Welcome to Time Out Singapore's 52 Weeks of #ExcitingSG – our commitment to showing you the best of what's going on in the city this week. Every Monday, a guest writer who's "in" with the scene shares a recommendation on what to see, eat, do or buy in the city. This week, we chat with Singapore's acclaimed turntablist DJ Koflow (real name Wayne Liu) who recently spun hip-hop tunes at the Crazy Rich Singapore Week in Los Angeles, celebrating the launch of the much-anticipated film Crazy Rich Asians.
Hi DJ Koflow! What gets you excited about Singapore?
The food, the people, the architecture, and the convenience of it all being a small country. When you take the time to discover this city, you can find some really interesting people, places, and great parties. I love how there are always arts events, shows, concerts and festivities happening all year round and that makes it all quite fun and exciting.
Tell us a bit about what you did during Crazy Rich Singapore Week. Did you do any rad remixes on
local hip-hop tracks?
I was DJing at the movie premiere’s afterparty, and played shows for the Crazy Rich Singapore Week at Tao Group’s The Highlight Room in Los Angeles. Playing Singapore tracks? That goes without saying for sure... I dropped my version of music by The Sam Willows, Gentle Bones, Disco Hue and Tabitha Nauser.
Any thoughts on Singapore’s dance music and nightlife scene?
It’s ever-changing. Right now, we have a vibrant scene with just the right amount of balance between underground and mainstream dance clubs. Singaporeans have also matured in their understanding and preference of music, and are constantly looking forward to hearing brand new tunes. For us as artists, this gives us the chance to be ahead of our time, and encourages us to be unafraid to play music that might be unfamiliar to educate and grow our audiences.
What’s next for you?
I’m headed to Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai for upcoming gigs and projects, and concurrently working on new releases for the coming months. I’ve also been jamming with Dharni, a long-time beatboxer friend and fellow Singaporean, so keep a lookout for our collaborative works.