Review: Delicate Spells of Mind by Lucy McRae (SIFA 2022)

Unveiling the mysteries of the inner mind. If you could look into your mind, what would you see? In her short film Delicate Spells of Mind, British-born, Australian science fiction artist Lucy McRae imagines the inner workings of the human mind as anthropomorphised creatures working as part of an operating system, and invites you to take a closer look. Commissioned for the 2022 Singapore International … Continue reading Review: Delicate Spells of Mind by Lucy McRae (SIFA 2022)

★★★★☆ Review: Ceremonial Enactments by MAX.TAN, Nadi Singapura and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (SIFA 2022)

Drawing power from tradition and ceremony to herald the start of SIFA 2022. Because of their historical and cultural significance, a ritual is often a powerful, sacred act of performance. At times celebratory, and at others a form of salvation, rituals form the heart of the 2022 Singapore International Festival of Arts, and are explicitly given the spotlight in Ceremonial Enactments, drawing strength from movement, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Ceremonial Enactments by MAX.TAN, Nadi Singapura and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (SIFA 2022)

★★★★☆ Review: MEPAAN by Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Tuyang Initiative (SIFA 2022)

A concert of culture inspired by the Borneo rainforest. In the native language of Kayan, spoken by the indigenous Kayan people of Borneo, ‘mepaan’ translates to ‘always’, and makes for an appropriate title for the opening show of this year’s Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA). Performed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Tuyang Initiative (from Sarawak), MEPAAN‘ is a musical journey into Southeast Asian … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: MEPAAN by Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Tuyang Initiative (SIFA 2022)

★★★★☆ Review: Holly Herndon – PROTO (SIFA 2022)

Hear the sounds of the future, as machine learning meets music. In this age of speculative and sci-fi films and television series showcasing apocalyptic views of a robot futures, fantastical space and transcendent possibility, Holly Herndon’s album PROTO would feel right at home. An American experimental musician based in Berlin, Holly Herndon played in Singapore as part of the 2022 Singapore International Festival of Arts … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Holly Herndon – PROTO (SIFA 2022)

Music Is: An Interview with rising star Lyn Lapid on authenticity, youth, and the music industry

As the world sees a rise of social media stars and an entertainment industry burgeoning with increasingly youthful talent, it’s no surprise that agents, managers and producers are tempted by the call of greed. More often than not, these predatory adults swoop in to make a quick buck off these hopeful, inexperienced youth in need of mentorship and a guide to show them the ropes, … Continue reading Music Is: An Interview with rising star Lyn Lapid on authenticity, youth, and the music industry

Preview: A Tapestry of Sacred Music 2022 by Esplanade – Theatres on the bay

With so much chaos and uncertainty, sometimes the best thing we can do is sit back, relax, and enjoy some relaxing music. And if you want some of that, you’re in luck, with the return of the Esplanade’s annual A Tapestry of Sacred Music programme. From primal expressions of belief through voice, to drum beats that elevate the spirit and move us, sacred music may … Continue reading Preview: A Tapestry of Sacred Music 2022 by Esplanade – Theatres on the bay

Preview: Majulah Live – It’s A Rap by Base Entertainment Asia and Red Spade

A celebration of Singaporean culture, music and talent is set to take centre stage on 19 March at Sands Theatre with Majulah Live x It’s A Rap. Top homegrown acts and independent artists will come together for a live entertainment extravaganza, featuring a diverse mix of 13 local veteran and up-and-coming artists spanning the genres of music, rap and comedy. Majulah Live x It’s A … Continue reading Preview: Majulah Live – It’s A Rap by Base Entertainment Asia and Red Spade

Music Is: Rapper ShiGGa Shay samples Singapore-inspired UTOPIA Symphony in latest single “uTopia reimagined: chasing”

Singaporean rapper ShiGGa Shay will release “uTopia reimagined: chasing” on 19 November on all major digital platforms, which sees ShiGGa Shay rapping over the UTOPIA Symphony, Aisyah Aziz on vocals, and Charlie Lim in charge of vocal production. “uTopia reimagined: chasing” is the third song of the UTOPIA Reimagined initiative, commissioned by the Foundation for the Arts and Social Enterprise (“The Foundation”), which sees four … Continue reading Music Is: Rapper ShiGGa Shay samples Singapore-inspired UTOPIA Symphony in latest single “uTopia reimagined: chasing”

Music Is: Malaysian Singer-Songwriter Froya Announces Release of EP, ‘Creature’

To say Malaysian singer-songwriter Froya’s year of music releases has been quiet would be quite an understatement. With her constant collaboration efforts with Japanese electronic pop group SNOWK, Tokimeki Records and UQiYO released back to back, Froya is fast becoming a mainstay collaborator in the Japanese music scene in the past 2 years. The singer-songwriter has just announced the release of her long-awaited EP, ‘Creature’, … Continue reading Music Is: Malaysian Singer-Songwriter Froya Announces Release of EP, ‘Creature’

Music Is: Amanda Ong and Sope release single ‘Diabetes’

Singaporean singer-songwriter duo Amanda Ong and Sope announce the release of their first and latest collaboration titled Diabetes, written together not long after becoming fast friends and discovering many things in common between the two of them–one of which is the fact that they both share the same experience of being young people with (type 2) diabetes. The track is now available on all major … Continue reading Music Is: Amanda Ong and Sope release single ‘Diabetes’