Think You Know ASEAN Music? Discover The Region’s Finest At This Singapore Festival
AMS will feature a regional lineup including Flower.Far (TH), Ffion (SG), VannDa (KH), Littlefingers (PH), THINLAMPHONE (LA) and OAK Soe Khant (MM) [Credit: ASEAN Music Showcase Festival]
You might’ve heard the adage that ‘the future is Asia’, and it’s one that holds water in the global music industry when you consider world-conquering Asian entities like K-pop and 88rising. But inch the magnifying glass closer to your field of vision and inspect the microcosm of Southeast Asia, and you’ll find a bounty of brimming talent just waiting to be discovered. Such promise fortifies the vision of the ASEAN Music Showcase Festival (AMS), an intraregional event that first started in September 2020.
In a devastated, pandemic-stricken world that muted the gig industry, AMS persevered to amplify the hushed voices of the nations it represented. It defied the odds with its first two editions through virtual formats, giving ASEAN bands a digital platform to show their music to the world. Through this initiative, AMS helped regional acts build fanbases, stay connected to their peers, and prepare them for future touring opportunities once the dust of the pandemic had settled. Fortunately, that time is now, and AMS is finally having its first in-person showcase in the host country of Singapore. Go us.
The Singapore roster includes electronic producer, Fauxe (Credit: Basil Tan)
Alongside indie-pop favourites, Pleasantry (Credit: Ryhan Tomita)
AMS 2022 happens on 10 and 11 September within the otherworldly habitat of Haw Par Villa; coincidentally, it’s not the only music event that’s happening there in the coming weeks. The region-spanning festival is co-organised by a crew of ASEAN companies that include publications, music festivals, gig promoters and consultancies. On Singapore’s end, AMS is fronted by Steady State Records and supported by the National Arts Council. The state support should give you an idea of how large-scale this event is, and a glimpse at the festival’s lineup substantiates this.
As host country, Singapore is raising the flag with a roster of stellar acts and household names. These include post-rock stalwarts Amateur Takes Control, indie-pop darlings Pleasantry, experimental maestro Fauxe, vegetable rapper BGourd, r&b songstress Ffion, and math-rock whizzes cues.
Performing across both days, Team Singapore is joined by an ensemble of equally sensational artistes from ASEAN. Expect eclectic showcases from NYK (electro-r&b) and Babychair (city pop) from Malaysia, Thinlamphone (folk-pop) from Laos, OAK Soe Khant (pop) from Myanmar, VannDa (hip-hop) from Cambodia, Logic Lost (ambient) from Indonesia, KRNA (dream-pop) from The Philippines, AUTTA (hip-hop) from Thailand, Huan Huan (indie-rock) from Taiwan, and Jatayu (jazz fusion) from India. All this is merely touching the surface, and with dozens of other regional acts slated to exhibit the spectrum of ASEAN pride, you’re in for a major crash course.
“The region is rich with musical cultures, which is mostly seen for its traditional and cultural values,” shares the organisers on the festival website. “But moreover, our thriving local music scenes consist of all imaginable modern music genres and sub-genres that are virtually invisible to the world – and we want to change that.”
ASEAN Music Showcase Festival 2022, 10 & 11 September 2022, Haw Par Villa, 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628. For ticket information and full schedule, visit the festival’s official website. AMS will also host a virtual showcase that will be broadcast on its YouTube channel.
