No ZoukOut this year: Music fans say S'pore nightlife faces stiffer regional competition

SINGAPORE — A decision announced on Wednesday (Aug 28) that annual music festival ZoukOut will take a hiatus this year highlights the stiffer regional competition that Singapore faces in nightlife entertainment, according to music fans.

Young festival goers told TODAY they are travelling to neighbouring countries for more exciting music festivals, noting that ZoukOut’s crowds have dwindled in recent years. Industry experts said the event’s absence will have little impact on Singapore’s overall attractiveness as a tourism spot given a host of other major entertainment events.

At the height of its success in 2014, ZoukOut, held every December on Siloso Beach, Sentosa, for the past 18 years, drew about 50,000 music fans over two days. Last year’s edition attracted fewer than half the number, with only 20,000 attending a shortened one-day event.

Mr Andrew Ing, the chief operating officer of hospitality firm Lo and Behold and former marketing manager of Zouk, noted that another music festival, Legacy, is already set to take ZoukOut’s place, and will be held at Siloso Beach in December, featuring headliners such as leading Dutch DJs Tiesto and Don Diablo.

He said: “I don’t think the cancellation of one festival is going to have a huge impact. There is still so much great entertainment available like comedy shows, for example (United States-based television comedian) Trevor Noah who just came last week, that doesn't happen in other parts of the region.”

Echoing his sentiments, Mr Dennis Foo, advisor to the Singapore Nightlife Business Association, said: “On a per capita basis, Singapore has probably the most of these top artistes performing on its shore than any city in the world. There is no dearth of musical events in Singapore, that’s a fact.”

He added that the cancellation of this year’s ZoukOut may be a blessing in disguise.

“Sometimes it’s not a bad thing when a major event is not staged for a period of time as the audience often take annual events for granted that it will be there year after year.”

He added that there are already many other music festivals like the Formula 1 Grand Prix and Baybeats, an alternative music festival held at the Esplanade, which could cushion the impact of ZoukOut’s hiatus.

ZoukOut’s organiser Zouk Group issued a statement on Wednesday to say that the event would be taking a break while the team seeks “opportunities to bring ZoukOut back''.

In response to media queries, its chief executive officer Andrew Li said: “It's important to pay attention to the latest trends and what consumers want. Going on hiatus is a strategic decision on our part, as we find ways to revitalise a festival that has run for so many years.”

He added: “We want to ensure that when we bring ZoukOut back, it's for the long haul, because our followers deserve the best that the festival can offer.”

Several festival goers TODAY spoke to said that other festivals in the region like Djarkarta Warehouse Project (DWP) held in Jakarta and Good Vibes Festival in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, were the main reason behind ZoukOut’s dwindling popularity.

Sebastian Yin, 23, a student at the University of Sheffield, said: “DWP happens around the same time (as ZoukOut). On top of being more affordably priced, it also has a more attractive line-up. It is also much less regulated and security is less stringent than ZoukOut.”

Mr Wesley Koh, 23, a third-year student at a local university and part-time DJ, said: “It usually boasts a line-up geared towards commercial electronic dance music and I feel it lacks more underground genres which can actually make the festival more interesting.”

He also said that popular music festival Tomorrowland, held in various locations worldwide, would be able to draw more crowds because of the wide variety of music genres featured.

Another festival goer, who wanted to be known only as Anastasia, 21, said that she prefers attending festivals overseas because there are fewer restrictions on the music choices made by performers, compared to Singapore.

In a joint statement, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said: “Singapore’s entertainment and nightlife scene remains vibrant, with a strong line-up that will continue to appeal to both locals and visitors.”

They added: “For example, top entertainment acts like Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Steve Aoki and Above & Beyond have performed in Singapore this year, while Mumford & Sons and Halsey will headline the Neon Lights festival in November 2019.”

The statement added that these acts are made possible by Singapore’s range of performance venues like the National Stadium and Singapore Indoor Stadium.

“As part of the next phase of Sentosa’s development, SDC will also remain committed to curating differentiated night events and experiences for both locals and tourists to enjoy,” it said.

Ms Carrie Kwik, STB’s executive director, attractions, entertainment and tourism concept development, said: “Having a vibrant nightlife scene contributes positively to our tourism industry. STB works with various organisations to anchor good nightlife options and events in Singapore, such as Asia’s 50 Best Bars and the Singapore Cocktail Festival.”