Kickstart Showcase – Jen Datu

Jen Datu and Colin Smith present: THE MACHINE NEEDS A HEART

Between 1998 to 2018, there have been several fatal disputes recorded in the Philippines that arose from karaoke renditions of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way.’ This string of murders has been labelled the My Way Killings. This has led to its removal from multiple karaoke bar playlists.  Colin Smith and Jen Datu have collaborated on a body of work that investigates the bizarre phenomenon. Interested in how spirituality and worship can arise from technology, Colin and Jen have centred the karaoke machine as an obelisk-deity-patron saint that encourages expression through voice. Working with technical artists Natalie Marinho, Caitlin Lomax and Delta Kirkham, the team have created a prototype VR experience that doubles as a karaoke machine.  Playing with worldbuilding and storytelling, they have created a digital afterlife presided over by a songster god. In future builds of this work, voice input will be utilised for activating certain elements in the environment.  

The audience will find themselves transported to a paradisiacal landscape in a headset, stitched together from hyper saturated images of the Philippines from Magic Sing (a home entertainment karaoke system). Accompanying the digital experience are 3 stained glass panels - material explorations of relics and the grounding of spirituality in tangible objects.

Users are urged to surrender to vulnerability, embrace catharsis and sing their hearts – however out-of-key, expressively or quietly as they choose, bringing life to the world through their voice and coming away with a sense of pride and embarrassed relief. Flirting with Catholic imagery and personal religious histories, Colin and Jen conjure a world that moves past shame and superstition as a way of cultural curse-breaking. 

This event is part of a series of showings from Next Wave's 2024–25 Kickstart Program. The program supported seven individual artists and one collective to develop a project over 18 months, under the guidance of Next Wave and local mentors.

Accessibility

Brunswick Mechanics Institute is a step-free venue with accessible bathrooms.

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