A CRUSH can make even the most ordinary day feel a little more special.
There’s breakfast, traffic, a walk by the beach, something cold to drink, and a few hours spent wondering if the other person feels the same. Then comes the question: will there be a kiss before the sun goes down?
Malaysian RandB singer-songwriter Nigel Tay taps into that kind of attraction in his new single, ‘Manhattan Beach’-the kind that doesn’t come with grand declarations, but stays on your mind from morning until sunset.
The song turns a day in Los Angeles (LA) into a nostalgic summer memory, following a couple through food, traffic, and beachside wandering before arriving at the possibility of a kiss.
‘When I was writing ‘Manhattan Beach,’ definitely I was picturing it as a whole-day event,’ Nigel told SoundStrip in an exclusive interview earlier this month. ‘When that kiss-you’re already thinking about it from the morning.’
The anticipation, rather than the kiss itself, becomes the song’s emotional center.
‘It’s kind of like that moment is going on in your mind the whole day,’ he said. ‘The sunset would be the best time, when you’re waiting for the right moment, when it feels perfect to go in for that kiss.’
A much quieter LA
THE song takes its name from Manhattan Beach, one of several LA locations mentioned in its lyrics.
Nigel, who lived in LA, said the choice was deliberate. Venice Beach and Santa Monica are among the city’s better-known coastal destinations, but their popularity also means crowds.
He wanted somewhere more serene. ‘Manhattan Beach is that perfect spot,’ he said, describing it as a more relaxed place where two people could simply spend time together.
The setting also gave the song a convenient romantic detail: stronger wind and waves.
‘And when girls are cold, you have that opportunity to keep them warm,’ Nigel said. ‘So it’s part of my master plan.’
Mundane as big things
‘MANHATTAN Beach’ is filled with details that could easily disappear from a bigger love song: eggs, chopsticks, cold drinks and sitting in traffic.
‘THE NOCTURNAL CEREMONY’ | New release by The Night Rituals is a psychological music experienceThe young artist kept them because, to him, memory tends to work that way. ‘As humans, we remember small details,’ he explained. ‘Even though sometimes big events, obviously, we remember them, it’s these small little things.’
Nigel recalled noticing the small physical habits of someone he once knew-the way she moved her eyes when uncomfortable or scratched her nose.
‘That’s what makes me remember this person a little bit more deeply,’ Nigel said.
Nigel said that sweetness came naturally, especially because the kiss had been on his mind since the start of the day.
‘Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like all boys are like that,’ he said. ‘I think it’s just naturally sweet. The song is just naturally sweet.’
Simplicity above all
FOR Nigel, the uncomplicated quality of ‘Manhattan Beach’ is also a return to an earlier relationship with music.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, he first gained wider recognition as a Top 7 finalist on The Voice of China in 2018. He later worked as a producer, arranger, instrumentalist and bandleader on Mango TV’s Me to Us in 2020, eventually becoming vocalist and leader of MiLK.
His career eventually expanded across Greater China.
His latest album, CRÉMA, came out in 2025, followed by a headline tour in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing.
That background could have pushed the song toward a more elaborate production. Instead, Nigel found himself stripping things back.
‘After being in Berklee, you have all this knowledge, all this music knowledge,’ he said. ‘You want to put it in your music. You want to add these chords, vocal runs, crazy stuff.’
‘Manhattan Beach,’ however, reminded him of his early days in LA and of why he started making music in the first place. ‘Everything is simpler,’ he said. ‘The production is not as crazy. The melody is a little bit simpler and singable.’
Finding an audience
NIGEL arrived in Manila on September 10 for a performance at the Music Museum, opening for Jesse Barrera and Albert Posis, before continuing to Jakarta and Bangkok on September 12 and 13, respectively.
He is scheduled to perform in Singapore on November 19, opening for Jesse Gold.
The Manila audience was new territory. Nigel said it was his first time performing in the city, but the reception surprised him. ‘They didn’t know me, but they were so interactive, they were so warm,’ he said. ‘It was really like a warm, fuzzy moment. I really felt at home.’
The response is significant for an artist whose career has largely developed across Asian markets outside his home country.
Following ‘Manhattan Beach,’ Nigel said more music and collaborations are already being developed, with projects involving artists in Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan.