Sober clubbing brews fresh beat for Singapore Gen Z
This is no underground rave, nor a brunch gone wild.
21 Jun 2025 01:00pm
This photo taken on May 24, 2025 shows people mingling over coffee drinks at an alcohol-free clubbing event in Singapore. Swaying to dance music and TikTok-fuelled pop under a disco ball, young punters are packed shoulder to shoulder while sipping on coffee, their energy powered by pour-overs rather than pints. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP)
SINGAPORE - Swaying to dance music and TikTok-fuelled pop under a disco ball, young punters are packed shoulder to shoulder while sipping on coffee, their energy powered by pour-overs rather than pints.
This is no underground rave, nor a brunch gone wild. It's a caffeine-powered daytime clubbing sesh -- part of a growing wave of alcohol-free, Gen Z-driven events gaining traction in Singapore and elsewhere in the world. This photo taken on May 24, 2025 shows people mingling over coffee drinks at an alcohol-free clubbing event in Singapore. Swaying to dance music and TikTok-fuelled pop under a disco ball, young punters are packed shoulder to shoulder while sipping on coffee, their energy powered by pour-overs rather than pints. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP)
At a recent event in Singapore's trendy Duxton district, the space was jammed by 4pm, with baristas churning out fancy coffees and DJs spinning back-to-back sets.
The crowd grooved with energy, even without the usual liquid courage.
"A lot of people think alcohol gives you the high, but caffeine sometimes can do that too," said Aden Low, 21, co-founder of Beans and Beats which organises coffee raves at different venues.
"That's why the atmosphere at our events tends to be quite energetic."
The parties blend curated music with specialty coffee served in white paper cups.
The vibe is light, friendly and very Gen Z.
"It's also the idea that this is a safe space," said Esther Low, 31, who was at the event in Duxton.
"When you go to a club setting, there's usually this underlying intention to hook up. So, for me, that's personally why I would prefer this."
Several reports say Gen Z is chugging fewer pints than previous generations, with the sober curious movement gaining popularity on social media.
Sober curious people cut back on drinking or abstain altogether, often citing health reasons and better mental acuity.
"Changes in alcohol use have been observed in population surveys and cohort studies. Generally, alcohol use among young adults has decreased," the World Health Organization said in a 2024 report.
Club culture update
From London to Los Angeles and Melbourne, similar coffee raves have swept up the social scene, appealing to young partygoers who also want to avoid hangovers.
Ashley Chean, a Singaporean student who has been alcohol-free for a year, said she appreciates these sober gatherings.
"When I lived in Paris, I realised I had a lot of alcoholic tendencies and I didn't want that to be my lifestyle," the 20-year-old told AFP.
"More and more of my friends are sober or sober curious."
The coffee clubbing events are usually held in cafes and other spaces such as rooftop bars -- as long as there's room for DJs and baristas to do their thing while people dance.
The parties typically end by late afternoon, just in time for golden hour selfies.
Besides the health benefits of avoiding alcohol, the events appeal to cost-conscious youth in Singapore, one of the most expensive cities in the world.
The excess drinking and hard-partying ways of Gen X -- fuelled by anthems like the Beastie Boys' "Fight for Your Right (to Party)" and hip-hop videos glamorising club culture -- are fading for members of Gen Z.
While organisers don't see Singapore's glitzy nightlife and clubbing being replaced, they hope their combination of beats and brews will keep the dance floor buzzing.
"As long as we bring the vibes, we'll be OK," said Ashley. - AFP
More Like This
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
14 minutes ago
- The Star
Singaporeans look to recreate slice of home in San Francisco Bay Area to mark SG60
SINGAPORE: Joy Chee sat on a bench facing Gardens by the Bay's Supertrees, her sketchbook and pen in hand. With furrowed brows and unwavering focus, she recreated the towering structures stroke by stroke. The 19-year-old, a second-year computer animation student at the Ringling College of Art and Design in the US state of Florida, is part of a team of overseas Singaporeans hoping to commemorate the Republic's 60th birthday by recreating a slice of it abroad. Their event, themed A Legacy of 60 Years, will take place on Sept 21 in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is being organised by a team of volunteers from SingaporeConnect, a non-profit organisation that hosts social and cultural events for Singaporeans residing in the Bay Area. First conceptualised in October 2024, the one-day celebration will be open to Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans alike, said Richard Chan, 52, one of the event's co-chairs. With a core team of 11 people, this event is SingaporeConnect's most ambitious yet, said Chan, with a projected attendee size of 3,000, and a volunteer pool of 100 to 150. 'This event will be a good opportunity to showcase what Singapore looks like, and who Singaporeans are,' said Mrs Tabitha Chee, 54, Joy's mother and the other event chairperson. Mrs Chee currently works as a human resource associate at a church. The Chees were speaking to The Straits Times while they were in Singapore on a trip to gather archival images and other materials for the exhibition. SingaporeConnect is also working with the Singapore Global Network (SGN) to obtain funding for the event. SGN did not reveal the amount of funding granted to SingaporeConnect, citing confidentiality reasons. This event is one of more than 30 ground-up National Day events being organised worldwide, with celebrations also planned in countries such as Australia, China, Saudi Arabia and the UK, the Ministry of Defence said in response to queries from ST. Chan, a start-up founder, likens SingaporeConnect's vision to the tech hub's mindset. 'Here in Silicon Valley, we are used to developing start-ups, which are always about dreaming big and persisting through hardships – this is the same mentality we are taking with the SG60 event,' he said. Before this, the team had organised several National Day events, including a live-streamed pandemic edition in 2021, with Singaporeans across five American cities. Singapore's history, in themed rooms The event's theme was the brainchild of Emily Lim, the 33-year-old chef and owner of Dabao SG, a Singaporean restaurant in San Francisco, and a volunteer with SingaporeConnect. The Singaporean moved to America's West Coast 11 years ago in pursuit of her culinary dreams, and fondly remembers her childhood in Singapore. Mrs Tabitha Chee is part of a team of US-based Singaporeans with a lofty plan: to put up a Singaporean cultural festival in the larger Bay Area to celebrate the Republic's 60th birthday. Together with her 19-year-old daughter, a computer animation undergraduate, Mrs Chee has conceptualised an interactive experience which takes visitors through the different eras of Singapore's history: from its time under British rule, to World War II, and the growth of the nation since its independence. The event is slated to take place in end-September, and the team expects to welcome around 2,000 to 3,000 visitors. She recalled playing in her neighbourhood's dragon-shaped playground, catching spiders and tadpoles, and buying food in her primary school canteen for 'just 50 cents'. Drawing inspiration from Singapore's history, she aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia through the event. 'I wanted to revive the Singapore of yesteryears and rekindle some memories. It's this sentiment that makes us human and pushes us to connect more with one another,' she added. One of the highlights will be themed rooms, designed to guide visitors through pivotal moments in Singapore's history: from Sang Nila Utama's arrival in 1299 to the beginning of British colonial rule in 1819, the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, and Singapore's remarkable growth after gaining independence in 1965. Joy, the event's lead artist, is playing a key role in bringing Lim's vision to life. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, she grew up with limited knowledge of Singapore's history. To conceptualise the rooms, she received a crash course in the Republic's history from her mother, who grew up in Singapore, but emigrated to the United States in 1999. Joy Chee's sketch of Gardens by the Bay, a location she has incorporated in her design of the event space. - Photo: ST Joy supplemented her mother's information with her own research on Singapore's art and cultural history and decided to 'incorporate different art styles through the ages'. 'I began researching art references and various artists that were from that period. For example, the room which depicts Singapore under British colonial rule is designed to resemble a traditional British painting, instead of the more brushy and airy style of traditional Asian artworks from that era,' she said. In addition to the themed rooms, the event will feature a performance area with Singaporean talent. Janice Chua, the home-grown creative and associate producer of the film Crazy Rich Asians, will share insights into the movie's production process, while Elisha Tan, a Singaporean comedian based in the Bay Area, is slated to put on a stand-up comedy show at the event. In a dining area decorated with murals of a kopitiam, visitors can enjoy a taste of Singaporean dishes like satay and chicken rice. There will also be kopi and teh at the event, with one vendor putting up live teh tarik demonstrations. Attendees will also have the opportunity to shop for souvenirs at a marketplace showcasing Singaporean entrepreneurs and brands. Lim of Dabao SG said she hopes the event will foster community among Singaporeans living overseas. She said: 'As someone who has lived abroad for so long, I hope to see more Singaporeans come together and embrace the value of shared connections.' As for Mrs Chee, she hopes attendees will come away with a good sense of what Singapore is, which to her, includes not just its food, but also the story of its people. 'The key to Singapore is its resilience. Visitors will be able to see how Singapore has evolved over time, emerging stronger and maintaining its competitiveness at every stage,' she said. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
'Only RM415 for 56,000 views' - M'sian content creator exposes ad revenue per video
THINKING about delving into content creation? Think again, says a Malaysian food-based content creator who recently pointed out that this career does not guarantee overnight success. 'I'm not trying to discourage anyone, but it's important to acknowledge reality,' said well-known content creator Che Nom in a Facebook post. Che Nom reminded those considering a career in online content creation that passion alone is not enough, emphasising the importance of quality and how much it takes to make such online content. 'If you rely solely on revenue from YouTube advertisements, that's not enough,' she said in her post. Che Nom also shared that newcomers, especially those with videos receiving fewer than 3,000 views, may not even earn up to RM2,500. Using one of her own recipe videos as an example, she revealed that it earned only RM415.40 from 56,000 views—even a month after it was posted. 'This recipe was actually difficult to execute – I had to test it multiple times, the ingredients were expensive, and filming the video also took a long time.' She added that the cost of producing five to six videos can range between RM12,000 and RM16,000. Some of the costs listed include: - Videographer: RM2,500 – RM3,500 - Editor: RM2,500 – RM3,000 - Kitchen assistant: RM2,000 – RM2,500 Che Nom also noted that even experienced content creators are struggling to sustain their platforms, especially with more viewers now gravitating towards short-form video platforms like TikTok. 'There are so many content creators now. If your video isn't sharp or the audio isn't clear, viewers will just swipe away. Audiences are more selective these days,' she explained. With that in mind, she advised aspiring creators to diversify their sources of income and never rely solely on ad revenue. Many agreed that content creation is a challenging career path, where the effort often outweighs the reward. One user also pointed out another common challenge content creators face—having their content 'stolen' and reposted by other social media accounts without proper credit, which can negatively affect both viewership and revenue. 'This is absolutely true. There's a lot of effort, cost, and sacrifice behind the scenes that we as viewers don't always see,' one user commented.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Only RM415 for 56K views: M'sian creator exposes ad revenue
THINKING about delving into content creation? Think again, says a Malaysian food-based content creator who recently pointed out that this career does not guarantee overnight success. 'I'm not trying to discourage anyone, but it's important to acknowledge reality,' said well-known content creator Che Nom in a Facebook post. Che Nom reminded those considering a career in online content creation that passion alone is not enough, emphasising the importance of quality and how much it takes to make such online content. 'If you rely solely on revenue from YouTube advertisements, that's not enough,' she said in her post. Che Nom also shared that newcomers, especially those with videos receiving fewer than 3,000 views, may not even earn up to RM2,500. Using one of her own recipe videos as an example, she revealed that it earned only RM415.40 from 56,000 views—even a month after it was posted. 'This recipe was actually difficult to execute – I had to test it multiple times, the ingredients were expensive, and filming the video also took a long time.' She added that the cost of producing five to six videos can range between RM12,000 and RM16,000. Some of the costs listed include: - Videographer: RM2,500 – RM3,500 - Editor: RM2,500 – RM3,000 - Kitchen assistant: RM2,000 – RM2,500 Che Nom also noted that even experienced content creators are struggling to sustain their platforms, especially with more viewers now gravitating towards short-form video platforms like TikTok. 'There are so many content creators now. If your video isn't sharp or the audio isn't clear, viewers will just swipe away. Audiences are more selective these days,' she explained. With that in mind, she advised aspiring creators to diversify their sources of income and never rely solely on ad revenue. Many agreed that content creation is a challenging career path, where the effort often outweighs the reward. One user also pointed out another common challenge content creators face—having their content 'stolen' and reposted by other social media accounts without proper credit, which can negatively affect both viewership and revenue. 'This is absolutely true. There's a lot of effort, cost, and sacrifice behind the scenes that we as viewers don't always see,' one user commented.
