Forum: Music festivals here should focus on local and regional acts
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It was thought-provoking to read that music festivals are having a hard time taking off in a sustainable way in Singapore ( Asia’s music festival scene is booming. Why is Singapore missing the beat?
The local music scene was once a flourishing one, with local acts like Tokyo Square, Gingerbread, Streetsmart, indie band The Oddfellows and rockers like Douglas Oliveiro. Tokyo Square’s Within You’ll Remain and Oliveiro’s Drive To The Moon were songs that even received international recognition.
There were also shows like Talentime, Asia Bagus and Rolling Good Times, which further ignited the music scene in Singapore and the region by giving talented acts a platform to showcase their music.
Music festivals in Singapore should pivot to focus on developing a pipeline of local musical talent.
The focus should be on becoming a platform for local and regional acts to showcase their music and talents. Depending on their affordability, A-list acts would be a bonus, but are not essential.
Local and regional sponsors could be encouraged to provide funding, incentivised by advertising and marketing opportunities.
This approach would not only make music festivals a more sustainable business proposition for event organisers, but could also unearth new musical talent locally and regionally.
It would also strengthen regional collaborations in music, and the branding of made-in-Singapore music.
Becoming a music festival hub may not be that far-fetched an ambition.
Woon Wee Min
