Wonderfruit, Asia’s pre-eminent festival of music, culture and nature, returns from 15 to 18 December in Thailand. These Hong Kong artists on the lineup tell us about the magic they’re bringing to The Fields.
Let the final countdown to Wonderfruit begin! After a three-year long hiatus, the festival returns this week with a cosmic four-day takeover of The Fields in Pattaya’s Siam Country Club. Founded in 2014, Wonderfruit has risen to popularity for its progressive ethos, innovative art installations and united global community.
Infused with the creativity of Hong Kong-based entertainment tastemaker Jason Swamy, the festival features a multifaceted program aimed at “deepening our relationship with mind and nature”. From wellness activities and culinary experiences to cerebral architecture and artisanal stalls, it is no wonder that many in Hong Kong are traveling over to see this carbon positive festival in full bloom.
Music is the axis of Wonderfruit’s magic. Fusing borders and bending genres, this year’s hefty lineup features over 200 artists to bring the festival’s stages to life. The Polygon, a favourite among veteran Wonderers, harnesses 3D virtual-reality sound technology that harmonises light and sound. Creating a 360 degree immersive experience, audiences are lured onto a sonic journey from dawn till dusk.
Not-to-be missed at Wonderfruit are some of Hong Kong’s very own soundscape shifters. From creative collective Yeti Out to nightlife curators like Alex Nude and Willer, we caught up with these artists to celebrate our city’s reemergence with the world and get inside scoop on their festival set lists, fits and must-haves.
Still on the lookout for a ticket? Lucky for you, some Sunday passes are still available here.
See you at The Fields!
WonderTracks, curated by Hong Kong artists at Wonderfruit 2022
Willer
Where: Polygon Stage
When: Thursday, 15 December from 17:00 – 18:30
Dance away your first Wonderfruit sunset with Willer, co-founder and creative director of Spin Sum, a series of colourful parties for Hong Kong’s house music fiends. Get ready for nights beneath the Polygon by checking out his new EP, Garden of Life, released this past September.
What type of music styles do you typically play?
I play a range of sub-genres that are usually defined under House — Melodic & Percussive House, Indie Dance, Organic and Breaks.
Any new artists, genres or experiences that are inspiring your latest sets?
I learnt a lot spending this summer in Berlin, saw some real pros play. It has made me focus on adding energy in my sets when it comes to mixing style, BPM variety and exploring more driving genres like Indie Dance. Inspiring place to go for any artist.
What vibe are aiming for in your Wonderfruit set?
There is so much natural excitement at Wonderfruit, the goal is capture it somehow in my set and build on it; I just hope everyone has a great time. I’ll be trying to read the vibe of the stage, so playing on Polygon is going to be exciting, if not incredibly daunting. Last time I played there were so many Hongkongers around me. It made the atmosphere absolutely amazing — so I know the Hongkongers will bring the vibe!
What are your festival must-haves?
Outrageous clothing. Variety of Kimonos. Harness or shoulder bag to stop me losing all my stuff!
Alex Nude
Where: Polygon Stage
When: Friday, 16 December from 17:00 – 18:30
Alex Nude, music director of LKF nightlife hotspot Cassio, takes over the opening of the Polygon stage on Friday with a sonic journey bound to be “transportive, deep, hypnotic and trippy”. Originally from Greece, Nude is ready to share his love for Hong Kong, his home for the past three years, with a sound that echoes the city’s colourful community.
What music styles do you typically play?
My sound is more Deep, Afro, Melodic House, Indie Dance and Disco, with a lot of influences from world music.
What can Hong Kong’s music scene uniquely bring to the Wonderfruit spirit?
The last few years have given Hong Kong’s music scene a chance to work and grow together. Before that, we were pretty much doing our own thing. We also have a lot of people who live and have lived in Hong Kong traveling from around the world to be at Wonderfruit. That’s really one of the things I’m most excited about. We’ve been building this amazing community and are ready to take that energy to the festival. We want to see what the rest of the world has been up to, but also want to show the world what we’ve been up to. I won’t lie, I’m pretty proud of be a part of it.
What will you be wearing at Wonderfruit?
I’m working on it with Yu Chan of Erede, an Italian-Hong Kong based tailoring brand. Asia and Hong Kong have been my home for the last three years and I really want that to be a part of my Wonderfruit performance.
Do you have a post-show ritual?
I love talking to those who stay till the end [of my set] to get an understanding of what resonated. This not only helps me grow, but I’m also genuinely interested in how people process these kind of experiences.
Where can we find you at Wonderfruit?
Lurking at Polygon Stage for the sets of AME, Mita Gami, Photay, Viken Arman, Rammo, and Willer. Also my friend Angela Lohse is playing for Wonder Flow 2.0, a 60-minute mobility yoga flow on Friday morning. Lastly, midnight snacking on khao soi.
Yeti & Friends
Where: SOT Stage
When: Sunday, December 18th from 15:00 – 03:00
End your time at The Fields with Hong Kong’s culture-shifting collective, Yeti Out. With a 12-hour takeover at the SOT stage, the lineup is a global affair that additionally unites artists from Saigon, Tokyo, Shanghai, L.A and Cairo.
From Hong Kong’s nightlife aficionados, Arthur Yeti, Fergus and Subez Yeti, to the hard-hitting flows of Wildstyle Records rapper and Lifestyle Asia Hip Hop Next 2022 honouree, N.O.L.Y, the Yeti Out crew is out and ready to celebrate the city’s gritty dynamism.
Arthur Yeti
As the co-founder of Yeti Out, record label Silk Road Sounds as well as music director of community radio station FM BELOWGROUND, Arthur Yeti is a curator of the Hong Kong’s underground soundscapes.
Bridging borders and cultures, his culmination of friends and artists under one roof is bound to be vibe-y.
What music styles do you typically play?
My sets consists of all killers, no fillers, maybe some mayonnaise but not the supermarket kind. The fresh from the barn kind. Never miss sell-by dates. Never.
Any new artists, genres or experiences that are inspiring your latest sets/music?
Hong Kong post-punk N.Y.P.D. 南洋派對, acid house from Seoul producer Closet Yi, ’90s Belgian hardcore revivalist The Magus Project and mysterious ghetto-tech producer DJ Droopy.
What are your festival must-haves?
Ear plugs.
What will you be wearing at Wonderfruit?
What I wore yesterday.
Subez Yeti
Subez Yeti, aka Subi of Yeti Out, is also the co-founder of badass all-female collective, Mean Gurls Club, and Thür, parties that propel Hong Kong’s alternative music scene.
Reinvigorated by a recent trip to Seoul, Subi is ready to infuse her infectious energy in a set that draws from a wide array of genres and influences.
What music styles do you typically play?
UK Bass, Club, Electronic and Baile Funk!
What about playing on the Yeti & Friends stage are you most looking forward to?
This is the first time the full Yeti Out crew is going to Wonderfruit, I’m so excited to see all my fam there!
What can Hong Kong’s music scene uniquely bring/add to the Wonderfruit spirit?
We have the burning desire to create, whatever it may be, however tiny or grand. That’s why we are also bringing N.O.L.Y from Hong Kong music label, Wildstyle Records, who will rap live at Wonderfruit in our mother tongue, Cantonese.
What vibe are aiming for in your Wonderfruit set?
DJing will always be a great passion of mine. The warm up should create a little mystery and entice the audience to want to find out what happens next. My aim is to always be happy seeing everyone on the dancefloor full of anticipation and excitement.
Fergus
Fergus, in addition to his Yeti Out antics, is the founder of Hong Kong’s South Canton Soul Train, the funkiest disco party in the city.
Dance the night away ahead of your last sunrise set at The Fields with Fergus, who is set to close the Yeti & Friends stage with a series of bouncy and hard-hitting tracks.
What music styles do typically play?
I play everything in between House, Disco, Rap, RnB, UK Garage, Grime and Jungle.
What vibe are aiming for in your Wonderfruit set?
Ravey, emotional, powerful, post-covid and bitter-sweet vibes.
What about playing on the Yeti & Friends stage are you most looking forward to?
Linking up with the whole crew and sharing incredible moments on the dance floor with the crowd once again!
What are your festival must-haves?
Boat loads of water and a solid pair of boots.
What will you be wearing at Wonderfruit?
Not much, actually.
Lead and featured images courtesy of Wonderfruit and Arthur Bray. More information on the festival here.
Madeleine Mak
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