The Funk Masters Bringing The Heat Back To Singapore Nightlife
Seven local DJs tell us the sitch on Singapore’s music scene, what they’re passionate about right now, and the future of Singapore’s nightlife.
No bops, no buzz. Meet some of the individuals injecting the nightlife and electronic music scenes here with a whole lot of heart, soul, style and wit.
MELIA RAINE MORRISSEY, AKA HAMMY – HER DJ ALIAS
Melia wears cotton shirt, wool kilt with calf leather trim, and Stirrup suede boots, Burberry. Ring, subject’s own
AGE: 26
OCCUPATION: Marketing manager at the F&B brand Average Service, and resident DJ and programmer at Santai
HER GATEWAY INTO ELECTRONIC MUSIC: “I was lucky to be surrounded by older people growing up. A funny story: My older sister and her friend Marisse would party at the now‑defunct techno institution Home Club and, because I wouldn’t want to go home, I’d wait outside for them to finish partying. I was only 13, but I thought everyone there was super cool and wanted to make friends with them. I also realised that I like electronic music because I was always drawn to the techno stages at festivals such as Ultra and Zoukout – and when (nightlife spot) Headquarters opened, I remember thinking it was the best place ever.”
HOW TO KEEP THE SCENE ALIVE: “Love thy neighbour. If you see people from other industries coming to your events, exchange kindness and support their events too. You can also help by promoting their events on social media – it only takes a couple of seconds to repost anything. And just be more open to different scenes: This doesn’t have to be a competition. We can work together and become a community that supports one another endlessly.”
ADVICE TO ASPIRING DJS: “Just do it. Create those playlists, download those songs, buy that DJ controller, ask your friends to come and jam, watch YouTube videos, go for gigs, et cetera. If you love the music scene, and like sharing your music and good vibes, just do it. Don’t be mean though – everyone’s learning and you’re only cool if you have an open heart and soul!”
HER FAVOURITE WORD STARTING WITH “F”: “‘F’ is for friends who do stuff together – I love my friends! My friends are the best – friends forever, friends are fun, friends are my family.”
ALOYSIUS TAN, OR LOYBOY WHEN HE’S BEHIND THE DECKS
Aloysius wears nappa leather blouson, and mohair and silk pants, Prada. Earrings and septum ring (worn throughout), subject’s own
AGE: 26
OCCUPATION: “Dance artist by day, DJ and party organiser by night – I’m aware of the irony, since I organise day parties as part of the 5210PM collective.”
HOW MUSIC FITS INTO HIS LIFE AND JOB: “It is my life and my job.”
HIS FIRST NIGHTLIFE EXPERIENCE: “When I was 20, I visited my best friend when she was doing a semester of university in Berlin. Before that, I had never listened to electronic music before. She brought me to the KitKatClub and that night changed me forever.”
ONE THING ABOUT THE SCENE THAT SHOULD STOP: “‘Stop’ is a strong word. I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse on social media about what a party should be like or shouldn’t be like though, and would love to see more action, less captions. Represent your opinions about party culture, don’t just shout them.”
ONE THING ABOUT THE SCENE HE’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF: “I’d love to see people show more support and love to our local and regional heroes. In a world where headline culture looms over us more and more, it’s necessary if we want to keep our own scene alive and vibrant. Who are the ones holding everything together once the headliner hops off the stage and onto a plane? And if it’s within your means, buy that ticket. If it’s not, share about the event. Support doesn’t always have to come through your wallet.”
ADVICE TO ASPIRING DJS: “Do it. There’s this notion going around that there are too many DJs. I think that’s a dangerous scarcity mindset – as if we would ever run out of music or space. Don’t forget that the whole scene means nothing without people, so treat everyone with love and respect. Oh, and a track is only as good as when you decide to play it.”
HIS FAVOURITE WORD STARTING WITH “F”: “‘Freedom’ – because it resonates with my struggles earlier in life and the choices I still make today.”
ALEXANDRA STEWART
Alexandra wears denim dress, Horse Hoop metal earring (sold in a pair) and Stirrup suede boots, Burberry
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: The regular face at all the must‑go underground parties in town is a part‑time model.
HER GATEWAY INTO ELECTRONIC MUSIC: “My older brother Julian introduced me to electronic music when I turned 18 by taking me to nightspots like Headquarters and the now‑defunct Attica. Over time, festivals and pop‑ups sealed the deal for me – attending them became as much about the energy and people as it was about the music. In 2022, I started working in the creative agency world, where I got exposed more to the local music scene. It wasn’t until late 2023 though – when I was given the chance to curate DJ line‑ups for brand campaigns and parties – that my passion really took off. I dove into discovering local DJs through SoundCloud, YouTube and their collectives, attending gigs to find the right fit for events, and this discovery process has been something that’s got me hooked.”
ON WHETHER NIGHTLIFE IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUTH CULTURE: “I think nightlife really encourages a sense of discovery among young people. Of course, it’s important to be responsible, but the freedom and sense of community at parties also feel really special. It’s a time when you can be yourself, meet different people, and grow both socially and emotionally. Such nights – or days – are all about living in the moment and making memories that stick long after the moment itself is over!”
PARTYING CAN BE EXPENSIVE. HOW NOW? “What I usually do is spend less in the days before a big night, so I don’t end up compromising on the actual event and can fully support the scene when I show up.”
HER ELECTRONIC MUSIC ANTHEMS: “Baiana by Nia Archives; the Disclosure collabs Waterfall and Douha (Mali Mali); Vision by Moussa Clarke and Sian Evans; Club Classics featuring BB Trickz by Charli XCX; Frail State of Mind by The 1975.”
HER FAVOURITE WORD STARTING WITH “F”: “‘Free’ – as in ‘to be FREE.’
EFY RAMDAN
Efy wears polyester jacket, cotton T‑shirt, gabardine cotton shorts, Highlands cotton and calf leather bowling bag, Thomas polyester‑blend bear charm (attached to bag and sold separately) and Saddle calf leather boots, Burberry. Socks, stylist own
AGE: 34
OCCUPATION: Creative designer at Rasa
HER GATEWAY INTO ELECTRONIC MUSIC: “Confession: I was introduced to the scene through a very old, now‑defunct club called The Butter Factory when I was underage. I then celebrated my 18th birthday in 2009 at Zouk, which was then on Jiak Kim Street – those good old Zouk days! It was from then on that I started discovering music that I actually like. Thanking my younger self now for making the effort to go out and experiencing all of that.”
NIGHTLIFE WITHOUT ELECTRONIC MUSIC IS… “…not okay, but we do have other music genres to enjoy, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and many more!”
HER IDEAL PARTY: “That would be one held in a small and cosy, dimly lit space where one can find a spot to hide and just immerse in the music. You don’t have to care about anyone else around you; no one’s looking. It’s just you and the music.”
ONE THING ABOUT THE SCENE THAT SHOULD STOP: “Matcha rave, coffee rave, Dubai chocolate rave, Labubu rave – you know what I’m talking about. LOL.”
ONE THING ABOUT THE SCENE SHE’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF: “I’d like to see more people who actually love music – real music heads! I don’t see so many of them in a lot of places anymore – that’s very sad.”
HER FAVOURITE WORD STARTING WITH “F”: “I’ve got two: ‘fun’ and ‘free’!”
ANGELINA ESTHER FOONG (LEFT) & FARAH HO (RIGHT), AKA FARAH FARZ, WHO JOINTLY MAKE THE HYPER‑CHEEKY DJ DUO KOPI:GALS
Angelina (left) wears plonge nappa lambskin jacket. Farah wears lambskin suede blouson. Worn on both: Slubbed poplin skirt, technical knit swimsuit bottom (worn under skirt), silk toeless socks and calfskin patent leather clogs. All Miu Miu. Earrings and ring, subjects’ own
AGE: Foong’s 30 while Ho is 28
OCCUPATION: Besides being one of Singapore’s most fashionable and in‑demand DJs, Ho is a music producer, while bestie Foong is a “marketing girlie by day.”
HOW THEY STARTED: Through the Electronic Music Production programme that their polytechnic ran as a co‑curricular activity. In a joint email answer, they said: “It was the peak of the electronic music era then, but what we really bonded over was our shared love of exploring other genres of music. Fast forward 13 years, and our friendship and love for music have grown so deeply. Our tastes have evolved in such similar ways that it feels like second nature to play together.” Their first gig together took place in May this year.
THE STORY BEHIND THEIR NAME: “Our set started at 11am, which was way too early for us to think about anything else besides coffee … We ordered two glasses of iced Americanos with an extra shot, clinked our cups together, and that became the vibe: good coffee, good energy and good music. Kopi:gals felt like the perfect name – it’s fun, local and 100 per cent us.”
THEIR SOUND: “Our sound is all about versatility, fluidity and energy, blending global genres from hip‑hop to R&B, amapiano, jersey club, baile funk and electronic music … Most importantly, we want to show that you don’t need alcohol to have fun. Day or night, it’s the energy you bring – dance like nobody’s watching or judging.”
ON WHETHER NIGHTLIFE IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUTH CULTURE: “We actually don’t think nightlife is essential to youth culture and here’s why: We believe that being a youth is about discovering who you are and finding your own unique path. For some, that includes experiencing nightlife, but for others, it might be something completely different, and that’s perfectly fine. There’s no one size fits all when it comes to growing up, having fun and finding yourself.”
ADVICE TO ASPIRING DJS: “You must have a love for music – and be curious, and open to listening to different genres of music. The more you explore, the more you’ll understand what moves people and what moves you.”
THEIR FAVOURITE WORD STARTING WITH “F”: “‘FOOD’!”
RACHELLE HRISTENKO
Rachelle wears nappa leather short trench coat, cotton tank top and Flamenco nappa lambskin pants, Loewe. Everything else, subject’s own
AGE: 29
OCCUPATION: Art director and event organiser – she’s behind the party series Adults Do Hard Dance, or ADHD for short
HER GATEWAY INTO ELECTRONIC MUSIC: “I was probably around 16 and was spending way too much time on Limewire (then a peer‑to‑peer file‑sharing platform) after school downloading dodgy EDM compilations. Then I discovered Skrillex, Crystal Castles, Daft Punk – the list goes on. My iPod was my life back then.”
NIGHTLIFE WITHOUT ELECTRONIC MUSIC IS… “…like trying to rave to elevator music.”
ON WHETHER NIGHTLIFE IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUTH CULTURE: “It’s where I found my people, made unforgettable memories and shared times that we still laugh about today. It’s one of the best ways to feel connected and grow into yourself.”
ONE THING ABOUT THE SCENE THAT SHOULD STOP: “There shouldn’t be any music snobs. Let people love what they love, be it top 40s or something off a TikTok edit. It’s not that deep.”
ONE THING ABOUT THE SCENE SHE’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF: “I hope to see more genre‑hopping and less genre‑boxing. Imagine one minute you’re deep in ambient and next, you’re dancing to gabber – that’s the vibe we want to bring to the function.”
PERKS OF BEING A PARTY ORGANISER: “Having the creative freedom to book the DJ you want to see and experiencing the joy of introducing fresh sounds to the community.”
WORST THING ABOUT BEING A PARTY ORGANISER: “You can never actually enjoy your own event.”
ADVICE FOR ASPIRING PARTY ORGANISERS: “There’ll always be hiccups, but don’t let them throw you off. And manage your budget, learn from other organisers and don’t overthink things. It’s meant to be fun.”
HER FAVOURITE WORD STARTING WITH “F”: “‘Felt.’”
ALL INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY.
PHOTOGRAPHY STEFAN KHOO STYLING DAMIAN HUANG & PANG JIA WEI PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS CHONG NG & SOLENN ROBERT WARDROBE ASSISTANT CHRISTINA GRACE LAI HAIR FOR KOPI:GALS WINNIE WONG/FLOW SALON HAIR FOR EVERYONE ELSE EC TAN/KIZUKI+LIM MAKEUP FOR ALL WEE MING