You would expect someone about to be suspended mid-air alongside two aerialists and 300 drones for NDP the following day to be riddled with nerves — one would probably choose to prepare themselves at home mentally. Instead, we meet Jasmine Sokko at a Today at Apple session at MBS, where she showcases her favourite creative tools within the Mac ecosystem, a day before her career-defining performance that viewed by the nation. “I’m actually more nervous for this event because I have to get all the tech parts right, and I’ve never demonstrated what I do on social media in front of a live audience. Especially when glitches could happen,” she shares. Perhaps it’s the thought of sharing a process that normally feels so intimate, much like how one experiences additional pressure when using a self-checkout counter with a long line behind them, staring.
For an artist whose parents, once upon a time, only allowed her to pursue music as a hobby, you’ll notice that “You’ll Be Okay” comes from a genuine place, as she hopes it will resonate with those bracing for uncertain, unfamiliar times. “There was definitely pressure of knowing there are expectations from Singaporeans on how an NDP song should sound, but I wrote it with the feeling of being 11 again, hanging out with my friends and getting KFC,” she says.
Co-produced with Josh Wei, the process of bringing the song to life was extremely collaborative, involving online discussions and working together on the same tracks on Logic Pro. Although she is also familiar with digital audio workstations, she has found Logic Pro to be the most intuitive. “After spending a lot of time with the program, you’ll morph the settings into what fits you. For me, I’m all about colour coding the different instruments.”
When it comes to capturing new ideas, she relies heavily on Voice Memos and Keynote. “I’ve got 1,000 voice notes, and an ongoing Keynote on my desktop where I constantly update it.” From the 40-plus slides she currently has, Sokko will then materialise these ideas with apps such as NomadSculpt for 3D sculpting, Procreate for illustrations, and TouchDesigner, a machine learning app that tracks and converts movement into data. Since upgrading to the M5 Max-powered MacBook Pros, she has been able to run these programs, alongside LLMs like Claude, without latency. “Using these tools alongside my music software gets very intense, especially when I have a hundred stems — now, I get to translate my idea without feeling paralysed,” Sokko explains.
Sokko, however, does not use AI for her music. “Even though it’s an option, I don’t because I enjoy the process of making music.” Acknowledging the phenomenon of artists feeling demoralised in a scene where they have to compete with AI music for streams and attention, she emphasises that while helpful, most things cannot be replaced by tech alone. “Tech will never have the intuition, although it took years of machine learning to get to where we’re at. It’s impressive, but real human craft will become more precious.” Believing that these tools are not capable of synthesising new perspectives or opinions, she sees AI as a neutral tool that empowers individuals to create, serving as a starting point, rather than the final output.
For budding creatives, Sokko recommends getting access to the Apple Creator Studio, which includes Apple’s beloved tools like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro. “Getting into audio production programs may look daunting at first, but you just need to dabble and experiment just to create a song. In fact, ‘1057’ used to be a remix of something else. I just kept tweaking it until it sounded like something else completely. Just get your hands dirty and experiment,” she says. From a girl who used to collect iPod shuffles to one who now makes music for a living, it’s clear she embodies the empowered attitude she hopes to inspire through songs like “You’ll Be Okay”.
In fact, the future she hopes for Singapore is one that truly recognises its diverse range of talent. “The musicians here are so talented, with each one of us doing a version of what sounds right. What I wish for the next generation of Singaporeans is a broader acceptance and definition of success — beyond just graduating from university and getting a prestigious job,” Sokko explains. She envisions Singapore to be a launchpad for the arts, given its unique blend of cultures and languages. Sometimes, it takes a leap of faith; and other times, it comes down to leveraging the tools right in front of her.
Sokko also joins a cohort of Southeast Asian creatives, including Marisa Chentakul, Eka Gustiwana, Trung Bảo, and Eddie Putera as part of Apple’s “Here’s to the Dreamers” campaign, where each of them spotlight their favourite apps from the App Store that fuel their artistry. Discover her picks here.
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