Chinese youth music festival makes overseas debut in Singapore

A Chinese youth music festival has made its first overseas appearance in Singapore, drawing young audiences from across Asia and beyond.

The two-day China Youth Music Festival, staged at Resorts World Sentosa, invited performers from China, South Korea, the United States, and other countries.

Organizers from Tianjin said the event showcased the ability of China's new generation of music festivals to integrate international resources and offered a live example of the country's growing "entertainment + tourism" business model.

Launched in Tianjin in 2023, the Bubbling & Boiling Music Festival has staged more than 20 events over the past two years, attracting nearly 700,000 attendees.

"Bubbling & Boiling is not just a music festival; it reflects the new generation's cultural consumption trends and China's innovative concept of experiential entertainment," Andrew Phua, chief representative and executive director for Greater China at the Singapore Tourism Board, said. "Singapore is not only a host for large-scale events but also a partner in co-creating cultural feasts in Asia."

Vanessa Chen, a partner at Sparkle Live Entertainment, said the recovery of consumer markets was creating opportunities for large-scale entertainment events. "Official support is crucial," she added. "Bubbling & Boiling has received government backing in Tianjin, Xiamen, and Singapore, enabling its rapid expansion into overseas markets."

According to the Binhai New Area government in Tianjin, the Sentosa event marks the festival's first overseas stop and an attempt to pair a youth-focused Chinese music festival with an international resort destination.

Lim Shien Yau, acting assistant vice-president of communications at Resorts World Sentosa, said: "The integration of entertainment, cultural IP and tourism is not just a trend but a core driver of future resort experiences. Moving forward, we hope to introduce more international youth cultural IP to inject new energy into the scenic area."

It's reported that more than 85 percent of attendees were from Generation Z, and over 90 percent were transnational music fans. Social media topics linked to the festival have attracted more than 200 million views, underlining its influence on cross-border youth culture.

Chan, a student at the National University of Singapore, said a special booth from Xiamen left a strong impression. "It added a unique historical and cultural layer to the music festival," she said. "The hanfu and traditional opera costume experiences were fresh and fun, as if I had stepped into a drama scene. The Minnan-style games felt both familiar and special — it was truly memorable."

Zhang Chongshuo, founder of Sparkle Live Entertainment, said, "Singapore is a vital hub connecting emerging markets in the East and the West. As a representative music festival from China, Bubbling & Boiling hopes to serve as a bridge for international youth culture and the global market."

Bao Yan in Tianjin contributed to this story.