Geylang YEH YEH!
Geylang YEH YEH!
Geylang Serai has always been a place where sound moves differently – drifting from pasar malam speakers, echoing through community stages, or settling quietly into the corners of coffeeshops.
Here, music has never been just entertainment; it has been memory, belonging, and the hum of daily life.
This story began with Geylang Serai being known as the meeting spot of old Pop Yeh Yeh singers to busk around and share their music, as generations went on the music culture continued till the closure of Muzika Records in May 2024, once a small but steady cultural anchor in the neighbourhood. Its shuttered door symbolised more than a business ending – it marked the fading of a communal music scene that once shaped the rhythms of Geylang Serai.
As we spoke to residents across different generations, a deeper story emerged: not of silence, but of a soundscape that now hides in pockets, waiting to be heard again.
The Legacy of Muzika Records
A cultural touchpoint, now part of memory
Muzika Records was once a familiar stop for residents – a place to browse vinyls, cassettes and CDs, talk music, and meet the same friendly faces week after week. Its closure symbolizes more than the end of a shop; it reflects the slow fading of a neighbourhood soundscape and its livelihood that used to feel open, communal, and lived-in.
“It was like freedom.”
— Abdul Majid
“It’s so hard to hear any music on the street nowadays”
-
Aripin Baba
What used to echo through weddings, void decks, and open doors has grown quieter. Muzika Records stands as a reminder of a time when music naturally connected people in Geylang Serai.
Wanting to understand how this musical spirit persists today, we walked further down to Joo Chiat, where we found bars, cafés, and small venues still hosting live performances – evidence that the culture hasn’t disappeared, but shifted.
Generational Perspectives on Music
Different eras, shared appreciation
Older residents remember music as part of daily kampung life – guitars drifting from neighbours’ homes, Pop Yeh Yeh on the radio, Malay and Hindustani songs filling the streets. These memories shape how they understand community and sound.
Younger listeners, meanwhile, look for spaces that feel vibrant and contemporary. They care about tradition, but also want fresh energy, events that feel lively, and places that naturally draw people in.
“Music culture now
is quite down.”
— Aqimah
“In the 70s, 80s you are literally hearing musical instruments as it is, even
when they are recording for an album, it’s all live.”
- Mark Leong
Across generations, the desire is the same:
a music scene that feels alive.
A Quiet but Enduring Music Culture
Still here — but harder to see
Despite its softer presence, music hasn’t disappeared from Geylang Serai. It survives in community performances, small venues like Creo Bar, cultural shows such as Muzikita, and in the personal soundtracks carried by residents of different ages.
It also lingers in small, everyday moments – like Ismail singing at a coffeeshop, sharing old favourites because, as he puts it, “I am doing it here to have fun, give entertainment to the people.” For him, the classics matter – “The old music is much nicer,” he says but even more important is the act of sharing it.
“Entertainment is important, not to be stingy about it.”
— Ismail
The challenge is visibility. Many performances happen, but few hear about them. The scene isn’t empty – it’s simply waiting to be noticed again, and perhaps reimagined by a new generation.
“Not many people know Wisma
Geylang Serai has shows like Muzikita.”
— Naurah Atthirah
“Not many people know this
kind of event exists.”
— Daanya Aleesha
There is potential here: the memories of the past meeting the energy of the present.
The stories of Muzika Records, kampung songs, live bands, and youth energy reveal one simple truth: music has always been part of Geylang Serai. Even now, in quieter forms, it’s still here – waiting.
Reviving it isn’t about recreating the past, but about creating spaces where people feel welcome to gather, listen, and belong again.
Story By : Rhea, Trixie, Clare, Nabil, Sarah