The Queer DJs Shaping Singapore’s Rave Future
We spotlight six emerging LGBQTIA+ DJs that Singapore can take pride in
Although often overlooked in the history of Singapore nightlife, queer parties have been there since the beginning. From pioneering discos like The Hangar, Pebbles Bar and Tropicana Inn which broke ground for gay nights in the 1970s; to institutions like Shadows, Marmota and Legend in the 1980s – these dancefloors provided a space for the marginalised to feel liberated. Despite conservative backlash in the 1990s (the Rascals incident was emblematic of this), the queer community have persevered to carve a space for themselves.
Loyboy, the resident DJ of the 5210PM collective and a rising name in the queer DJ scene, entertains the crowd with his groovy sound.
Despite severe limitations, spaces such as now-defunct Taboo, Play and Dorothy’s; alongside iconic collectives such as Mismatch and Two Queens have continued to pave the way in the 21st century. However, in the post-Covid, post-377A era, a newer generation of queer trailblazers have popped up to champion more left-field and experimental sounds, through more immersive and inclusive events (for the LGBQTIA+ community as whole). These are just some of the queer DJs who are leading Singapore’s rave scene into the future.
GODKORINE
This Gen Z heroine may be new to the scene, but she’s quickly established herself as a must-see attraction thanks to her fascinating mixes on CHRYSANTHEMUM and Hong Kong Community Radio, as well as her fiery sets at parties like Blench and Hyperfocus.
Could you describe your sound?
“Emotional trans-feminine sexuality” is how I would describe my sound. I'm always exploring different notions of female identity in my work, and I’ve realised it’s my way of understanding my experiences and perceptions as a trans woman. If I were to personify my sound, she would be a succubus disguising herself as a Gen Z hot girl… which is how I love to see myself anyway.
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I love blending the most chaotic noises with ethereal textures – I feel it best represents me as a whole. I always pick out different elements from various genres and curate them based on the specific vibe I want for the mix. I've been playing a lot of reggaeton and deconstructed R&B edits lately, and am also experimenting with darker sounds.
Three tracks that epitomise the Godkorine style
Bautista - Nada Q Ver (a-rot riddim)
What’s the favourite set you’ve ever played and why?
I'd say my favourite live set so far was opening for Blench last September. It was my first time playing at a larger venue and I was so surprised by the crowd that came early to catch my set. I played reggaeton and everyone just started twerking… it was awesome! It’s definitely a core memory I hold close - seeing my friends and new faces dancing together to the tracks I specially selected.
As for recorded sets, it would be my mix for Endless Return’s monthly guest show on Hong Kong Community Radio as it set the tone for my experimentation with various genres outside of techno. I actually spent about a month curating the tracks for this mix! I was determined to step out of my comfort zone and the process was good practice for "storytelling" as a DJ.
How has the queer rave/party scene changed in the last few years?
Unfortunately I’m a post-Covid partygoer and DJ, but I have been following local collectives like Pure Ever and Why Not? on social media pre-lockdown.
I can feel how the scene’s desire for experimentation has grown stronger, not just about the music but also the concept of the rave. I'm very honoured to be part of this era of boundary-pushing raves that combine music and performance art together, and have a sharp focus on creating a safe haven for queer individuals.
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One of my core memories was the Lethal Fantasies rave by Bussy Temple last October, where they hosted an all-femme and nonbinary lineup, along with butoh performances by XUE and pole performances by Sonia Kwek and Divya Maniar. The set-up was insane, the crowd was insane, everything about it was just so… oh my god! And when everyone started jumping onto the stage during Teya Logo’s set and she started playing vinahouse… crazy for real. I was so lucky to experience that first-hand – how the queer community all just came together for one night and went absolutely f*****g crazy. It's such a different energy from most parties held here in Singapore, which are much more heteronormative, it’s so overwhelming and intense in the best way possible.
READ MORE: Bussy Temple Carves Out A Safe Space For Trans, Non-Binary And Femme Individuals On The Dancefloor
I've played for parties where the crowd wasn’t necessarily queer too and have been warmly welcomed by them. I'm grateful that my reach has not been limited to only queer spaces, because it’s so important for individuals like me to be represented more openly in the scene which, I can surely say, is mostly dominated by cis-het men. Queer folks are trailblazers of creativity and community, and it’s our right time to be in the spotlight.
LOYBOY
As a resident of 5210PM, Loyboy can usually be found anchoring the young crew’s vibrant daytime parties. But he’s certainly prolific elsewhere as well, gracing big festivals like The Last Mile and KAOS in the CBD, or guesting for collectives like MUGIC and Blackout Agency.
Could you describe your sound?
Bright, energetic, groovy and nostalgic. I like sounds that are full and fill up the space. I generally use house and disco as a baseline/foundation – using it to build on to other genres like bass, techno and Cantopop. I consistently find brain-tickling basslines, cheeky edits and euphoric drops worked into my sets.
Three tracks that epitomise the Loyboy style
What’s the favourite set you’ve ever played and why?
The favourite set I've ever played was at Sunday Mess 5 by the 5210PM collective. I was completely lost in that set, in the best way. A lot of my dear friends were there as well. Nobody was filming anything or having conversations, everybody was dancing and smiling, it was magical.
How has the queer rave/party scene changed in the last few years?
I think firstly it’s the availability, frequency and diversity of queer parties. There’s been more queer party spaces that have surfaced in the past few years, which is a great thing. In my opinion, the queer party scene has come a long way. A lot of it used to have a more bootleg feel to it, which I guess happens when you’re self-funded and catering to a smaller community. Don’t get me wrong, that is a beautiful vibe. But so many queer parties now come with proper production, lights, sound, venue and great international bookings. That has been beautiful to witness. Queer parties and collectives these days each have a very distinct flavour. It's never generic now. Most of them have a very specific energy that they exude and a crowd that they attract.
METAMOKSHA
Beyond Singapore, Metamoksha is a highly respected figure in Southeast Asia’s underground rave scene. Integral to multidisciplinary collective Bussy Temple and DJ trio 3NiTi, Metamoksha’s intense style has earned a following in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
Could you describe your sound?
My art practices through my soundscapes are driven by a very intimate exploration of emotions and sensations that arises in my body that I couldn’t express through words. I am very intrigued by the inherent dualities that are present in everything, and that shapes the way I prepare my sets and storytelling. So usually you’ll often find my sets oscillating between intense, fast-paced, hardcore with visceral screams and even metal instruments, or seamlessly transitioning into ethereal, atmospheric yearning vocals or elements of femme pop. If I were to categorise it by genres, it would be a fusion of hard and high-energy tunes blending industrial, hardcore, gabber, deconstructed club, or hard trance with feminine, melancholic atmospheric melodies and vocals.
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Three tracks that epitomise the Metamoksha style
rEmPiT g0dDe$ - BLEED ft VIKTORIA
What’s the favourite set you’ve ever played and why?
One of my favourite sets that I played was during our first Southeast Asian tour as 3NiTi with my sisters/besties rEmPiT g0dDe$ and Suhsi in Malaysia at Sinners KL. Coincidentally, that day was when the Good Vibes festival got cancelled because of Matt Healy’s controversial statement. The crowd was feeling a strong need for an outlet, and I clearly remember we had a number of newcomers from Brunei and they really made our night!
It was such a memorable night because the three of us were all playing really hard music – which was still a rare thing in Kuala Lumpur – and the crowd was so receptive, giving us really good feedback and energy. On top of that, it was our first stop on our tour, and the camaraderie between the three of us, just having fun and supporting each other, was so heartwarming to me.
I remember when I first started DJing, it was at a private party for Bussy Temple that we organically started simply because all of us felt an urgent need to find and create our own community. So, that’s what performing and curating events have always been about for me: forming genuine connections and celebrating one another, authentic good energies. When this energy of camaraderie is present, that’s when I feel the happiest performing regardless of the number of the audience.
How has the queer rave/party scene changed in the last few years?
The evolution of the queer rave and party scene in Singapore has been marked by a notable shift especially after the pandemic. Previously, the queer parties I attended were predominantly cisgender-oriented. I remember there were only about two monthly events for lesbians, while the rest catered primarily to cis gay men. Musically, it was mostly Top 40s EDM.
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One of the significant shifts post-pandemic is the emergence of independent collectives. Each collective is unique and focuses on authentic self-expression rather than emulating Western or European soundscapes. Beginning with Endless Return, and followed by us with Bussy Temple, as well as collectives like BlackLight Tribe, Ringtone, Hyperfocus, ADHD, and a few others, there has been a departure from the prevalent 4/4 techno sound glorified in the European night scene.
I see the rise of these collectives as our own pockets of community finding ways to rebel and express ourselves authentically against the backdrop of a hyper-capitalist and highly surveilled city where political protest is literally illegal.
BBBALOO
By day, he’s a film programmer for Asian Film Archive. But by night, he’s a blossoming selector known for his South Asian-inflected sound. After electrifying sets for events such as Intervention and Holi Slay, BBbaloo is a name that you should definitely lookout for.
Could you describe your sound?
At the core of my sound is my deep connection with popular Tamil music, especially those made for films - what is known is Filmi music in India. In the 1990s and 2000s I grew up listening to music by A.R. Rahman, and watching the music visualised in cinema. The visual pleasure of music, and the sonic delight of moving images is something that I hold very dear to me, and translates into the work that I do, as a film programmer and DJ.
When I first started DJing, Tamil music was where I started, then I came across these Malaysian Tamil DJs and these fast and dirty techno-inspired club remixes that they would drop on YouTube, sometimes every few days. I started discovering South Asian producers in the UK and US who were combining drum & bass, jungle, amapiano, baile funk and dancehall sounds with South Asian and Arabic tracks. And then there are the kind of these personal nostalgia deep cuts of tracks that I get to revisit while I'm researching - where in the 1990s and 2000s, these big producers were either sampling and producing stuff that were paying tribute to traditional/folk South Asian music - like Massive Attack, Nithin Sawnhey and so on.
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I realised I just kinda meandered through that question, so maybe a short snappy way of describing my music would be…. global south club remix nostalgia core? I don't know. I'm still trying to see where else I can take my sound. I'm also a fan of genres like hardstyle, hardcore, UK funky, gqom, kuduro, and so much more!
Three tracks that epitomise the BBbaloo style
Anirudh Ravichander - Naa Ready
Black Eyed Peas - The Elephunk Theme
BLACKPINK vs Daler Mehndi - 뚜두뚜두 (TU-NAK TU-NAK) (feat. Darude) (J.E.B VIP Mashup)
What’s the favourite set you’ve ever played and why?
So very recently I was invited to Agni Singapore to spin at their Holi Slay party. Agni is relatively new in the scene and they've started doing these South Asian queer parties, which have never been done before. South Asian queers have never before had a space or a party that has centred them and their pleasure. Places that spin South Asian music are largely cis-het male centric and not particularly safe for South Asian queers and lots of queer spaces in Singapore are not very inclusive of minoritised bodies. So what Agni has been doing is really historic. I've always wanted to attend, but I was invited to play. I immediately said yes. But I knew it was going to be intense. I was to spin all night - four hours! I was freaking out for weeks before the party, but I did my research, prepped my tracks and it turned out to be one of the best nights of my life.
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The longest I had done up till then was a one-hour set, and since I'm not super experienced, I usually go with a somewhat prepared setlist, but I knew with four hours, I had to up my game. I needed to feel my way through the set, feel the energy in the room and react and respond to it. It was intense, I had 200 tracks prepared, but I kept feeling like I was running out. The collective energy in that room was palpable. Exuberant queer brown bodies all around, just expressing and living. I can't even begin to describe properly how meaningful it was for me, to be in that space of freedom and visibility. It affirmed to me why I love DJiing and why partying can be so important.
How has the queer rave/party scene changed in the last few years?
I think for a long time in Singapore, the party scene didn't have too much diversity in terms of music and people. There wasn't much of a vision of what the party space could be. I remember around 2015-19 things started to change – the folks at The Council (Headquarters and Tuff Club) and the underground raves by Horizon99, Partylah, etc. There was something happening there, it was really damn exciting. But with queer parties, it was mostly very Chinese and White, gay, male-centric. Don't get me wrong, they are super fun. I mean, who doesn't love belting out Mariah and Britney after ingesting copious amounts of G&T. But as someone who identifies a bi/queer, and who is also brown, I yearned for a space that was more open to wider forms of queer expression.
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Post-Covid, when the party scenes exploded again, in mid-2022, I remember attending raves by Endless Return and Bussy Temple. I remember in particular Endless Return's rave in an actual industrial fan factory in Yishun. It was the first party I'd been to in years and I danced nonstop for like six hours I think. I was like, okay, now we're talking. And then a couple of months later, my friends came up with Intervention, it was the perfect mix of silliness, irreverence, openness and unapologetic queerness. That’s also where I got my start at DJiing. Intervention changed my life and I think it changed the lives of everyone who was there. I'd never been part of anything like that before. It made me think about what creating culture was about. It was an explosive conversation, where we are all creating and re-creating spaces together, where energy is shared and dispersed and reignited over and over again. This is the energy that I see in the rave/party scene in Singapore currently, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.
YETPET
You’d be hard pressed to find a DJ who’s made a bigger impact in the post-COVID era than Yetpet. Serving as Strange Weather’s centrepiece – she’s headlined Singapore’s coolest raves, club nights in Taiwan, festivals in Vietnam, and even Boiler Room.
Could you describe your sound?
My sound can be described as a rumbling and rhythmic melting pot. It can sometimes feel like an uprising, with tension and stomping urgency. It is propulsive and treads the line between ritualistic mangled Eastern elements and contemporary global electronic machinery.
Three tracks that epitomise the YetPet style
What's the favourite set you've ever played and why?
Mama Magnet and Strange Weather's Mysteries in Meatspace. I remember nothing about that set in particular because I was so nervous, but that party was one of the first times it felt like we were doing something important and necessary.
How has the queer rave/party scene changed in the last few years?
What it means to be queer has expanded, and so has its expression. The sound of the scene has changed, there used to be just one sound at most queer parties - top 40 anthems and R&B (there is still all that except it's remixed a thousand ways in a nightcore or hyperpop edit) - whereas now each queer party has their unique sound and energy. How the people look has also changed - it's become its own form of drag and revolt, and part of this revolt now comes from “showing up.” It's a lot more unapologetic, but at the same time, it has become a lot more understated. Being queer doesn't just mean being gay and queer parties have become a lot more fluid in that it is a safe space for queer people first and foremost, but it has also become an inclusive safe space for everyone who doesn't fit into societal norms.
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The queer rave scene used to have this air of “I am out, and this is my one night to dispel this energy”, and in a sense, it still embodies that energy because of the conservative society we live in. But today, the energy has shifted to “I am here, I belong to something bigger, and I am here to stay.” The air is different; people have healthier relationships with themselves and their identity, healthier relationships in general, which translates into the experience of the space.
XAETHERX
From acting and performance art, to dance and spoken word, XAETHERX is multi-talented in a wide variety of disciplines. But recently they’ve come into prominence as the founder, organiser and DJ of experimental arts and events platform 0rbit.
Could you describe your sound?
I would describe my sound as diverse. I can go from deconstructed to hip hop to Afro Desi to techno. I just feel like there’s so much to explore, so why would I stick to one thing?
Three tracks that epitomise the XAETHERX style
Bapari - Spill The Milk (Eartheater edit)
Omar ؏ - Ghanan Ghanan (Jersey Club)
BZZHOUND - ALICE PRACTICE BZZHOUND X CRYSTAL CASTLES Y2K
What's the favourite set you've ever played and why?
I think my favourite set that I've played was 0rbit’s first ever party at Kult Kafe. 0rbit is the multidisciplinary art and rave platform that I started, and getting to see it come to fruition with people supporting and showing up was a dream come true.
How has the queer rave/party scene changed in the last few years?
When I was younger it was definitely more club-oriented rather than alternative spaces that are independently run and focus more on the quality of the music. The music back then was mostly Top 40s stuff or EDM, whereas now you see a range of genres and it’s more experimental. There's also a greater focus on safety and making sure everyone enjoys their night which is great to see.