Music

Pyrotechnics? Check. Confetti storms? Check. Smoke effects? Check. A’ight, The Chainsmokers’ set is ready to roll. The Chainsmokers, consisting of Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart, were responsible for chart-topping pop hits such as Closer, Don’t Let Me Down, and Paris. But how would it feel like to be at the moshpit and watch them perform live? I was not expecting my night to turn out… something just like this. The duo played a private event at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre on March 28th, and boy, were their audience in for a visual treat. Mastercards Singapore did…

“I know you’ve got seats and you’re gonna treat this like you’re in a cinema, but you are going to find out later that the seats are for your handbags,” the 44-year-old English singer assured confidently as he addressed the 7,000-strong crowd last Friday, 23 March. In fact, the audience at the MAX Pavilion was treated to an evening of laughter and fun throughout the 90-minute concert performance last Friday, which is part of his world tour to support his fifth full-length album, The Afterlove. After 30 minutes of anticipation, Blunt got things started with two energetic and soulful opening…

After the critically-acclaimed releases of their two LPs, ‘Blush’ (2016) and ‘I’ll Keep You In Mind, From Time to Time’ (2014), Canterbury’s Moose Blood has a lot of expectations to keep up to with their highly anticipated third new album, ‘I Don’t Think I Can Do This Anymore’. Any Moose Blood fan who has dipped their toes into this record would immediately notice that the band is headed for a mature direction with ‘I Don’t Think I Can Do This Anymore’. Noting that the band “always write like it might be the last album”, lead guitarist Mark Osborne explains that there’s almost…

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…

Local indie band Astronauts, a five-piece quintet R&B/Soul band, just released their latest single – ‘Kryptonite’, and based on what I’ve heard from their previous songs like ‘I’m No Good’, they’ve certainly lived up to the lofty standards that they’ve set for themselves. A little reminiscent of Bruno Mars’ work, I was genuinely impressed by Ben Jacob Lee’s smooth sensual voice grooving through the beat; it made me want to move my feet and snap my fingers along to the rhythm. Being a fan of hip hop personally, I feel like a Kendrick Lamar or J Cole collaboration with Astronauts…

Embarking on his first ever regional tour this year, Shak’thiya Subramaniamm – also known by his stage name, SHAK – has transformed his pastime hobby during his National Service days, into a full-blown passport-happy career. The local singer-songwriter has been a familiar face on the National Arts Council’s Noise Singapore 2016 Music Mentorship programme, Singapore Night Festival, and The A-List Singapore. Starting out his knack at songwriting back in the Army Days, and subsequently falling in love with poetry – you can find SHAK a common attendee of many Open-Mic nights in Singapore. In fact, he’s currently the host of a weekly music…

Come February 14, some of us may be disappointed with a sad sight in town: it’s the time of the year where couples try the hardest to impress their partners on this special day with insta-worthy outfits, bouquets of roses, and trendy LED-lit helium balloons… the inexhaustible list goes on. Interestingly enough, romance happens to be quite an abstract concept – so much so, that we express or find these heart-wrenching emotions in music. This year, we have compiled our favourite love songs from our local musicians in a Spotify playlist. So gather your single ladies and men, and scream…

Now hold my Milo Peng as we announce this: Nathan Hartono dropped not one, but two music videos for his debut Mandarin single, 《爱超给电》! Following his success as the first runner-up on the inaugural season of Sing! China,《爱超给电》marks Nathan’s official foray into the Chinese market. Loosely translated to ‘Electric Love’, 《爱超给电》is a Mandarin rendition of his previously released single, Electricity, in 2016. To make sure that you get absolutely electrified, the 26-year-old heartthrob released two different versions of his feel-good pop single. Describing the first version of the music video as a “love letter to all shapes, sizes, and colours…

Debuting his single ‘Whats’s It?’ today, XVAN marks his foray into 2018, as this Singapore-based producer seeks to put out good music that is refreshing to listeners, and his biggest critic, himself! A smooth but energetic number, ‘Whats’s It?’ is his first international release across all major digital music platforms, aside from his original SoundClound profile. A song filled with both organic and electronic elements, XVAN has carefully blended a hard-hitting mix of synths and percussions, resulting in an ever-changing rhythmic song – sending your ears through quite the aural rollercoaster. It’s in the subtle details, making you realise his…

MMXJ starts his foray into 2018 with ‘Adventure’! A little different from his previous releases last year, he’s taken on a more pop-production, that illuminates the spotlight on the soulful timbre and writing, of Irish singer and song-collaborator, James Ty. Accompanying this easily possessive track is a beautifully shot Music Video, set in the mosaic mystery of Hong Kong’s cityscape! Watch as the visuals dive into the magic of the Pearl of the Orient, delivering a kaleidoscope of day-to-day scenes and neon-lit time lapses. The Singapore-based producer notes that with ‘Adventure’: “I wanted to convey a new sense of joy and purpose for living,…