New ruling affecting Foreign Musicians, pls support more local musicians

[jutawansg]

Heard of this new ruling taken place, every foreign musicians example a singer can only perform/work here for 6 months then go back home for 1 year, only then they can return here to work again. If they are on social visit pass, they cannot work here at all. If they are here for employment or study, in order to get paid to perform, they need performance permit clearance if not mistaken.

About the 6 months ruling, though this might sounds fair to locals, looking at the population of our neighbouring countries, the one going home would be easily replaced at any time by another fellow countrymen or women as they have almost endless supply.

Here, we definitely have good musicians everywhere but have limited opportunity! The point to highlight or maybe change/shake-up the industry is to put across a QOUTA on foreign musicians, just an idea or suggestion 60% local remaining 40% foreigner in a band/group. Hopefully we can see more of our own talents being showcase and supported.

Please have your say and feedback, thks

 

[harist13]

I was very fortunate to have spend my youth in the late 80's and early 90's, back then there were many music pubs featuring local bands. There were also many foreign bands but often they only played as guest band while the house-band were still dominated by the local musicians. .... Today, I see many music pubs are publicising their foreign musicians/bands, while nothing much mentioned about our home musicians.

Unlike other countries, in Singapore to be a full time musician as your professions is still challenging. I know many excellent musicians can only pursue their music venture second after their other full time job, this probably due to the economic demands in Singapore. Honestly, as a parent myself, I was also worried when one day my son told me that his ambition to be a full time musician.... I told him that would be difficult based on the present conditions, unless he goes to Indonesia (his mom is Indonesian)...

I do really hope our government can work together with the local cafe/pub owners in promoting our local bands/musicians... Singapore has really abundant of talented musicians, however off course, we as the Singaporean first have to support our own local bands/musician, before others can appreciate.

Just my personal opinions though... thanks

 

[jutawansg]

We have always been competitive and welcome foreign talent to make the music scene more interesting, for example looking at Singapore Soccer or Basketball team, its obvious those imports or foreign talents help and improve the local team.

Just like a music band, perhaps if qouta 60/40% (local/foreign in a band) implemented, it would tremendously help the local musicians to find job and thus make it their full time job.

Hope to see more locals gigging here.

 

[Nicholasim]

Here is my view on this:

1) Yes, I think the government is trying to control the amount of foreign musicians here. Can't blame them because at the end of the day, they are trying to help the dying scene in Singapore.

2) I don't understand why foreigners want to come here and make a living as a musician. I totall understand if foreign bands come and perform for events like BayBeats as its like the biggey music festival in SEA but, why come here and make a living when the music scene in places like Indonesia is so much bigger and better? Furthermore, it's difficult to have a satisfactory lifestyle just by being a musician here because of the standard of living, it's too dam high.

3) Who to blame? At the end of the day, it boils down to demand. If we demand it, the government will support. If not, they will just find the cheaper and better alternative, foreign bands. No offense because I personally believe that some foreign bands are great, check out swerve at Hard Rock Cafe, but I think they demand lesser at than Singaporeans.

Look at our music scene. Compare it to the 80s & 90s. There was a scene back then. Now? There are less event organizers. Most of them, their main goal is not "how to improve the music scene in Singapore" but "how to make the most money from an event". But who to blame the most? Singaporeans. In general, Singaporeans just don't show enough support to local bands. Ask anyone on the street, 90% don't listen to local music. Then it goes back to my point I made earlier, it boils down to demand. If we don't demand, government don't provide, simple as that.

Now, we need to figure out how to solve this problem, because WE HAVE the talent already in Singapore to be big, hell, if some good local bands were in America instead, they'd be huge now. A lot of local bands have what it takes, but we don't have a platform for ourselves. Talent isn't the issue, the audience , the outreach, the scene, these are the issues.

Yesterday, I was at a gig called sky high. There's this band called Tell Lie Vision, fucking good band. The vocalist said something which I find really true. He said something alone this line "thank You all for coming down, you are what keeps us going. I just want to say, don't give up on the local music scene because as you have seen today from all the bands that performed, we have the talents to be as big as foreign bands. So don't give up on us."

What do you say?