//BIOGRAPHY Jonathan Tse is a youth pastor in a local church called Faith Christian Centre located in Bandar Sunway. Hailing from the Federal Territory of Labuan, he graduated from Inti College Subang Jaya with a BSc. in Computer Science in April 2004. He is now pursuing his theological studies as a part-time student in Malaysia Bible Seminary. He is currently producing his debut solo album called ‘Purpose’, which is due to be released on the 2nd December 2005. The musical content of the album varies from contemporary pop music to jazz, and is arranged in a very casual and light mannered tone. Purpose is a project that was birthed from his own initiative to create an impact in the local music scene. Purpose is aimed to reach out to an audience that is primarily young and energetic; college students. Its lyrics touch on topics regarding life from the perspective of a young college graduate, trying to find his purpose in life. Most of the issues engaged in his songs are inspired by his own life experiences, capturing the ebb and flow of a young man caught in the hustle-bustle of metropolitan life. His musical talents have been honed since the tender age of five when he first enrolled into a music school to learn the organ. Since then, he discovered his love for music and he started playing the bass guitar in his church in Labuan six years later. Not having the time and resources needed to professionally produce his album under an established label, he decided to make it as an independent musician. He chose to engage in the services of a recording studio in Kota Kinabalu because of the lower costs involved. Working on a tight budget and timeline, he has to juggle between his work in Church and producing his album, jet-setting to and from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu for his recording. As an independent musician, he needed to finance the entire project on his own effort. Financing has come solely from his own pocket and support from friends and family. As it is, he is currently struggling to garner support for his second album, which is on the blocks. Currently, he is doing final touches to the first album and will engage in his second album as soon as he can garner sufficient support. His plight is the one of which that is struggling to compete with the powers of the mass media, and the commercialisation of the Malaysian music scene. His success in producing this album is considered as a small victory in itself against the larger labels. By not bowing down to the trends of today’s mass market, he is making his stand in producing an album which is truly his own. His success will bring forth a significant impact in the Malaysian music scene whereby he may be an inspiration to upcoming musicians to produce their own albums without bowing to the commercialisation of today’s market. He now plans to distribute this album via new and innovative marketing channels.