ZoukOut Officially Goes On Hiatus This Year, But Here Comes A New Challenger

It’s the end of an era for ZoukOut (Credit: Colossal Photos)

ZoukOut hasn’t been quite the same for a few years now. Traditionally a beach dance music festival in December on the island of Sentosa, ZoukOut was once the crown jewel of superclub and nightlife pioneer, Zouk. In its heyday, it even did its best to unite all communities across the dance music spectrum, having hosted big names including Hardwell, Dixon, Nina Kraviz, Above & Beyond, Maya Jane Coles, Solomun, Armin Van Buuren, Richie Hawtin, Mano Le Tough, Tiësto, Miss Kittin and many more. At that time, even the snobbiest underground punters would’ve acknowledged the festival’s efforts to push dance music as a whole – after all, that was always the foundation of Zouk.

Nina Kraviz ushering in the sunrise at ZoukOut 2014 (Credit: Colossal Photos)

But it’s also impossible to deny its dwindling appeal over the last couple of years, from its removal of non-commercial acts to returning to a one-day festival format last year, and not to mention its falling numbers in attendance. And now, signifying another blow to the festival, Zouk has just announced that ZoukOut will be taking a hiatus this year, its first break since its inception in 2000.

So does this tragedy spell disaster for Singapore’s dance music festival circuit? Not quite.

Legacy, a new two-day festival helmed by industry veteran, DJ Andrew T, is arriving to fill the gap. Set to land on the shores of Siloso Beach (ZoukOut’s former venue) on 6 and 7 December, Legacy promises to assuage the fears of fans craving their festival fix. Currently, the line-up is shaping up to be a hit amongst commercial-inclined ravers, with acts like Tiësto and Don Diablo booked so far, and many more to come.

Legacy kicks off its inaugural edition in a big way with Tiësto on its line-up (Credit: Tiësto Facebook page)

“We have always wanted to tap into our local creative talents to organise a mega, multi-genre dance music festival that would have raw energy and mass appeal, and create a memorable experience for all who attend it. So when the right venue and dates opened up, we grabbed it,” states DJ Andrew T in a press release. “Armed with some 60 years of combined experience among them, the organising team has pulled out all stops to ensure the festival will be produced to international standards and provide a unique experience for dance music festival fans from both Singapore and abroad.”

Themed A NEW DAWN, the festival hopes to draw an attendance of 25,000 over the two days. And as its theme suggests, this guns-a-blazing entrance of Legacy, too, marks a new chapter for the festival circuit. While the departure of ZoukOut does leave a dent in the scene, Legacy might just be the start of something special.

Legacy, 6-7 December 2019, Siloso Beach, Sentosa. For tickets, head to their official website.