Seia Yano
Biography
Seia P. Yano, also known as SEIA or The Singing Pyano, is a singer-songwriter based in Kent. A classically trained pianist since he was four, he received his ARSM Diploma in 2022. From age nine to thirteen, Seia was also a member of the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choi, performing at prestigious events such as at the Singapore ISTANA and ASEAN Summit, as well as in renowned concert halls like The Esplanade and Victoria Concert Hall. Despite these accolades, he considers the countless concerts in his school the most rewarding, thanks to the memories and friends he made along the way.
Now 17, he is studying music in the UK hoping to record his debut solo album, which will feature a mixture of piano ballads, piano rock, funk, acoustic indie folk sounds, and more. He is also teaching himself guitar and drums.
Keep yourself updated and stay tuned on this new and upcoming artist before he takes the big stage in 2026!
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I’d say that although I’ve been playing the piano since I was 4 years old, the moment I discovered singing was when I really became interested in music. Sure my mum would say that it was when I first banged my fists on that dusty white Yamaha keyboard in what I could only describe as… free jazz. But I think my first memory was watching the sound of music when I was little. I had one of those DVD players, the size of an iPad, and I’d watch that whilst eating dinner if my parents were busy.
Later, when I visited Italy, whilst attending my first Opera in a very small local concert hall in Venice, at 10:30pm or something, I was the only kid who was still awake. Glued to the singers, I even got called up on stage to sing a few melodies. Ever since then, my parents realised that I am and have been deeply connected to music. After listening to countless CD’s with my mum (Adele, Bruno Mars, Amy Winehouse, Ed Sheeran, Queen and more…), once I began performing and writing my own stuff… that adrenaline and purpose I obtained was how I knew that music was all I wanted to do.
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As a pianists and songwriter, my favourite artist is Billy Joel because of his masterful storytelling that resonates with all generations. His music is simply timeless and exciting with such a range in his discography. My favourite band is Coldplay. I know it’s a basic answer, but these guys have a powerful ability to touch my heart in so many different ways it’s crazy. Personally, my favourite song is Everglow; I can play this even with my eyes closed.
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I’d say that the most “impressive” concert I’ve ever been a part of was the 33rd ASEAN Summit in 2018 where I sang with the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir in front of leaders like Trudeau and Abe. However, I was very young at the time and I did sing with a very large group so it’s not the performance I’d say I’m most proud of. Surprisingly, I’d say I feel most connected to the performances I sing at my school and my old school because there, I get to connect with people I know and love. Being connected in that way means much more than performing to any world leader.
The most exciting performance I’ve been in recently was one nearby where I live in a place called Tunbridge Wells at a small music venue. However, I am looking forward to much bigger shows as I have a lot… A LOT of new songs that I’d like to share to the world.
Keep in mind that right now, I’m a nobody. I am very very aware. I’m not professional or anything but all I know is that one day, I want to live, breathe and survive from what my heart wants to share with the world. Everything I’m saying is not advice really but a commentary on what I think works - what I FEEL works. So maybe if you’re reading this and you’re thinking who the hell is this guy? Fair enough. I know that I’ll certainly come back to this blog in 10 years to see if it all worked out, that’s for sure.
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As the next questions asks about practicing, besides practise, there are three things that feed my music. Life, lessons, and love. I choose to live life as if living isn’t the only purpose in life. “Breathing is not living” as I’d like to say. In doing so, I learn to feel joy, excitement, adrenaline, fear, sonder, distraught, hunger, and all the beautiful things that construct my optimal human experience. By choosing to feel all that the world has to offer, my music acts as a medium… a language that can express all these beautiful colours that paint the life I live in. Therefore, I must continue to live life and experience these colours to in order to become a master on stage.
As important as practicing your instrument may be, to be a true artist, I think it’s important to learn new things. At the end of the day we’re not only performing to other musicians, but to ordinary people. They are our audience so we must learn what it’s like to be in their shoes. The best artists know how to express their art in a way their audience can understand it whilst being able to balance that knowledge with what the artist thinks is lacking in the world. By learning history, art, literature and all these things that nurture our knowledge of culture and human depth, only then can the music communicate to our audience. That’s what I’m trying to achieve… or at least CONVINCE myself because I am currently being tortured by the IBDP which was completely and stupidly my own choice.
Finally, what’s an artist without love? I love love. And I make sure my life is filled with it. Love is the foundation in all the music I write no matter how beautiful, heart wrenching or scrumptious it may sound. The experiences and feelings you get from being in love, being loved, and sharing love to those around you will definitely get you somewhere. Besides practice, and passion… no OBSESSION, love is the most important thing.
So go and get yourself a girl, or get rejected by one because that works too. If you’re a classical geek - which I definitely am sometimes too - this applies to you too. Imagine playing Liszt after your heart just got broken. Yeah. Exactly.
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Yeah definitely. By now, after reading the above, you can definitely tell I got slightly weird practise techniques. After I do all the nitty gritty stuff with the crotchets and quavers (as my music teacher likes to call it), depending on the time I have I do these things:
Firstly, I play it to my mum. She is brutally honest so once she likes it, I know I can move on. Next is an obvious one. Visualisation. I picture myself in front of an audience and practise playing, interacting, transitioning and speaking as if I’m singing at Wembley. Then if I am singing, I will sing whilst doing some sort of exercise like a plank. Finally, if I’m not using the whole range of the piano, I’ll play with a blindfold as I do when I’m improvising for fun. This part is my favourite because if I do really know the song, it feels cathartic being able to cancel out all the noise that surrounds me in everyday life. Music is my escape. And those keys are my babies.
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You don’t want to know…
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I want to compete in Britain’s Got Talent to introduce myself to the world. And I think I will soon. After that, I want to fulfil the promise I made to so many people, and most importantly, the promise I made to myself. I wanna play in Wembley.
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I’m planning on auditioning for some talent show like Britain’s Got Talent next year
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“When I look at great works of art or listen to inspired music, I sense intimate portraits of the specific times in which they were created [Billy Joel]” - if it’s ok with the world, in a time filled with conflict and uncertainty, I’d be honoured to express that “love” I yap about so much in my very own intimate portraits. To be remembered for making a generation laugh, scream, cry, and dance so hard that no emotional earthquake stops us… that’s the dream.
