Sober clubbing brews fresh beat for Singapore Gen Z
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
Sinar Daily
an hour ago
- Sinar Daily
Kinky knots: Japanese bondage becomes art
TOKYO - In Tokyo, a man watches a woman slowly bind another with ropes attached to chains hanging from the ceiling. But this is no S&M bar, it's a workshop led by "shibari" master Hajime Kinoko. Kinoko teaches the knot-tying techniques of Japanese bondage, untangling the practice from its associations with kink and emphasising instead art and aesthetics. "I see attaching not only people, but also objects or spaces... as a form of painting on canvas," the 48-year-old told AFP at his studio in central Tokyo. "It's simply another type of expression." Kinoko discovered shibari -- the art of ropes -- in the 2000s while managing an S&M joint in Roppongi, an area of Tokyo known for its nightclubs and bars. "I wasn't particularly drawn to fetishism at first," he said. "At the time, the focus of BDSM was often on the dirty or degrading side, but I didn't see that part of it as necessary," he told AFP. Kinoko learned how to tie a woman's body by watching others before establishing his own style "based on beauty". He started staging performances with a more artistic perspective, and attracted a growing audience. "My goal is not to hurt... I don't place myself in a hierarchical relationship," he said. - Criminal beginnings - The roots of shibari date back to the Edo period (1603-1868) when feudal lords used "hojojutsu" to tie up criminals. The practice took an erotic turn in the 20th century through Ito Seiu's illustrations and books by Dan Oniroku, many of which became -- like "Double Rope Torture" (1985) -- pornographic movies. A pedestrian walking past an egg-shaped home "Natural Eclipse", decorated with blue rope by Hajime Kinoko, one of Japan's best-known artists of "shibari" or rope art, along a street in the Shibuya district of central Tokyo. Photo by Richard A. Brooks/AFP Another word for this in Japanese is "kinbaku" but this "refers to precise and restrictive techniques, such as wrists tied behind the back", Kinoko explained. "Shibari is a broader, freer term. There is no single definition," he said. The artist enjoys marrying the traditional heritage with an avant-garde approach and employing it in novel settings. In Tokyo's Shibuya district, he enveloped an egg-shaped house called the "Natural Eclipse" in blue rope like a spider's web, transforming it into a living sculpture. "It was the missing piece," the owner of the building, who agreed to the project after seeing another of Kinoko's works, told AFP. "Today, passersby stop to photograph it. It has become a place of interaction," he told AFP, declining to give his name. Kinoko installed large cubes of red rope on top of a Tokyo shopping mall and erected a "shibari sanctuary" at the Burning Man festival in the United States in 2017. "Why not stretch networks of ropes around the Eiffel Tower?" he said with a smile. - Create connections - Kinoko began offering workshops in London 20 years ago, before inviting fellow Japanese shibari masters to introduce their art to the European public. "Shibari then spread very quickly," he says. But international success has not been without risk. "When I saw people tying without knowing what they were doing, I realised it was necessary to teach. Shibari can be dangerous," he said. Reputed to be a hard taskmaster, he founded his own shibari school, Ichinawakai, where he trains a new generation of students, around 40 percent of them women. One of them, Sen, travelled from France to learn the techniques. "I discovered him in Paris during a performance... He has freed himself from the original dynamics," the 25-year-old told AFP. Kinoko offers "certification", although this is not an official licence. Students must pass a 10-stage course, master a variety of knots and guarantee the safety of those they are tying up. "You have to know how to communicate, make things beautiful and not hurt. That's what I try to convey. I feel responsible," Kinoko said. "I want shibari to transform society," he said. "Because, deep down, shibari is a way to create connections." - AFP
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Ruhainies claims income of up to RM100k per month
KUALA LUMPUR: Actress Ruhainies, 33, has captured attention after claiming her monthly income as an artiste can reach up to RM100,000. The claim was made during a recent interview, where she openly discussed her earnings, drawing various reactions from netizens. In a Berita Harian report today, Ruhainies, whose full name is Nur Ruhainies Farehah Zainul Ilyas, said that throughout her nearly decade-long career in the entertainment industry, she has successfully built multiple income streams. These include acting, brand ambassadorships, affiliate marketing, and various brand collaborations. "My income is around RM50,000 to RM100,000 a month," she said. "On Instagram, I have 1.7 million followers, while on TikTok I have over 700,000 followers." When commenting on her lifestyle, the star of the TV series Sayang Tak Dikenang emphasised that she prioritises quality over price. "With such a high income, I spend a lot on personal care, living expenses, and operating costs, which are quite high," she said. "When selecting products, I focus more on quality. If a product is suitable, of course, I will buy it." A subsequent review found that the original interview video had been taken down. However, it was subsequently re-uploaded on social media by another user.
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Billy Joel to sell off motorcycles due to health condition
US pop great Billy Joel is auctioning off his motorcycle collection and has cancelled a tour after being diagnosed with a rare brain condition. (Invision / AP pic) NEW YORK : US pop great Billy Joel will auction the motorcycle collection he maintains in New York state after being diagnosed with a brain condition that forced him to cancel a planned tour, his management said Wednesday. In May, Joel scrapped dates in Britain and a packed schedule crisscrossing the United States from July 2025 up until July 2026 because of a diagnosis of a rare condition, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). 'Due to a recent medical diagnosis, Billy will be auctioning off his bike collection later this year,' his publicist told AFP. Joel's extensive collection of motorcycles is housed at a shop in the Long Island town of Oyster Bay, where they can be seen free of charge on weekends. 'He will not be renewing the lease on the 20th Century Cycles bike shop once it expires late September,' the publicist said. The 76-year-old 'We Didn't Start the Fire' and 'New York State of Mind' legend has been a pop mainstay since the 1970s, and motorcycles have long been part of his public persona. In the hit song's music video, he whisks away an 'Uptown Girl' on the back of his motorcycle, and sings about riding a motorcycle in the rain in the song 'You May Be Right.' His collection includes more than 75 bikes, per the shop's website. 'I like the older style,' with some motorcycles dating back to the 1940s, Joel said in a promotional video. Joel's condition arises if cerebrospinal fluid cannot properly flow throughout the brain and spinal cord, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The excess fluid and pressure can cause brain damage. The institution said on its website that NPH is rare, and can cause cognitive impairment including memory problems as well as trouble walking. Joel said previously 'this condition has been exacerbated by (previous) concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.'
