Longform

Once again, it did not come home, but this time there was solace rather than sorrow in defeat. 24 June 2004. I still remember the date vividly. It is a date that has stayed with me throughout the years. It is the date of my first real heartbreak as a football fan. Unbeknownst to my then eight-year-old self, this was just the start of many harrowing years that were to follow in my journey as a supporter of the England national football team. I was just a shy and unassuming young boy, with barely any knowledge of the world around…

American President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un are preparing for an unprecedented summit, on June 12 at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in our very own, sunny Singapore. The meeting has been fraught with international drama, leading many to wonder if it will happen at all. Previously, President Trump has called off the meeting, citing Chairman Kim’s belligerence, while the North Koreans are still concerned about the bellicose rhetoric emerging from the American side, particularly in comments made about comparing North Korea to other military targets. Ironically, the Trump-Kim Singapore summit is happening at what seems…

It was a drizzling Friday night when I met Lincoln Lim at a bar in a nondescript corner of Bugis. He greeted me as if I was an old friend, extending his hands out warmly with a wide smile and said: “Hi, you must be Stacey!” Surprised by his nice reception, I shook his hands and greeted him back. Although he was scheduled to perform at the Jalan Klapa bar at about 7.30pm and it was already a little over 7.15pm when I had arrived, he assured me that he would have enough time to have a quick chat with…

“He said, one day you’ll leave this world behind So live a life you will remember. My father told me when I was just a child These are the nights that never die.” – The Nights, Avicii It’s unmistakable that the past decade was dominated by a flurry of progressive house music – among other EDM genres – and with DJs such as Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and Swedish House Mafia churning out hits after hits, one name stood out to me, more than any other: Avicii. As one of the few pioneers in the EDM house music scene, Tim…

It’s undeniable that the OG Californian Girl remains unforgettable, consistently churning out number 1 hit singles in every album cycle since the start of her decade-long career in 2007. Katy’s discography has also evolved alongside her, channelling influences from her personal life experiences and the zeitgeist of the day. Her brand of music is known for being quirky and relatable, often drawing fans with playful lyrics and undauntedly pushes against accepted boundaries, through its discussion of social taboos. Brandishing a genuine frankness, she has been able to cut a swathe through the years, establishing herself as a constant in a…

“In the moment that you are waiting for your food, do you not become the waiter?” Puns aside, most teenagers from middle-class families probably have no idea what it’s like to be serving someone else at the other end of the table. As a fresh JC kid back in 2014, I was looking for a way to kill time and to pick up a little life experience and thus chose to venture into that other side. This decision would eventually lead to a part-time stint at Sunday Folks, a humble, quaint ice cream café situated in Holland V. Having no…

Listening to music while we commute, the chatter of friends, and the general ambiance of a crowded office are all pretty mundane detail for many of us. Yet, trying to come to terms with our world of sound slowly turning silent, is something completely unfathomable altogether. Meet Edmund Koh, who was only formally diagnosed with hearing impairment at the age of 17, thanks to the pre-enlistment medical checkup for Singapore’s National Service (well thanks, NS!). Although he faced difficulties in hearing his teachers back in his old school days, he coped by choosing seats closer to the front of the classroom…

This reflection started off with a close buddy of mine asking: “How in the world do you deal with life? I mean, like with that many messages from so many different chats!?”  Maybe it’s because a million thoughts go through my head a day, or that I’m probably just an asshole. Either way, I almost always forget to text people back, and sometimes I really just don’t give a damn to do so (which makes me want to put my money on me being the latter). Anyway, on average there’s Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Telegram and WhatsApp, all of which are just…

This Mother’s Day, DANamic.ORG writer Hannah Halim pens her thoughts on spending the occasion in Brisbane, away from the Singapore she grew up in. For the past week (or longer) my inbox has basically been spammed with promotional emails for exciting gifts to pamper Mama for Mother’s Day. While I find the bags on offer to be way beyond my daily purchase limit, being 6,150 km away means I can’t even make a surprise breakfast in bed for her. Growing up, I’m lucky that Mama has always been a constant. I guess it’s partly the reason why being away for…