Published
Fri, May 6, 2022, 16:14
- A beloved figure on South East Asia's nightlife circuit, Chan fostered deep connections between regional scenes through the venues she ran in Singapore.
Eileen Chan, cofounder of Singapore venues Headquarters and Tuff Club, died this week at the age of 32.
Chan, who DJ'd as Cats On Crack, was a critical player in Singapore's electronic underground. An outspoken champion of club culture, she worked tirelessly to create a community for techno and house music enthusiasts by providing safe spaces to rave—a major accomplishment in a country where underground subcultures have traditionally had little infrastructure. Her cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
In 2016, Chan cofounded events collective The Council with fellow DJ and nightlife stalwart Clement Chin. After throwing parties in various locations around Singapore, the duo launched their own club, Headquarters, commonly known as HQ. From its beginning as a graffiti-covered, one-room space, HQ eventually expanded to two floors, becoming a prime arena for locals talents, both emerging and established, to hone their skills. Its crimson-tinted dance floor fostered deep friendships between like-minded strangers, drawing a loyal clientele that was always greeted by Chan. After establishing HQ, The Council opened their second venue, Tuff Club, while still organising warehouse parties in ice factories, basement spaces, houseboats and other unconventional locations.
Equally focused on educating as much as entertaining crowds, Chan took a strategic approach to overseas bookings. She welcomed the likes of Peggy Gou, DJ BORING and Amelie Lens before they blew up on the international stage, as well as veterans such as Tin Man and Gerd Janson. The Council's weekly stream of acts from Europe, North America and beyond put Singapore on the global nightlife map, making it a coveted destination for touring artists.
Chan was also committed to strengthening the South East Asian community of DJs, producers, bookers and dancers. She regularly booked artists from neighbouring countries in an effort to deepen regional ties. Her collaborative nature and dedication to showcasing names such as Bangkok-based Mendy Indigo and Seoul's Marcus L were instrumental in the development of a unified scene. Her efforts produced results—local crowds grew more knowledgeable about leftfield artists and began showing up even when they didn't recognise names on the bill.
Emerging nightlife economies often look to the DIY movements of Berlin and London for inspiration but Chan was always adamant about the need for Singapore to form its own club culture. She rejected comparisons between Asian dance markets and their Western counterparts because, as she repeatedly explained, each come with a different set of societal norms.
Chan was also unafraid to vocalise her frustration with Singapore's strict licensing rules and curbs on liquor sales that have long weighed on the nightlife sector. She worked closely with other venues to create a better business environment. In interviews, she spoke candidly and urged Singapore's officials to recoginse nightlife's immense social capital.
Chan, who would have been 33 next month, was a skilled DJ herself. She played at China's Great Wall Festival, Wonderfruit Festival in Thailand, Seoul club Faust and The Lighthouse in Ho Chi Minh City, among many others, in addition to recording mixes for fabric and DGTL.
Read some tributes from friends and collaborators.
Peggy Gou
"Hearing about Eileen's passing was shocking and heartbreaking. She was one of the first promoters and people that believed in me from the very beginning and there was so much mutual admiration and appreciation for one another. Our connection was special and it made me so happy to see Eileen, an amazing Asian woman, to be such a strong force in this industry and to have had the pleasure and chance to know her. Rest in peace Eileen."
Bongomann, AKA Nick Bong
"She had a knack for nurturing people's creative bones, a way of pushing us to try new things. One gig that sticks out is The Council's New Dimensions party in January 2021 when there were still heavy restrictions in Singapore. An event like that would be pretty much impossible for most people but Eileen and crew made it happen, with such creative ways of getting around the rules while keeping everyone safe. She had an uncanny sense of DIY independence mixed with the savvy you need in Singapore when pushing to expand the underground overground. She had a unique brief for the project and coaxed a mix out of me that changed the way I approach DJing in different environments."
Sharmaine Khoo
"We've been good friends for about 14 years, she's been a true force of nature and achieved so much. Eileen always wanted to bring people together and she did it in the best possible way, through music. She touched so many people with her music and The Council, which gave a real voice to Singapore's techno scene as an independent collective. Cheers to her!"
Update, May 17th: This piece was updated with a comment by Peggy Gou.