The annual regional showcase festival—co-organized and co-founded by The Rest Is Noise—expands this year
By The Editors

AXEAN Festival (formerly known as ASEAN Music Showcase Festival), Southeast Asia’s first collaborative intraregional music showcase festival, is taking place in Singapore on 28 and 29 October this year. Alongside live music performances by renowned and up-and-coming acts from 10 different countries across Southeast Asia and the rest of the world, the festival is partnering with a wide variety of craft beer, food, and art vendors from Southeast Asia to give festival-goers a fully immersive experience, fostering a spirit of community and collaboration. 

This year’s edition of the festival places extra emphasis on Asia’s indelible food culture with exclusive forward-thinking dishes inspired by flavours from across the region and a diverse range of beverages via the festival’s curated Beer Village to host a range of craft beer and food vendors from Singapore and across the region to satisfy the appetites of festival-goers and artists alike, merging international tastes with local twists. Craft beer aficionados and newcomers can unite in a vibrant celebration of the finest brews from across Southeast Asia in this immersive experience that brings together the best of craft beer, gastronomy, and entertainment.

Also a new addition to this year’s programming is an arts showcase, presented by GOFY, an independent Singapore-grown creative community that celebrates artists from the Southeast Asian region, the arts showcase at AXEAN Festival will feature a curation of works from their exhibition For Art’s Sake 2023 which brings art into everyday commercial spaces, melding the discovery of art with people’s daily rituals.

Audiences will enjoy the fusion of arts and music through a unique showcase that celebrates the talent of regional urban artists. The artworks will capture the spirit of Southeast Asia’s youth, with narratives reflecting the pulse of the present moment.

The festival is now operating on a pay-cos-you-want system with a 250% tax-deduction for donations over SGD 100 through its charity partner FOUNDATION MUSIC, in the hopes of making the festival accessible to as many people as possible. Donations from the public allow the independent festival to continue its annual efforts to elevate the best music in the ASEAN region, accelerating the artists’ careers and launching them on a global stage.

The full lineup of artists performing at AXEAN Festival 2023 in alphabetical order is as follows:

Presented by TuneCore:

  • Awang Samrow – Malaysia
  • Madd Mark – Philippines
  • Pink Pitch – Indonesia
  • Singnoy – Thailand

Presented by Ambassade De France À Singapour:

  • Sūn Jùn – France

Presented by [-]YPHEN:

  • Bayangan – Malaysia
  • Leaism – Malaysia
  • Masdo – Malaysia
  • Shelhiel – Malaysia
  • Zamaera – Malaysia

Presented by TAICCA:

  • CICADA – Taiwan
  • NIO – Taiwan
  • Robot Swing + LEO37 + Star Wu – Taiwan

Curated by AXEAN organizers:

  • ABANGSAPAU – Singapore
  • Alisson Shore – Philippines
  • BULGOGIDISCO – South Korea
  • Deer Mx – Hong Kong
  • DVY – Indonesia
  • Ena Mori – Philippines
  • Empty Wallet – Brunei
  • Flower.far – Thailand
  • H 3 F – Thailand
  • Helsinki Lambda Club – Japan
  • HOME – Japan
  • inch. – Singapore
  • Jean Seizure – Singapore
  • Jeslla – Indonesia
  • KIKI – Thailand
  • KWAN – Cambodia
  • Limebócx – Vietnam
  • LONER – Philippines
  • Mantra Vutura – Indonesia
  • MSET075: MCBK & Faz $F – Laos
  • Minh – Vietnam
  • Murphy and The Lawyers – Hong Kong
  • motifs – Singapore
  • nick. – Cambodia
  • Oh, Flamingo! – Philippines
  • Reality Club – Indonesia
  • San – Cambodia
  • Shye – Singapore
  • Sophia Everest – Myanmar
  • Taba Chake – India
  • TANAYU – Indonesia
  • The Itchyworms – Philippines
  • Thịnh Suy – Vietnam
  • Vũ Thanh Vân – Vietnam
  • Wake Up, Iris! – Indonesia
  • XTIE – Hong Kong
  • Zweed n’ Roll – Thailand