Day 2 of Music Matters Live 2025 kept the momentum strong with another diverse lineup spanning multiple genres and countries.
J-POP MATTERS on Saturday, 27 September 2025 drew the largest crowd to Mainstage at Clarke Quay. Besides PSYCHIC FEVER and WOLF HOWL HARMONY from Exile Tribe and ONE OR EIGHT, they were also accompanied by rising Philippine acts including idol group 1st One and Mikey Bustos.
The festival continued showcasing talents from across Asia and beyond, featuring indie bands from India’s Trance Effect to Aruba’s activemirror.
With the weekend crowd ready to dance, sing, and discover new favorites, here are the night’s highlights:
In case you missed it, catch Day 1’s highlights here.
J-POP Matters
PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE (JP)
Earning a rare back-to-back invitation to Music Matters Live, PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE returned for their second consecutive year.
The moment they took the stage with ‘Reflection,’ phones shot up and cheers echoed through the hip-hop grooves and cloud rap sound.
The crowd’s energy fueled PSYCHIC FEVER’s powerful set, and showcased their evolved sound and refined stage presence.
They then performed ‘RICH & BAD’, a strong pop-rap anthem wearing coordinated leather fits and PSYCHIC FEVER necklaces.
After introducing themselves, the seven members delivered their viral hit ‘Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY’ as the crowd grooved and sang along.
Even with the back-to-back complex hip-hop choreography, their vocals remained strong and stable performing their latest genre-blending tracks like ‘Paradise’ and ‘What’s Happenin’ (Prod. JP THE WAVY)’.
ONE OR EIGHT (JP)
ONE OR EIGHT is an eight-member Japanese boy group, derived from the Japanese idiom “ippuku ka yoka” (one or eight, meaning “all or nothing”).
They got the music started with ‘DSTM’, a fresh take on Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ while blending it into a dance pop-rap song that captured the group’s signature style.
They had the crowd jumping to the upbeat ‘My Lil’ Heart Attack.’ Hearts were certainly racing as ONE OR EIGHT delivered intense fan service, making eye contact and moving to the stage’s edge.
Their synchronised choreography, musicality, and textures were beautiful to watch on stage as they performed tracks like ‘Young & Reckless’ and ‘365’.
There was no hint of breathlessness as they presented their dance tracks even though they debuted only a year ago through a one-year battle-style audition program.
ONE OR EIGHT showed appreciation for their fans during ‘DAY ONES,’ closing their set with a sweet, polished finale.
WOLF HOWL HARMONY from EXILE TRIBE (JP)
WOLF HOWL HARMONY made their debut in 2023 and had quickly been gaining attention in Japan and Thailand, but also this time in Singapore.
Fans were excited as soon as the group came up on stage to perform ‘ROLLIN’ STONES’. The upbeat and positive melody got the ball rolling for this four-member vocal and rap group known for their strong vocals and dynamic performances.
‘Bossa Bosa’ displayed another side of WOLF HOWL HARMONY with booming bassline and EDM energy, cheeky hooks and fast choreography.
The group introduced themselves fluently in English before they serenaded the crowd with ‘LOVE RED’.
They actively interacted with the crowd across the stage while were showing off their moves and vocals with ‘Frozen Butterfly’ and ‘BAKUON -爆音-‘. The latter song was a homage to member GHEE’s Brazilian roots with Baile Funk.
They even commemorated their first live show in Singapore in the form of a Spotify playlist for fans here.
From the Philippines
1st.One (PH)
P-Pop boy group 1st.One gave a ‘Shout Out’ to Music Matters Live with a fiery opening performance packed with hip thrusts and quick footwork. ‘Shout Out’ was their first single to chart on the US Billboard Trending Charts Songs back in 2022.
The six-member group were all smiles during ‘MYV’, a track that ‘maps their vibe’ and their journey back to their P-pop roots.
The group greeted fans in multiple languages and invited the crowd to enjoy the performance with them, describing their music as feeling like ‘deep hugs, hot morning showers, and a summer-like Christmas.
Fans were all eyes on 1st.One’s performance of ‘Wala Ng Iba’ (“no one else” in English).
They said see you again with ‘Palaam Na’, a pop-R&B track about goodbye, letting go and acceptance.
Mikey Bustos (PH)
Mikey Bustos was full of energy with the dance number to ‘Cancel Me’. Dancers wearing ant heads immediately captured everyone’s attention.
Canadian-born Filipino singer-songwriter definitely gave his all with multiple quick costume changes including for the ballad track, ‘Parachute’. Mikey dedicated it to the crowd as he shared his journey from being on Canadian Idol till today – that it was never too late to fulfill your dreams.
This rings true for Mikey, who is also a comedian, actor, and digital content creator. He’s known for viral YouTube content including his ‘I Wear Speedos’ Despacito parody and his channel about ant farms. He showcased his digital work on the LED screens during the contemporary pop song, ‘Crossroads’.
Mikey continued to show his energetic and positive side with an unreleased track, ‘Island Time’. The spirit of party in the Philippines was definitely felt in Singapore!
It was a dynamic set with a mix of intense songs and ballad tracks like ‘One Song At A Time’. The song encourages the listener to follow your dreams, as Mikey shared being a singer is a dream of his.
Bands and more
activemirror. (AW/NL)
Indie/alt-rock band activemirror. was a hidden gem from Aruba, captivating the crowd with their unique culture and sound through ‘Akkadian Love’.
The band showcased impressive riffs and outstanding vocals through ‘Opal’ and an unreleased track.
“We are literally from nowhere. Thank you for accepting us to be here.” This marked the band’s first Asian performance and the first time any artist from Aruba was invited to Music Matters Live.
They performed songs from the recent debut album Though The Night Is Not Over like ‘Vampira’ and ‘I Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead Around Here’. Lead singer Liam fully embodied rock star energy, carrying the microphone stand around, kneeling on stage, and stepping onto speakers with authentic intensity.
The drummer anchored the band with exhilarating solos, while the guitarist and bassist maintained constant eye contact, showcasing their tight chemistry.
Their friendliness extended offstage as they attended other performances throughout the festival.
Trance Effect (IN)
Indie pop-rock band from Nagaland, India, was a breath of fresh air with uplifting tunes with beautiful guitar melodies like ‘I’m On Your Side’ and ‘Clowns’.
The band members always looked like they were having the time of their lives on stage, especially the guitarists. At one point, the guitarist even removed his glasses to fully commit to the performance.
During ‘Took Me A While’, the band members increased their crowd interaction, roaming across the stage together.
By the time they closed with ‘More Love,’ the band had won over the crowd with their infectious energy and dynamic stage presence.
Spitty (CA)
This was Spitty’s first overseas festival performance in Asia and he opened with his original track ‘Not For Me’.
He also performed tracks from his Motherland album including ‘Amazing’ and ‘Kush’. It showcased his cultured approach to hip-hop using South Asian samples and instruments that blended with North American influence.
Spitty commanded the stage with deeply personal tracks about his music journey including ‘Blue Lays’ and ‘Blackout’.
He also delivered a freestyle with fire bars and brought his own bucket hat merch for the crowd. Spitty came ‘Locked & Loaded’, sharing his craft with an unfamiliar audience who grooved and vibed along.
Day 2 showcased the festival’s strength in bringing together diverse sounds and passionate crowds. Clarke Quay buzzed with energy late into the night, and with two more days to go, Music Matters Live 2025 showed no signs of slowing down.
Look out for the Day 3 recap!
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