Preview: Where Are You? by Sim Yan Ying

It’s been said that grief changes us irrevocably––that the death of a loved one shakes us up in unexpected and unimaginable ways. Some of us cling to rituals and superstitions. Others replay memories. Still others laugh in the face of its absurdity. Fresh from her successful foray into digital theatre, Sim Yan Ying “YY” is back with a brand new digital project this October, with Where … Continue reading Preview: Where Are You? by Sim Yan Ying

By The Book: Singapore Writers Festival 2020 reveals more international authors, including Margaret Atwood and Naomi Klein

The 23rd Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) will see 10 international headliners in its upcoming digital edition, a record-breaking number in festival history. Organised by the National Arts Council (NAC), the multilingual literary festival brings together writers, thinkers and audiences from Singapore and around the world to explore the theme of ‘Intimacy’ through words and stories in this time of distancing. This edition embodies the festival’s … Continue reading By The Book: Singapore Writers Festival 2020 reveals more international authors, including Margaret Atwood and Naomi Klein

The Banter: An interview with rising pop star Jannine Weigel on new single ‘Passcode’ and working with RedRecords

It’s never an easy feat getting a record label off the ground, but for RedRecords, a new joint venture between AirAsia and Universal Music Group, they seem to have hit upon a real winner with the very first artist they’ve signed: Thai-German artist Jannine Weigel. Born in the small town of Steinfurt, Germany, Jannine moved to Thailand when she was just 10. As a teenager, … Continue reading The Banter: An interview with rising pop star Jannine Weigel on new single ‘Passcode’ and working with RedRecords

★★★★☆ Film Review: System Crasher dir. Nora Fingscheidt (German Film Festival 2020)

If you think kids are bad, you’ve obviously never met Benni. A regular tiny terror, the protagonist of Nora Fingscheidt’s debut film System Crasher is a sight to behold, incredibly rude and chaotic. From shoplifting, to insulting others, to taking out her violent rage on the people around her, she’s constantly expelled and quickly moves on from every place she’s sent to. It’s not long … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Film Review: System Crasher dir. Nora Fingscheidt (German Film Festival 2020)

★★★★☆ Film Review: Styx dir. Susanne Wolff (German Film Festival 2020)

If you’ve watched Tom Hanks in survival drama Cast Away, then you’ll know that the wide open sea can be one of the most terrifying forces of nature to behold. And for those who don’t even make it to a deserted island, even the smidgen of hope seems to lie far beyond the horizon. In Wolfgang Fischer’s Styx, our protagonist is quite different Cast Away’s Chuck Noland, where we … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Film Review: Styx dir. Susanne Wolff (German Film Festival 2020)

Music Is: Charlie Lim teams up with Japanese soul singer Miho Fukuhara for ‘Ashes’

Singaporean singer-songwriter Charlie Lim has teamed up with Japanese soul singer Miho Fukuhara to release a bilingual duet, titled ‘Ashes’. The collaboration started late last year when Miho was in Singapore, and they continued working on the song over the next few months, sending ideas back and forth online.  The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted everyone greatly. With travel restrictions and country lockdowns, Fukuhara who is … Continue reading Music Is: Charlie Lim teams up with Japanese soul singer Miho Fukuhara for ‘Ashes’

vOilah! 2020: Conductor Kahchun Wong teams up with the NomadPlay app to offer Asian musicians a chance to perform in Paris

As part of the 2020 vOilah! France Singapore Festival, music platform NomadPlay has developed a new touchpoint for Asian musicians through a digital competition of a brand-new kind, partnering up with Kahchun Wong and the National Orchestra of Île-de-France. With NomadPlay having recently launched in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan over summer, the French startup is expanding throughout Asia, to give more musicians the chance … Continue reading vOilah! 2020: Conductor Kahchun Wong teams up with the NomadPlay app to offer Asian musicians a chance to perform in Paris

★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Fisherman King by Kathrina Mohd Daud

Bringing Bruneian folklore, mythology and royal drama to the forefront. Of all the Southeast Asian countries out there, perhaps the one whose folktales least enters the shared consciousness of pop culture is Brunei’s. With Kathrina Mohd Daud’s The Fisherman King, readers get more than a taster of the country’s lore, with mythical creatures, ancient rituals, and royal blood thrown into the mix. Framed as a story … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Fisherman King by Kathrina Mohd Daud

Music Is: Jesse Reuben talks about love, life and the future with his new single

The last time we spoke to singer Jesse Ruben was way back in March 2019, when he had just released his EP Hope, something that we seem to be seeing less and less of in a COVID-19 stricken world. But Jesse has managed to remain remarkably strong during this period, in spite of the cancellation of live performances, with the release of his latest single Future.  “I … Continue reading Music Is: Jesse Reuben talks about love, life and the future with his new single

Shopping Time: New LEGO Certified Store opens at Tampines Mall

Singapore’s latest LEGO Certified Store (LCS) is now open at Tampines Mall, giving LEGO fans in the East something to rejoice about. What makes it stand out? Well, Singapore will have its first-ever LEGO Art wall at the store, built by passionate adult fans of LEGO. Following the launch of LEGO Art in July this year, the store at Tampines Mall will feature a LEGO Art wall … Continue reading Shopping Time: New LEGO Certified Store opens at Tampines Mall