com or follow him @Cheeyangmusic on Twitter or @cheeyangmusic on Instagram. For more great artists at 54 Below, visit 54below.com.

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