SINGAPORE — When three Singaporean musicians first decided to make music together in 2018, they were not setting out to become one of the country’s most-streamed pop acts.

They were simply friends and fellow musicians experimenting with a new sound.

Eight years later, the trio known as Brb. has built a global following, released multiple EPs and an album, performed in countries across Asia and the United States — and even discovered that some fans were willing to make their connection to the band permanent.

Literally.

One fan asked the members to draw on her arm so she could turn their scribbles into a tattoo.

The band thought she was joking.

She wasn’t.

“She sent us a picture on Instagram,” vocalist Clarence “CLO” Liew recalled. “She really got it tattooed.”

For the members of Brb., moments like that remain surreal — especially considering how uncertain their journey was when they first started out.

How Brb. Began: Three Musicians, One Passion Project

Brb. is made up of Auzaie Zie, Clarence “CLO” Liew and Marc Lian, three musicians who had their own solo projects or were involved with other bands before coming together.

But they were already fans of each other’s work.

The idea was simple: get together, write songs and see what happened.

“It was more of a passion project at the time,” Zie said.

Marc was instrumental in bringing the group together, encouraging the musicians to experiment and write as a unit.

The project eventually became something much bigger than they expected.

Even choosing a name was an informal process.

The trio reportedly considered internet-inspired abbreviations such as “gtg”, “omg” and “otw” before someone suggested “Brb.”

The others immediately knew it had a certain ring to it.

And just like that, Brb. was born.

Their First Song Changed Everything

The band’s debut single, Cool With It, proved to be an early breakthrough.

The song has since accumulated more than 17 million streams on Spotify, according to AsiaOne.

It was a sign that the group’s sound — a smooth blend of pop, groove and R&B influences — was connecting with listeners far beyond Singapore.

More successful releases followed.

AsiaOne reported that nine of Brb.’s tracks have surpassed 20 million streams, while one of their biggest songs, my type, has crossed the 60-million-stream mark.

For Marc, watching those numbers rise was the moment when the trio began to realise their passion project might actually have a future.

“When we started seeing the streams go up, I started to feel like, ‘Okay, I think we have to take this seriously now,’” he said.

Since then, Brb. has released three EPs, one album and a growing catalogue of million-streaming songs.

From Tiny Singapore Shows to International Stages

Streaming success was only part of the story.

The band also began performing live.

Their early shows were small, including appearances at the Esplanade Concourse in Singapore.

And according to CLO, those first performances were anything but glamorous.

The trio was still figuring out who they were as a band. They had only a few original songs and relied partly on covers.

CLO recalled being so nervous that he barely moved from his microphone stand.

He avoided looking at the audience and simply focused on getting through the performance.

Fast-forward eight years, and the transformation has been dramatic.

Now, the members jump around the stage, engage with crowds and perform for audiences around the world.

Brb. has since brought its music to Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the United States, marking a major leap from those early intimate Singapore gigs.

The US Tour Disaster They Almost Didn’t Expect

The band’s international journey has not always been smooth.

During the first stop of a US tour in Austin, Texas, the group ran into a serious technical problem when their equipment failed to work.

With a show approaching, the musicians had to scramble.

They went from guitar store to guitar store looking for a quick solution.

Eventually, they bought a small, beginner-level interface simply to make the performance possible.

The equipment problem was only fully resolved midway through the tour.

But the experience became another lesson in the unpredictable reality of life as an independent band.

Sometimes, success is not about everything going according to plan.

Sometimes, it is about finding a way to get on stage anyway.

Then Came the Fan Who Wanted a Tattoo

Among all the band’s experiences overseas, one moment in New York particularly stood out.

A female fan attended a VIP meet-and-greet with markers in hand.

Her request caught the band completely off guard.

She wanted the members to draw on her arm.

Why?

Because she planned to get whatever they drew permanently tattooed.

The members were stunned.

Marc admitted he was uncomfortable with the idea at first because whatever they drew would remain on her body for life.

But the fan was serious.

And later, she sent them proof.

She had actually gotten their scribbles tattooed.

The group later learned there had been other fan tattoos connected to the band, but the New York fan was the one who sent them a video showing the finished result.

For Brb., it was another reminder of just how deeply music can connect artists and listeners.

A song may begin in a bedroom or studio.

But once released, it can become part of someone else’s life forever.

Why Brb. Still Believes in Performing Live

Despite their enormous streaming numbers, Brb. believes that live performance remains essential.

The trio is set to headline Homegrown 2026, a Singapore music festival celebrating local artists.

The festival runs from Sept. 11 to 13 at PLQ Mall, with Brb. scheduled to perform on Sept. 12.

Other acts include co-headliner Regina Song, Forests, 10pm Noise Complaint, Ice Cream Sundays and several other Singaporean performers.

For Zie, large-scale festivals provide something that online platforms cannot completely replicate.

TikTok, Instagram and streaming services have made it easier than ever for audiences to discover musicians.

But physically standing in front of an audience and watching a new artist perform creates a different kind of connection.

“You can actually watch a new act,” Zie said, describing the experience as refreshing.

He believes Singapore needs more platforms that allow local artists to perform in front of wider audiences.

‘It Feels Very Human’: Brb. on Music in the Age of AI

The band’s belief in live performance has taken on even greater meaning as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly visible in music and entertainment.

AI-generated songs and online content are becoming easier to create and distribute.

But Zie believes live music offers something technology cannot easily reproduce.

“There’s so much AI music now,” he said.

For the band, being physically present allows audiences to experience the real imperfections of a performance.

They can hear the artists.

They can hear the flaws.

They can experience the songwriting and the personalities behind the music.

And perhaps most importantly, they can share the moment together.

“It feels very human,” Zie said.

Eight Years Later, Brb. Still Doesn’t Take It for Granted

Despite everything the band has achieved, the members admit they do not know exactly what Brb. will look like another eight years from now.

The music industry is unpredictable.

Trends change quickly.

Technology continues to transform how artists create and distribute music.

But the trio says one thing has remained important: appreciating the journey.

CLO said the band does not take its experiences for granted.

After all, Brb. began with three musicians awkwardly sitting together and trying to write a song.

Today, they have millions of streams, international performances and fans willing to carry a piece of the band’s story with them permanently.

Zie describes the relationship between the three members as something special.

Not everyone gets to build a career with friends.

Not everyone gets to turn a simple idea into something that reaches audiences around the world.

The Message Brb. Has for Aspiring Musicians

The road has not been easy.

There were setbacks.

There were moments of doubt.

There were times when quitting might have seemed easier.

But the members kept going.

Their advice to aspiring musicians is straightforward: believe in your craft and do not give up too quickly.

Zie acknowledged that pursuing music is not an easy path and may not always be supported by those around you.

But he believes artists should remember why they started.

Because they had something inside them they wanted to create.

Marc echoed the message, urging young musicians not to let setbacks stop them.

Sometimes, he said, people simply have to push through difficult moments to see results.

From ‘Cool With It’ to Whatever Comes Next

Eight years after Brb. began as a passion project, the Singaporean trio has become one of the country’s most recognisable independent pop acts.

Their journey has taken them from awkward small-stage performances to international tours.

From three songs and cover performances to a catalogue filled with millions of streams.

From writing music together as friends to watching fans turn their drawings into permanent tattoos.

And now, as Brb. prepares to take the stage at Homegrown 2026, the group appears to be entering another chapter.

The future may be uncertain.

But after eight years, one thing is clear.

Brb. never stopped believing that three friends with a song could become something bigger.

And in an age where technology can generate almost anything in seconds, the trio is betting that there is still nothing quite like standing on a stage, making music and sharing it with real people.

Because sometimes, the most powerful thing about music is not how perfectly it is made.

It is how human it feels.

WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D