Local music collaboration ‘Sounds of Somerset’ celebrates Singapore’s vibrant youth district

In an energetic portrayal of the vitality of youth, local musicians Yung Raja, YAØ and Hashy Yusof have created a new single, Sounds of Somerset, to take Singaporean youth back to the heart of our arts community.

Sounds of Somerset is about the vibrant youth district known as Somerset Belt, which encompasses spaces like *SCAPE, The Red Box and Somerset Skate Park. 

Designated by the National Youth Council (NYC) as a space for youth to connect with one another and create new experiences, the Somerset Belt is a cornerstone of Singapore’s arts scene, with many youth-led events and performances being held there.

An upbeat track about what Somerset means to youth, Sounds of Somerset features evocative lyrics written from Yung, YAØ and Hashy’s own experiences of meeting up with friends at Somerset to find a fun space to hang out after school. 

For Hashy, 27, it was flea markets and busking performances at Somerset that left an impression on her. Watching others perform was a source of inspiration for the then-wannabe musician. 

“The energy from friends and the people around in Somerset did contribute to my interest in creating music and also built the inspiration for my own craft,” said Hashy.

On how Somerset embodies the strong partying vibes of the lyrics, Hashy said it was a really fun place for her as a teenager, when she would meet friends and people watch. 

“My friends and I always called Somerset ‘town’. Everyone’s always in town, the cool kids, skaters, artistic people, dancers and all that. It’s where you want to go to have some fun,” she said. 

Sounds of Somerset was produced, arranged and composed by local producer Evanturetime (Evan Low). To Evan, the song is a celebration of youthful creative expression in all forms, and the freedom that comes with it in Somerset. 

“I feel really honoured to be writing a song for a location that has been a very important part in my formative years as a creative,” said Evan on his role in creating the song. 

“The Somerset strip to me really represents a lot of vibrant energy from all walks of life. And I really wanted to celebrate that by having an upbeat number that reflects the kind of unique magnetism that the place has,” he added. 

Alongside the song release, the NYC also launched the #SOSChallenge, calling for youths to showcase their own unique takes on Sounds of Somerset. Genres such as dance, esports, skateboarding or photography and other creative skills are welcome through both Instagram and TikTok. 

Through this challenge, NYC hopes to provide an additional platform for youth to connect with others through their interests and talents. As for the creators of the song themselves, they hope that Sounds of Somerset will inspire today’s youth to pursue their passions like they did. 

“We’ve all had our experiences in Somerset,” said Hashy. “The exposure is something that you can leverage – youths can go for workshops and use the resources here to improve their craft.”