BERITA Mediacorp: Effects of olfactory and music therapy researched by the first cohort of graduates from two new LASALLE programmes
Certain smells, such as the smell of a bakery or the smell of freshly cut grass can trigger emotions and memories of a place and can act as a link to a community.
That is what prompted Nur Aliyah Binte Mohammad Noor Azman to delve deeper into how the sense of smell can be a factor to consider when designing social spaces for her final year project at LASALLE College of the Arts.
She examined how smell, even those that may be unpleasant to some, can actually be a way to connect people.
“The experience of conducting this study has helped me a lot in understanding how to work more closely with the community as a social designer,” Aliyah said.
“Throughout the Can You Smell It Too? project, I learnt to listen more carefully to the experiences of others, make observations of everyday life, and approach social issues with more sensitivity and empathy,” she added.
Aliyah is among the first 19 graduates of the BA (Hons) Design for Social Futures course introduced by LASALLE in 2024.
According to Programme Leader Wendy Chua, the programme, the first to be run in Singapore, aims to produce social designers who understand real-world issues through the lens of design.
Nine months of research in rental blocks in Hougang
Over the course of nine months, Aliyah conducted her ethnographic research in rental blocks in Hougang and found that smell, such as cooking smell, hair oil smell and cigarette smell, can be “a form of language in society that doesn’t require much explanation”.
The smell of certain dishes can trigger a person’s memory of a location or memories of growing up in a certain place. (Photo: Nur Aliyah Mohammad Noor Azman)
Smoking is seen as a social activity for some Hougang residents. (Photo: Nur Aliyah Mohammad Noor Azman)
“Smell can spark conversations between neighbours and remind someone of their family or culture. Therefore, this project tries to open up a space for people to understand that every smell has a different story, life routine and cultural background. Through this understanding, smell can be a link that creates more empathy and tolerance in community life,” she revealed.
As a result of her hard work, Aliyah successfully completed her studies with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours).
Her project will also be displayed at The LASALLE Show Exhibition which will take place from 22 May to 3 June at the McNally campus of LASALLE College of the Arts which is open to the public.
Music used as a tool for rehabilitation
Another project being displayed is from graduates of the MA Music Therapy programme which was also newly introduced in 2024.
Among the 12 graduates of the programme is musician Bakti Khair.
Before studying degree, Bakti was a music teacher.
Bakti Khair with members of the MA Music Therapy programme during a music therapy workshop (Photo: LASALLE College of the Arts)
“When I found out about this programme, which was newly introduced two years ago, I made the decision with my family to leave my career as a teacher and join this field,” he shared.
According to him, one thing that had the biggest impact on him throughout his time in this programme was seeing first-hand how music can directly impact patients when it is used in music therapy sessions.
“For example, when we play a song that may be more well-known, sometimes we can see how dementia patients suddenly remember experiences or memories related to that song,” he added.
His thesis examined the perceptions of Malay/Muslim seniors towards music.
The study involved 102 Malay/Muslim seniors aged 60 and above.
Bakti conducting a music therapy session with elderly patients (Photo: Bakti Khair)
“In Singapore, we have an ethnic health gap, and we may have more Malay patients. However, we may not have enough Malay music therapists in Singapore. Therefore, I think, having Singaporean Malay artists who are more knowledgeable in Malay culture will be more beneficial for the Singapore Malay community,” explained Bakti.
This includes the use of traditional music and nasyid in therapy for the elderly.
He also hopes that the findings of his study can enlighten music therapists in Singapore when they use music in their therapy sessions with this group.
Watch the report on BERITA Mediacorp.
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