Since its inception in a riverside warehouse on Jiak Kim Road, Zouk has been the epicentre of Singapore’s nightlife. Based by Lincoln Cheng, the 35,000-square-foot membership thrived in an ever-evolving trade. Its success could be attributed to key figures like normal supervisor Benny Heng, advertising and marketing supervisor Tracy Phillips, and later Sofie Chandra.
Additionally instrumental to Zouk’s legacy was Wayne Lee, who oversaw music and leisure. Right this moment, Lee is the overall supervisor of HighHouse and NOVA, two eating ideas below OUE Eating places. On a cloudy afternoon, we discuss with Lee at HighHouse.
How is HighHouse completely different from Zouk?
Wayne Lee (WL): There’s the eating ingredient, which is sort of an enormous factor and that extends to the rooftop once we open up in July. The entire venue is OUE Sky: there’s HighHouse and NOVA—two ideas in a single venue. What I used to cope with again at Zouk was extra music-based. Right here, there are 4 pillars, that are music, meals, beverage and artwork.
We’re into our fifth month and our eating has been fairly steady; most of our meal companies are crammed out properly; the menu course is sort of clear. We’ve been fairly profitable at stabilising that.
Much more could be performed about pushing out home and techno music that we consider in and getting it on the market. Which is when you take a look at our programming, we now have a few worldwide DJs coming in. They’re aligned to the type of sounds that we’re doing and we need to do extra collaborations with native music collectives. Constructing the native scene is sort of essential.
Again at Jiak Kim Road, the artwork was slightly extra intense, proper? Lincoln [Cheng, founder of Zouk] had all these wild items like Keith Haring’s “Therapeutic Hand” however when the membership moved to Clarke Quay, there have been area constraints so artwork wasn’t the primary focus. However at HighHouse, my bosses are fairly eager to get some related items on the ample wall area.
Are you artwork savvy?
WL: I’m going to artwork festivals, I go to museums abroad. I wouldn’t say that I’m an artwork connoisseur however I do benefit from the medium.
So, what’s the thought behind NOVA?
WL: We had been impressed by festivals, proper? Not simply music festivals however festivals on the whole. That was an enormous inspiration for the area. Coachella, for instance, a few of the levels themselves are constructed round massive installations. Burning Man (culminates in setting fireplace to a large effigy). Which explains the (10-metre) star construction at NOVA. We commissioned this artist Jun Ong from Penang—we noticed his work at ART SG about two years in the past. He’s nice at installations, principally lighting installations.
We heard the opening of NOVA was delayed.
WL: We’re transforming the inside design to make it extra futuristic. We had been performed however felt that it didn’t actually measure as much as the branding but. I really feel that after NOVA opens up, every thing will fall into place; there’d be extra alternatives for actions like yoga, and your health stuff.
You had began on the journal, Juice.
WL: Again then the (Juice) workplace was at Scotts Highway and that was one of many the reason why I wished to work there. I used to be freelancing for them. Being fairly eager to proceed working for Juice, I took up a full-time place after I graduated.
I used to be very into digital music, which helped. I used to be finding out journalism in Melbourne and their rave tradition was fairly robust and that impressed me. So, once I returned to Singapore and there was fairly an fascinating underground digital music scene between 2001 and 2004. This was the interval the place the federal government was extra lax on folks utilizing venues and the neighbours weren’t complaining a lot in regards to the noise. I’d write in regards to the scene. The method was so old-fashioned that I’d take photos with this crappy DSLR and develop the images.
You needed to shoot as nicely?
WL: Yeah, I took images and wrote the evaluations once I first began. I needed to develop the movie at Fortunate Plaza. I keep in mind that I needed to decide 5 images out of the 26.
That was what obtained me into Juice, the love of digital music. Not a lot the clubbing and partying—these had been a byproduct. Juice began to vary at that time as a result of we would have liked the advert income, proper? We had been a free journal and we would have liked to draw extra advertisers. So we moved into the style area however we weren’t trend folks. The one factor that we might faucet on was that the rave tradition was linked to streetwear. We introduced that ingredient in. Me and the group had been impressed by Japanese males’s magazines like Popeye. We needed to go to Kinokuniya and purchase it together with i-D and Dazed and Confused. That was fairly time.
How did you get to work at Zouk?
WL: It’s actually a mix of circumstances. As a result of I labored at Juice, I used to be in shut contact with Zouk’s advertising and marketing group and Lincoln as nicely. Once they opened up a head of leisure function, kind of a music director gig, in 2011, I used to be the primary particular person they considered and so they approached me for it. I had been 9 years in music publishing on the time, so I assumed, since I’m already doing the idea portion of it, I’d as nicely do the sensible. That’s how I started working for Zouk.
What’s a mean day for you at HighHouse?
WL: The workplace begins early. And conferences take up a big a part of my afternoon all the best way to about dinnertime. Then, from dinnertime onwards, I attempt to be on the bottom [at HighHouse] simply to ensure service is so as; to ensure our company are settling in properly. On sure nights—clearly, we do some late-night programming on Wednesday, Friday or Saturdays—I attempt to keep late. Once more, simply to see how issues are going. Letting my presence be felt, I assume [laughs].
This goes past your typical nine-to-five. Are the hours one thing that you simply took to simply?
WL: I got here on board with OUE Eating places in 2022 so I spent year-and-a-half being in a daily workplace working common workplace hours; I loved it. So now I’m again to these lengthy, bizarre hours, however I’m used to it, as a result of again at Zouk, it was the identical factor, proper? Daytime, I’d deal with the company stuff and at night time, I’d deal with the nightlife.
However is it simpler now or more durable?
WL: More durable. Again at Zouk, in my 30s, it was simpler. It was additionally completely different as a result of that setting had extra excessive power. We had a membership that hosted 1,500, 2,000 folks at anybody time. That was intense. However now at HighHouse, the product is sort of centered so we don’t have to herald so many various demographics. We’ve got a sure audience and the music course is clearer. The whole capability at HighHouse is about 400.
Is social media essential to what you do?
WL: I believe it’s tremendous essential now, man. We’re all the time speaking about Gen-Zs regarding TikTok and stuff. I used to be in Shanghai two months in the past and… You realize 小红书 (“Little Purple E book” in Mandarin)? It’s massive over there. I signed up for an account as a result of I wished to search for classic retailers in Shanghai however all of the sudden, I’m fed with different content material like techwear, biking…
So, yeah. social media is essential. Particularly whenever you’re working a enterprise institution, proper? However, it’s essential that you simply’re tapping onto the best platform. 小红 书started out as a spot the place folks got here to find locations of curiosity to go to however now it’s the equal of Instagram in China.
China is forward with regards to connectivity.
WL: I’m actually impressed by Shanghai. Every little thing is on-line for them. Lose your telephone in China and also you’re screwed.
Do you suppose Singapore can get to that stage?
WL: It’s robust as a result of we’re not a super-huge metropolis. We received’t get to the place China is however what we now have proper now isn’t unhealthy. Hopefully, Singapore will get there sooner or later.
What was your childhood like?
WL: It was good. I used to be fairly blessed. Dad and mom are principally supportive. My dad was an engineer and my mother was a faculty English trainer. My dad was all the time urging me to take up arithmetic, which I hated. After which I screwed up my A-Ranges so badly that he gave up. However they gave me a really snug childhood, setting to develop up in.
Are they nonetheless in your again about your life decisions?
WL: My dad handed final yr however he was pleased with the place I’m right this moment. My mother has, nicely, so much to say, you already know, as a result of I’m nonetheless single so there’s that. If it occurs, it occurs, proper?
How was the pandemic for you?
WL: I don’t find out about you guys however it was the worst. I imply, minus the pay cuts (at Zouk and the deaths) I believe it was a reset button for lots of people that I knew and a whole lot of efforts had been taken to maintain the enterprise.
The pivots.
WL: Yeah. Again then, we put 50 bikes in the primary room at Zouk and transformed it right into a spin cycle class. Capital (a whisky bar and cigar room) was was a restaurant. We even labored with Lazada to transform Phuture right into a live-streaming studio… that lasted for three or 4 months earlier than they determined to do their very own studio. In order that was difficult however it was good. There was a kind of group spirit happening throughout the pivots. And I additionally loved some regular hours, ending at 10:30pm as a substitute of 4am, in order that was fairly good.
Was it worrying? As a result of, on the time, no one knew after they might see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel.
WL: It was irritating as a result of the primary yr once we pivoted, we thought by December 2020 it must be over, proper? Everybody believed that fable that this was like SARS and the pandemic would quickly be over. Nevertheless it didn’t get higher after which it obtained worse with the (COVID) variants popping up. We needed to downsize the group fairly a bit. It was painful to do however it needed to be performed.
That gave us a brand new thought course of in how we run the enterprise. Should you take a look at Zouk, you see it’s making an attempt to increase abroad to Vegas, to Japan, by working in the direction of F&B initiatives mixed with nightlife ideas like effective eating with extremely lounges. Since COVID, working solely on nightlife has proven its dangers, therefore diversification.
What sort of supervisor are you?
WL: I believe… I genuinely suppose I function with empathy. I’m not the type who goes like, “it’s my approach or the freeway”. I attempt to give the group a whole lot of room to run and develop in… however then once more I’m very blessed that to have fairly an skilled group, each for the back and front of the home. Sometimes there’ll come a time to deliver down the hammer, so I’ll do it. However as a lot as I can, I’ll strive to not. I often inform everybody that we’re all adults, proper?
You additionally get to put on a swimsuit and tie at HighHouse.
WL: (Appears to be like at his short-sleeved shirt and denims) Yeah, sorry to allow you to down. [laughs]
You don’t gown like that at Zouk.
WL: As a result of we function a eating area, so out of respect for Steven, my supervisor, who’s already in a blazer, I attempt to be in a swimsuit and tie. It was an enormous change from the Zouk days. Now I’m dressed up so that folks can take me extra critically. [laughs]
Any pet peeves?
WL: Generally persons are not prepared to vary. It takes some time, after all. However, in our trade, change is the one fixed; we all the time must adapt and flip. When you’re working with an older era of managers and employees, it takes some time for them to be versatile. It’s irritating however you continue to have to be affected person to clarify to them and get them on the identical course.
What’s your greatest concern?
WL: My greatest concern? That’s a extremely good one. To this point all my work in Singapore has touched on tradition, proper? My concern is Singapore turning into stagnant culturally as a substitute of shifting ahead. I’m speaking about tender tradition and issues like that. Typically, issues have been getting higher. Singapore has all the time been a nation that’s constructed on finance, manufacturing and stuff like that. And clearly, what we name tender tradition is tremendous sub, proper? Our era did nicely however there are nonetheless purveyors pushing the scene in music, artwork, design, and stuff like that, and naturally, aided by the federal government. Generally it helps, generally it doesn’t however I’m hoping the following era can proceed.
It must be a generational effort. This era units the trail and the following gen will are available in and take it ahead. Let’s discuss tradition, proper? Clearly, there are your Edison Chens, Shawn Yues, John Mayers, the Pharrells even. They’ve gone from being musicians to increase themselves into trend, designing watches even. They’ve performed their half. So the following era has to take over. Tyler, the Creator, he’ll be the following wave, proper? He’s going to be the following Pharrell.
Going again to your earlier query about what I’m afraid of is that: I do know there are a whole lot of excellent content material creators on TikToks who’re of their 20s. However can we identify that many? Can we discover one other, for instance, Tracy Phillips? I really feel that it’s robust to seek out somebody of that calibre. Possibly it’s as a result of the scene is sort of diluted as everyone is doing it so it’s arduous to face out.
You struck me as somebody who prefers to be behind the scenes.
WL: You’re proper. I don’t go to occasions, I keep behind the room. Eleven years of the membership scene and my social battery is at its lowest. However now with the OUE Sky venture, HighHouse and NOVA, I do must be on the forefront of issues to assist push the model.
Together with Lincoln and Tracy, your identify pops up as one of many few architects of the best way the membership scene is.
WL: Thanks for saying that. I recognize it. It’s good that in the middle of what I’ve performed, not less than, my efforts have amounted to one thing.
What do you love to do in your free time?
WL: I used to skateboard once I was youthful however I’ve stopped. I’m making an attempt to get again to the board once more. I [laughs] can’t do the ollies and stuff. Truly, I cleared one however as of late, my danger urge for food is so much much less. So I simply cruise alongside East Coast Park. It’s that or working.
Do you concern getting previous?
WL: Undoubtedly. I believe it’s on everybody’s thoughts however—and that is going to sound corny—it type of pushes you to do extra every day as a result of you already know time is proscribed.
Was this a current realisation?
WL: I’m 43 going 44 and I believe whenever you hit your 40s, you are likely to suppose much more in regards to the time that’s left and the way rather more you possibly can obtain. Generally I can’t consider I’m center aged, however it’s what it’s so it’s a must to make the most effective of it. [points to his tattoo] “Memento mori”. Keep in mind that you’ll die so that you’ll recognize life. [laughs] This all sounds darkish.
What’s that one e book you all the time return to?
WL: One in all my favorite authors is Paul Auster, who died not too long ago…
I like Auster’s metafiction.
WL: Energy, proper? He handed away just a few days in the past. Very unhappy. Lung most cancers. [thinks for a while]. [Haruki] Murakami is one other. I’d often return to Kafka by the Shore.
Was that an introduction to the remainder of Murakami’s work?
WL: That may be Norwegian Wooden. One other e book could be JD Salinger, (The) Catcher within the Rye. These are the few books that I’d reread if I had the time.
Do you have got sufficient time to take action although?
WL: The humorous factor is that if the e book is on a Kindle, you don’t learn it as a lot as when it was a paperback. However I nonetheless purchase books on Kindle as a result of area constraints, proper? And my focus on a Kindle is so restricted. Ten pages and I put the machine down. On the subject of the tactility of it, paperbacks can’t be beat.
I often borrow from the library so the due date forces me to complete it.
WL: That’s wonderful. And that brings me to this one behavior that I really feel all of us ought to undertake, and that’s, earlier than sleeping, as a substitute of going by Instagram, we must always learn. It’s tempting to choose up the telephone and scroll by our social media however I’m making an attempt to return to flipping the pages in books.
This interview was edited for size and readability.
Images: Jaya Khidir
Artwork Path: Joan Tai
Images Assistants: Nowo Kasturi and Ng Kai Ming
This text was first seen on Esquire.sg
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