Singapore offers a wealth of experiences to explore. From indulgent luxury encounters to fascinating exhibitions, here’s how to make the most of your May in the Lion City.
POP-UPS
YSL Beauty's Loveshine Pop-up
If your lip gloss isn’t high-shine enough to signal your presence to your crush from across a room, it’s time to get acquainted with YSL Loveshine. YSL Beauty’s latest drop, the Plumping Lip Oil Gloss, goes full-throttle on juicy sheen, and they’re celebrating with a playground pop-up that turns your inner flirt up. Inspired by first crushes and midnight makeout sessions, the YSL Beauty Love Game Pop-Up is dripping in gloss, glitter, and unapologetic energy. Explore multi-sensory rooms like the mirror-filled Love Heart Room, strike a pose in the CCTV-inspired Love Suite, and get caught in the glow of the LOVESHINE Tunnel. Ready to test your luck? Spin the Love Wheel, take on mini challenges, and unlock glossy surprises.
The YSL Love Game Pop-up runs from 30 May to 1 June and is located at The Factory, New Bahru. 58 Kim Yam Road. For more information, click here.
VIVAIA Sneakerina Pop-Up
Balletcore just got a street-style twist. From 30 May to 1 June, eco-chic footwear label VIVAIA celebrates its 5th anniversary with a global-first Sneakerina Pop-Up in Singapore—and it’s serving comfy, celeb-approved cool. The spotlight’s on the launch of Butter Yellow Sneakerina ($217), a soft, sunny shade making its offline debut right here. Think sneaker-level comfort, ballet-inspired elegance, and machine-washable satin. Be among the first 200 customers daily and unlock a free DIY Shoelace Customisation Bar, where you can mix and match laces, charms, and accessories to personalise your pair. Plus, get rewarded with free macarons just for following @VIVAIA_SINGAPORE on Instagram—limited to the first 200 per day. This is your chance to shop the viral Cristina Sneakerina, spotted on everyone from Jennie to Charli XCX and (G)I-DLE’s Shuhua. Available in dreamy shades like Peach Blush, Light Gold, and Dream Blue.
VIVAIA Sneakerina Pop-Up is on from 30 May to 1 June, 10am – 9.45pm, at #B1-25 Wisma Atria (in front of Tiong Bahru Bakery).
EXHIBITIONS
Beyond The Corporeal Existence
In collaboration with London’s trailblazing Gillian Jason Gallery, Art Works Gallery presents Beyond The Corporeal Existence—a group show exploring the female body not as spectacle, but as a site of power, memory, and transformation. Featuring works by Jenya Datsko, Megan Baker, and Eleanor Johnson, the exhibition reframes figurative art through a lens both classical and contemporary. Think Old Master brushwork reimagined with a distinctly modern female gaze. Sensuous, cerebral, and impossible to ignore.
Beyond The Corporeal Existence runs from 29 May to 29 June at #01-10/11, 7 Holland Village Way. For more information, click here.
Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2025
This year’s Singapore International Festival of Arts celebrates SG60 with More Than Ever, a spotlight on homegrown talent, new commissions and global voices. Start at the SIFA Pavilion in Bedok Town Square, open from 16 May, and catch performances like Animal Farm by The Finger Players, a dark, puppet-driven adaptation of Orwell’s classic, Told By My Mother by Lebanese choreographer Ali Chahrour, an arresting blend of song, movement and modern Arabic storytelling, and more as the programmes unfold.
For more information, click here.
JUNGSAEMMOOL x Ripple Root’s "The Sweetness of Tangerines"
To mark its first anniversary in Singapore, K-beauty powerhouse JUNGSAEMMOOL is celebrating the only way it knows how: With great skin, great colour, and a little local flair. Till 1 June 2025, the flagship store teams up with art duo Ripple Root on The Sweetness of Tangerines, a month-long installation that blends vivid brushstrokes with beauty-world minimalism. The real collectible? A Singapore-exclusive Essential Skin Nuder Cushion in limited-edition packaging that combines good coverage and culture.
The Sweetness of Tangerines is now on till 1 June 2025 at the JUNGSAEMMOOL flagship store located at 27 Scotts Road. For more information, visit their website.
Non c'è Rosa Senza Spine - A solo exhibition by Giovanni Leonardo Bassan
Giovanni Leonardo Bassan’s first solo exhibition in Singapore isn’t here to play it safe. Non c'è Rosa Senza Spine (“Ain’t No Roses Without Thorns”) peels back the layers of beauty and brutality through raw, figurative works that feel as classical as they do confrontational. The Paris-based Italian artist, who’s worked with Michele Lamy and currently heads Rick Owens’ furniture division, knows a thing or two about duality, and it shows. Think sacred versus savage, softness versus severity, oil paint versus emotional gut punch.
Non c'è Rosa Senza Spine - A solo exhibition by Giovanni Leonardo Bassan will be running till 30 May 2025 at the LOY Contemporary Art Gallery, Tudor Court. For more information, visit their website.
Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses
The world of renowned fashion designer Iris van Herpen is here with "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses". Her first solo exhibition in Asia, visitors will get to see over 140 of Iris' works up close and personal including pieces worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Björk.
Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses is now on till 10 August 2025 at the ArtScience Museum. For more information, visit their website.
Mirror Mirror
ArtScience Museum presents "Mirror Mirror: Journey Into the Mind". Created by Moment Factory, the exhibition puts art and science in focus with a series of interactive, experiential environments that stimulate the senses and explore the different facets of the human mind.
ArtScience Museum's "Mirror Mirror: Journey Into the Mind" is on till 6 July 2025.
DINE OUT
The Coach Bar
Slip behind the doors of the Coach Play Singapore Shophouse and you’ll find its latest secret. The Coach Bar, a cocktail den that blends New York attitude with Keong Saik cool, serves elevated comfort food with a twist—like caviar-topped sundaes and Pastrami Poppers—designed to pair perfectly with expressive, New York-inspired cocktails. For those craving a Coach Martini Moment, $12 martinis flow all night, garnished your way. Add in zero-proof options, signature house pours, and a mood that’s more downtown loft than uptown gloss, and you’ve got the makings of Singapore’s chicest new speakeasy.
The Coach Bar is located at 5 Keong Saik Road and is open from Thursday to Monday, 4pm to midnight
Festival Italia
It’s not every day that Amò, Baia, Sospiri, and Southbridge join forces, but for one weekend only, ilLido Group is bringing its culinary all-stars under one rooftop. Festival Italia at Baia is a heady ode to Italy’s vibrant street food scene—panzerotti, arancini, and skewers kissed by open flame meet the lively pulse of Italian cocktails by Baia’s Adonis Reyes (with a Campari assist, naturally). As you swirl a glass of wine against the sunset, save space for a scoop (or two) from DOPA, the cult gelateria known for its nut-based creations. Think rooftop buzz, Italian flavours, and just the right amount of dolce vita.
Festival Italia is happening on 31 May and 1 June at Baia Rooftop Dining & Lounge, Esplanade Mall level 4, 8 Raffles Avenue. For more information, click here.
LUCE Champagne Sunday Brunch
LUCE at InterContinental Singapore has a new chapter and a new chef. Hailing from Italy’s culinary heartland, Andrea Rossi brings Emilia-Romagna to the plate with Roman-style pinsas (a type of flatbread), seafood, and Italian mains done right. Buffet spreads now anchor the experience, with a champagne brunch on Sundays featuring DJ sets, theatrical live stations, and more Bauget-Jouette than you can reasonably justify. But you will.
LUCE is located at InterContinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road. For more information, click here.
Sulwhasoo Café
Wellness meets fine dining at Sulwhasoo Café, a returning collaboration between the K-beauty giant and Sofitel Singapore City Centre's 1864 bar and lounge. On the menu from 17 May to 13 July: Ginseng, collagen, jujube and mugwort—not in your serums, but in your mains, starters and desserts. Choose between two- or three-course options, or go à la carte. Qualifying diners will receive a Sulwhasoo beauty kit to take home, because inner glow is great, but samples are much better.
Sulwhasoo Café runs from 17 May to 13 July 2025, 11am to 6pm daily. Sofitel Singapore City Centre is located at 9 Wallich Street. For more information, click here.
Writers Bar's Kentucky Derby Tipples
All through May, Writers Bar at Raffles Hotel Singapore honours the pageantry of the Kentucky Derby with a four-part cocktail tribute to American racing’s most storied tradition. Expect variations on the classic Mint Julep, crafted with Michter’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon, alongside the grapefruit-honey Brown Derby, a zesty Whiskey Buck, and the Jockey Club, a deep, aromatic blend built for lingering. It’s tradition with a twist, served on a silver tray.
Raffles Hotel Singapore is located at 1 Beach Road. For more information, click here.
HighHouse's The High Table
HighHouse unveils The High Table, a new culinary collaboration series spotlighting acclaimed chefs through exclusive dining experiences. Launching the series is Michelin-starred Chef Daniele Sperindio of Art di Daniele Sperindio, who presents an eight-course menu available for both lunch and dinner. Infused with his signature Italian-meets-Singaporean flair, the menu features playful, imaginative dishes—from chilled somen in a refreshing watermelon rind broth to black lime pasta with Hokkaido scallops, and a whimsical ice kachang-inspired dessert layered with burrata cream and banana nectar ice.
HighHouse is located at 1 Raffles Place, Level 61-62. For more information, visit their website.
Ma Cuisine's Spring Menu
Ma Cuisine ushers in the season with a refresh of its spring menu. Think French classics with just the right amount of creative rebellion. Expect confit Jeju abalone to replace lamb in a reimagined Navarin d’Ormeau Printanier, and milk-fed sweetbreads paired with morels in a silky veal sauce. The cellar-first bistro’s 1,000-label wine list is the real flex: rare vintages, cult producers, and bottles you’ll only find if you know someone who knows someone. Luckily, the sommelier knows just what to pour.
Ma Cuisine is located at 38 Craig Road. For more information, visit their website.
Bar Somma's 'Nothing In Moderation'
Moderation? Never heard of her. Bar Somma’s new happy hour offering, cheekily titled Nothing in Moderation, is unapologetically indulgent. Order any martini and enjoy unlimited Lampredotto Panini—think slow-cooked veal tripe with green salsa, red sauce, and homemade focaccina. Equal parts hearty and hedonistic, it’s the kind of pairing that makes restraint feel overrated.
Bar Somma's "Nothing In Moderation" is available from Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 7.30pm. For more information, visit their website.
Manhattan’s Sunday Cocktail Brunch
The city’s most decadent brunch is back. Manhattan’s famed adults-only Sunday Cocktail Brunch returns this April, this time with even more flair. Start with a Bloody Mary, boozy milkshake or spritz at one of the interactive stations, before diving into a New York-inspired spread featuring showstoppers like OP rib smoked in a Solera-Aged Negroni barrel—and yes, a whiskey chocolate fountain. Come hungry, leave a little tipsy.
Manhattan's Sunday Cocktail Brunch happens every Sunday, 12pm to 3pm at Manhattan, Conrad Singapore Orchard. For more information, visit their website.
PARTIES
AVENUE Singapore: Venus in Furs
Decadence is the dress code at AVENUE Singapore this 4 June, as the lounge marks six years of after-dark excess with Venus in Furs—a celebration cloaked in velvet, lit by flashbulbs, and pulsing to the beats of O.T. Genasis. Draped in plush textures and unfiltered glamour, this one-night-only transformation promises not just a party, but a fully immersive mood. Think: divine hedonism, baroque opulence, and a bassline that doesn’t quit. Dress accordingly.
AVENUE Singapore is located at #B1-67, Marina Bay Sands The Shoppes, 10 Bayfront Avenue. For more information, click here.
MOVIES, SHOWS & MUSIC
Pink Screen
Singapore’s largest LGBTQIA+ film fest is back with glitter, glamour, and global exclusives. Pink Screen 2025 opens with the buzzy Singapore premiere of The Wedding Banquet, a riotous rom-com featuring Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, and Lily Gladstone. Also in the lineup? Queens of Drama, a French Idol-meets-Moulin-Rouge musical that made waves at Cannes but hasn’t hit Asian screens till now. Throw in rainbow churros, gourmet hot dogs, and a Pink Gin Spritz that’s as extra as the lineup, and you’ve got a weekend worth dressing up for.
Pink Screen 2025 will run from 30 May to 29 June at #05-00, The Projector, Golden Mile Tower, 6001 Beach Road. For more information, click here.
Hyper Knife
Medical dramas are one thing, but Hyper Knife takes it to another level by injecting a dose of thriller, revenge, and high-stakes neurosurgery into its pulse-racing plot. Starring Park Eun-bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo, The King’s Affection) as Jeong Seok, a neurosurgeon shunned from the medical world after uncovering a dark secret, and Sul Kyung-gu (Memoir of a Murderer, Oasis) as her former mentor, the series is a tension-filled masterpiece of skill, power, and retribution.
Hyper Knife is streaming on Disney+ now. Read the ELLE exclusive here.
KATSEYE releases "Gnarly"
KATSEYE is back, and this time they’re not here to whisper sweet nothings. After debuting at number one on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart with their EP SIS (Soft Is Strong), the group returns with Gnarly, a maximalist club anthem that feels like an online meltdown and a mosh pit kiss rolled into one.
Stream the single today on Spotify.
LIVE CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES
I Just Wanna Sing for You by 9m88
Taiwanese singer 9m88 isn’t just a voice. She’s a full aesthetic. Her vintage curls, genre-defying fashion, and genre-blurring sound have made her a cult icon from Taipei to Tokyo, and this June 10, she brings her 2025 tour I Just Wanna Sing for You to Esplanade Annexe Studio for a night of stripped-back, soul-rich performance. Don’t expect pyrotechnics. Expect something rarer—intimacy, connection, and a sonic reminder that less really can be more.
Esplanade Annexe Studio is located at Esplanade, 1 Esplanade Drive. For more information on the concert, click here.
The Graces
Two powerhouse sopranos are here to rewrite the rules of classical performance, starting with a little jazz, a lot of Disney, and a live band that doesn’t sit still. Making their debut as The Graces, this new vocal duo brings a one-night-only concert to Capitol Theatre on 29 May, backed by Singapore’s Summertimes Big Band and a cinematic LED backdrop. Expect classics like "Fly Me to the Moon", "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás", and a reminder that opera gloves pair surprisingly well with a swing beat.
Capitol Theatre is located at Capitol Singapore, 17 Stamford Road. For more information, click here.