F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2025: 10 of the best arts and music events to check out if you’re not into racing

Anyone with even a passing case of Formula One fever would already have their tickets booked for the heavy hitters gracing the 2025 edition of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix. But the likes of G-Dragon, Elton John, and Lewis Capaldi won’t be the only off-track attractions worth paying attention to this race season.

Visitors willing to venture outside of the frenzy of Marina Bay will find a host of music festivals, art pop-ups and adrenaline-charged performances befitting the high-octane thrills of the Grand Prix.

Read on for a hit list of the best arts and music acts beyond the blockbusters near, or during, the F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2025 season.

ART

American comedian Pete Davidson debuts in Singapore

Though certain naysayers might preclude stand-up comedy from the category of art, there’s no denying that American funnyman Pete Davidson has made his particular brand of irreverent, self-effacing comedy into an art form.

Barring any unforeseen hiccups, one of the youngest performers on America’s Saturday Night Live will be making his grand debut at The Star Theatre — expect plenty of raunchy humour and self-deprecating quips.

Pete Davidson at The Star Theatre shows on September 26. Find out more here.

Explore the transformative potential of Soft Power at Sundaram Tagore Gallery

Ease off on the torque of the F1 season with a visit to the Singapore chapter of Sundaram Tagore Gallery, a contemporary art collective with locations in New York and London, for its exploration into the profound potential of soft power.

The term references power that influences rather than coerces or forces, which, in the artistic sense, denotes aesthetic beauty and evocative narratives anchored on the gentle, the complex and the feminine.

While you’re there, take some time to enjoy the tranquillity of the serene Gillman Barracks away from the buzz of the races.

Soft Power at Sundaram Tagore Gallery runs until October 10. Find out more here.

Material Moves: STPI presents the work of four pioneering Cultural Medallion-winning artists

The Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s apex arts accolade, recognises the people who’ve made exemplary contributions to the local scene, going above and beyond producing excellent art — and the work of four of these pioneering artists is now being exhibited at STPI – Creative Gallery & Workshop.

Titled “Material Moves”, the exhibition honours the work of Han Sai Por, Goh Beng Kwan, Ong Kim Seng and Chua Ek Kay in the year of Singapore’s 60th birthday, celebrating the trailblazing movement of art even as we look forward to the excitement on the track.

Aside from guided tours, visitors can also up the ante with hands-on workshops directed by the masters like Han Sai Por herself.

Material Moves at STPI – Creative Gallery & Workshop runs until October 5. Find out more here.

Dance through history with five artists from Softmachine: The Return

The quintet behind the original premiere of Softmachine — an artistic collaboration bringing together the diverse choreography and dance styles of five distinct cultures in Asia — have reunited a decade on with new expressions and experiences designed to reflect their updated journeys.

“Softmachine: The Return” will feature four dance-driven narratives spanning China, India, and Indonesia across three nights at the Esplanade Theatre Studio.

Softmachine: The Return shows from September 26 to 28. Find out more here.

Japanese contemporary art, indie games, and tokusatsu on display at Mizuma Gallery

A dozen Japanese artists have brought their creative chops to Mizuma Gallery, similarly located in Gillman Barracks, for an exhibition exploring the wild interplay between contemporary art, indie games, and tokusatsu (Japanese special effects).

With deep dives into character design and Japanese contemporary art sensibilities, Art Bit Matrix – Tokusatsu to Videogame promises varied art experiences that are every bit as dynamic as the art forms it’s traversing, which is why we think it’ll be a great pit stop on any high-octane F1 itinerary.

Art Bit Matrix – Tokusatsu to Videogame runs until October 19. Find out more here.

MUSIC

Bob to eclectic cross-border jams at The Esplanade’s Global Beats Weekend

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The F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2025 won’t be the only cross-border event this race season. The Esplanade will be celebrating the vibrancy of international music with Global Beats Weekend, happening every Saturday and Sunday across September.

Get ready to groove to fiery flamenco, Scandinavian folk hits, Japanese taiko drumming, Jamaican reggae, and everything in between.

Crossing Borders 2025 runs until September 28. Find out more here.

Groovedriver Festival 2025: An electrifying programme with dual music stages (and an all-female DJ line-up)

If you’ve only got energy for one adrenaline thumper of a music festival, make it Groovedriver Festival 2025. The returning event is suitably close to the heart of the action with dual music stages at Suntec Plaza and South Beach Tower, each boasting its own stacked line-up of regional rising stars.

Highlights range from buzzy British singer-songwriter Henry Moodie and South Korea’s electronic whiz-kid Shaun to an all-female DJ lineup crammed with the likes of Licaxxx, Molly Lin, Sarah Farina, and more.

Groovedriver Festival 2025 runs on September 26, 27, 28, and October 2. Find out more here.

Celebrate Taylor’s love story in the romantic glow of candlelight

Who says every music event during the F1 season has to be revving on all cylinders? Certainly not global entertainment brand, Fever, if their enduring series of understated candlelit shows is anything to go by.

This September, it’ll be freshly engaged pop megastar Taylor Swift getting the Candlelight concert treatment with her greatest hits reimagined and reinterpreted by a string quartet in the romantic CHIJMES Hall.

Give it a try — we promise you won’t miss the fireworks and sequins.

Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift on Strings shows on September 26. Find out more here. 

J-pop sensation Sekai no Owari plans a stopover in Singapore

Visitors who need a break from the action — and don’t mind missing out on the qualifiers — can consider a musical rest in the form of J-pop sensation, Sekai no Owari. The band’s Singapore stopover on their Asia tour (dubbed Phoenix) will be happening one night only on October 4, which also means only one night for the crew’s fan-favourite tracks “SOS” (featured in anime Attack on Titan) and “The Peak” (which showed in One Piece).

Sekai no Owari Asia Tour 2025 (Phoenix) shows on October 4. Find out more here.

The Teng Ensemble presents Singapore’s first immersive lie-down concert

Wellness takes centre stage at what is most likely Singapore’s first immersive lie-down concert. The transformative sound experience comes complete with comfy yoga mats, guided meditation by a music therapist and live sound from The Teng Ensemble (a part of the non-profit Teng Company) with the goal of a gradual and gentle recalibration of the emotional and physical.

In other words, a perfect remedy for the nerves ahead of the race season.

Wuxing (The Five Elements): An Immersive Experience shows on September 28. Find out more here.