What a year 2015 was for local music. Singer-songwriter Joel Tan, who goes by the moniker Gentle Bones, became the first Singaporean artiste to sign a “360-degree-deal” (where the company gives more support in return for more revenue) with a major label, Universal Music Singapore. Sony Music also announced that they had signed deals with local acts The Sam Willows, Sezairi Sezali and Trick. 

This year also saw the establishment of the non-profit Musicians’ Guild, which not only boasts of musicians such as Stefanie Sun and Dick Lee as its members, but also aims to support the careers and professional development of musicians.

There was also a bumper crop of music releases, with offerings from the likes of Tanya Chua, who returns with her new album Aphasia; ShiGGa Shay, who released his eponymous debut full-length album; Inch Chua, whose four-month stay in Pulau Ubin culminated in the EP Letters To Ubin; and The Sam Willows, who dropped their debut album Take Heart (with tracks so catchy the band became the first South-east Asian act to break into Spotify’s global viral 50 chart). 

With so many firsts this year, it is no wonder musicians here are hopeful about what 2016 may bring. Gentle Bones is set to hold his first ticketed concert, after his sold-out show on Dec 10 was postponed because of “unfortunate circumstances”. The Sam Willows and Inch Chua have also spoken of their plans to take their music regionally. (Chua, for example, plans to perform in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.) Local rap collective Grizzle Grind Crew will also see more regional collaborations, with Charles Enero set to collaborate with top Filipino acts, and DJ LeNerd’s Rocking Good Records going into South-east Asian venues.

“2015 has paved the way in the right direction, where quality triumphs, consumers are moving past the false perception that local must necessarily be inferior, and creators are embracing the importance of marketing, branding and sound commercial viability,” said Eugenie Yeo of House Of Riot, which manages Inch Chua and Charlie Lim. 

“I hope 2016 will continue in this track ... After all, good music is good music, no matter where it is made.”