Several Taiwanese entertainers brought their unique vibes to Singapore this weekend at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Music Showcase Festival (AMS), which was held live for the first time since it was launched in 2020.
While Taiwan is not a part of ASEAN, two Taiwanese bands and a singer were invited to perform at the AMS this year to broaden the Asian participation and enrich the presentations at the festival, AMS co-founder David Siow (???) told CNA.
Fans at the festival, therefore, were treated to a variety of music by Taiwanese singer-songwriter LÜCY and the bands I Mean Us (IMU) and Huan Huan (??).
The Taiwanese performed to enthusiastic audiences during the two-day festival, which also featured prominent entertainers from ASEAN member countries, including Malaysian blues artist NYK, Singaporean band Amateur Takes Control, Cambodian hip-hop star VannDa, and Indonesian singer-songwriter Pamungkas.
Speaking to CNA at the festival, LÜCY said it was her first time onstage in Singapore and she was excited to perform some of the songs on her debut album for her fans there.
Meanwhile, IMU lead singer Mandark said she was warmed by the passion of the fans in Singapore and was pleased to see some familiar faces, as the band had performed there two years ago.
The festival, which was held virtually for the first two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was staged this year at Haw Par Villa, a large theme park that features various aspects of Asian culture, history, philosophy and religion. It contains some 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore, legends and history, and illustrations of Confucianism.
That venue was chosen because it "embodies the cultures of the participants" at the festival, an event that was aimed at connecting Asia and ASEAN, according to Siow.
Taiwan's participation in the festival was achieved through joint efforts by its Ministry of Culture, Taiwan ASEAN Music Action, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia.
Apart from Taiwan, the only other non-ASEAN participant was India.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel