Pastries

The Royal Leisure

The Royal Leisure is an indie pop music project created by singer/songwriter Horace Tam. Based in Hong Kong, the artist claims that “The Royal Leisure” is not an alias but an entirely parallel universe. Tam was originally part of a pop-punk band; however, this project took over and left him focusing on it completely. The Royal Leisure’s debut single, “Everything’s Fine,” was released earlier this year; it was recorded and produced at Tam’s home studio. Tam also shared a playlist with 99 songs that shaped him, so listeners can see where his inspiration comes from. He is heavily influenced by indie and rock singers/bands, including the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, and Elvis Presley. His discography is available on Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud. The Royal Leisure’s second release is the synth hit, “Pastries.”

Tam describes “Pastries” as a blend between “80s synth pop and disco funk with 90s noise rock nostalgia.” It’s a lot to process in one song, but it will immediately take you back in time. The danceable beats and sultry vocals remind one of the band Foster The People. However, what’s more important is the lyrics. In these lyrics, Tam is honest with his own feelings. He asks “Spend all my time on my daydream / Spend all my money on pastries / Yeah I know I got some problems / Do I wanna solve them?” We all know the answer to that question on our own, but Tam somehow words it so perfectly that we don’t need to think about it more. It’s easy to get lost in daydreams and thoughts listening in. So, stream The Royal Leisure’s “Pastries” to enjoy one of your own as you hit play.

Victória Santiago

Brazillian Marketing and Journalism student. A traveler and a storyteller.