SHE calls herself The Analog Girl but she creates her music solely on a digital platform.

For Mei Wong, her Mac laptop is her band, songwriting instrument and studio all rolled into one.

The 34-year-old Singaporean electronic artiste recently made global headlines when Time Asia magazine listed her as one of Asia's top music talents.

'I have people writing in all the way from Shanghai as well as radio stations in New York wanting to add my tracks to their playlist after hearing a sample on TIME.com,' says Wong, who has been making music full-time since 2002.

The article wasn't her first taste of worldwide exposure though. She has performed in New York, Tokyo, Paris and London and has had her music used by sports giant Nike in a European retail campaign - all without the help of any major record label deals or fancy corporate management.

The independent artiste has a strong DIY (do-it-yourself) work ethic - 'I handle my own bookings with clubs like those in New York,' she says - and it's that tireless resolve that has helped her build a name in global hipster circles.

Last year, she was invited by cutting-edge British photographer Nick Knight to play at one of his exclusive parties at a secret location in London.

'I also had the chance to perform at Notting Hill Arts Club for a show curated by Emily Strange of electro pop trio Client fame. The atmosphere was super electrifying and justified London's status as one of the world's top music capitals,' says the chirpy and bubbly girl.

The Analog Girl's latest CD, Sometime Next Galaxy, was recently released on New York-based label Roji Music.

Wong, who went to the National University of Singapore and is single, has not forgotten her roots though, and believes she can have a positive impact on local music.

She says: 'With all this publicity, music fans and media from around the world will become even more curious about music and bands emerging from our Garden City. I hope that this will be the start of something good.'

1. Where do you stand in the analogue versus digital debate in music? Is nostalgia for vinyl records and tapes overrated?

I love the analogue and I also love the digital. The beauty of playing songs from vinyl is just indescribable to me - the warmth of the sound, the richness in tone, the organic feel... And I just love the look of cassette tapes and I will always fondly remember the days of making my own mix tapes of my favourite music for the road. My creative objective as The Analog Girl is to marry the two schools together to produce electro pop music that comes from the heart. That in itself renders it 'analogue'.

2. Where did you first pick up the issue of Time Asia magazine that featured you and who was the first person you showed it to?

I picked up the magazine at a local supermarket and first showed it to friends who were out for dinner with me at the time. It was momentous. It has definitely caught the eye of the global media and fans so I am very fortunate to have had this break. This is huge.

3. What are the pros of having a laptop as your band?

It does whatever I tell it to do. Plus it is light, mobile, sexy and powerful. It is also fun to experiment with new sounds and effects on the fly. Every show is different as I am able to tweak and manipulate elements on the go. I can even run visuals off it as a backdrop on stage if I want to.

4. You're a business graduate and a former producer and record executive. Why did you decide to make music your career?

I believe in doing what you love for a living. It's also something that I have been doing all my life, writing songs, recording mini cassette tape albums, designing album covers, singing in the back of the car. So I never exactly questioned why I did this in the first place. I just knew that I had to do it. I am also using music as a medium to immortalise thoughts, feelings and experiences as I can be quite obsessive about capturing the moment, any moment. Which is why I want to do this every waking moment of the day.

5. What do your parents think of your decision to play music full time?

They are proud of me and respect the decisions I make in life. If anything, they were the ones who introduced me to piano lessons at the tender age of five and played records from Abba and The Beatles in the house all day when I was growing up.

My Dad is now retired, but he used to work at Philips Singapore so we would get the latest music players and that made music a part of our lives. When he was a teenager, he was a big fan of The Beatles and Elvis, just to name a few, and even played the guitar. Perhaps that's where I got my musical genes from.

My late Mum used to play the piano. Her death made me realise that life is short, so we all should take our chances in life and savour it to the fullest.

6. Many indie and alternative bands would kill to play at CBGB and Knitting Factory, two of New York's premier gig venues. What went through your mind during your sets at those venues?

All I knew was that I was living the dream that I set out to do - to go on a six-venue tour of New York City's greatest indie rock venues. That, to me, was pure rock 'n' roll.

7. Were you daunted when you were asked to provide the soundtrack to the screening of The Adventures Of Prince Achmed - possibly the oldest surviving animation - at the National Museum last year?

There was this question of whether a modern electronic soundtrack was really going to work against a silent animated film made in 1926. But I loved the concept of analogue-meets-digital when the museum approached me with this idea.

The film is not like any other animated movie. It was made from silhouettes cut out by hand and shot using stop motion film techniques. It almost felt like a retro video game. That's when I knew this was going to work. And what inspired me throughout the writing process was the universal love story in the film and the gorgeous animated sequences.

During the night of the film's screening, I performed the soundtrack live to a full house as the film was being projected the old-fashioned way onto the big screen. The night was truly magical as the old and the new came together in what became a sonic and visual kaleidoscope of the 21st century.

8. Complete this sentence: If I could live my life all over again, I would...

Be me.

Sometime Next Galaxy is available at Straits Records (22 Bali Lane), Roxy Records (5 Coleman Street, 02-15 Excelsior Shopping Centre), The Asylum (22 Ann Siang Road), Earshot (The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane) and from www.analog-girl.net

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Feb 25 2008.