Anna of the North, Kero Kero Bonito, Stella Donnelly and More: This New Music Festival Celebrates Female Artists
Filipino music junkies missing the annual Laneway Music Festival need not fret. A brand new music festival is happening in Singapore on Saturday, December7, featuring top-caliber international artists. And for its annual edition, the spotlight is on the ladies.
The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions is a live music concept from the same team that brought us the last five editions of the Singapore edition of the Laneway Music Festival. Gathering exciting music acts from different corners of the globe—some making their Singapore and even Asian debut—the Alex Blake Charlie Sessions features artists playing a variety of genres, but it’s hard not to notice the decidedly strong female-fronted lineup.
Kero Kero Bonito
Leading the lineup is London-based Kero Kero Bonito, led by half-British, half Japanese indie-pop darling Sarah Midori Perry, who half-raps and half-sings the band’s songs heavily inspired by Japanese-pop.
Stella Donnelly
Also in the lineup are Stella Donnelly, an award-winning Welsh-Australian newcomer playing delicate yet charming indie-folk music; Norwegian electro-pop singer Anna of the North, whose critically acclaimed second album Dream Girl, was just released in October 2019; SOAK, aka Bridie Monds-Watson, a singer songwriter from Northern Ireland; and Nancy Whang and Rayna Sussom, who are collectively known as the fierce joint DJ act Ladies of LCD Soundsystem.
Anna of the North
Completing the lineup are house/disco/techno DJ A/K/A Sounds; Finnish pop star ALMA; Welsh pop artist Cate Le Bon; power-pop act Charly Bliss from Brooklyn; Icelandic Brit-punk rock trio Dream Wife; Singaporean act Ginette Chitick, who plays indie rock DJ sets; post-punk hellraisers Goat Girl; Swedish pop princess Léon; electro-soul and R&B songstress Vandetta from Singapore.
The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions is also significant because it is the first large-scale music-even that will be held at the Pasir Panjang Power Station, a decommissioned station that will be rehabilitated under one of Singapore’s city development plans.
Charly Bliss
“Times, they are a-changin’, especially with the increasing global awareness of gender equality and diverse representation,” says representatives of 24OWLS, the event’s organizer. “For too long, women have been shoved aside in a largely male-centric festival scene, and it’s high time we acknowledge the amazing musical contribution by women.
“At the same time, it is important to focus on less mainstream but equally stellar artists who deserve to be heard and seen by more people. The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions revels in the process of discovery. We would like each and every audience member to savour the transformative experience of witnessing something new and groundbreaking.”
The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions is happening on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at the Pasir Panjang Power Station, 27 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore. Gates open at 10 a.m. For more information, visit their website
