It seemed like an unlikely combination – design innovation, and developing a music community. But that was the spark behind STUDYO, a student-led music platform founded by course mates, Low Tse Han (Y4, College of Design and Engineering) and Kashfy Ilxilim Bin Zulkarna’in (Y4, College of Design and Engineering).
The idea emerged when the two took CDE2301 Value Creation in Innovation in 2023, taught by Dr Jovan Tan together. Drawing on what they learnt about developing viable ideas, they identified an opportunity to make live music performing on campus more accessible to students beyond established hostel and CCA student groups. With support from third space, their idea took flight and grew into regular outdoor open-mic sessions for musicians and music lovers around NUS to meet and perform.
Two years on, STUDYO has connected more than 100 student-artists and bands across 27 shows, with some sessions exceeding 200 audience members. For their efforts, STUDYO received the Community Engagement (Merit) award at the NUS Achievement Awards in 2025. As OSA prepares to honour the newest batch of NAA recipients, we met up with Tse Han and Kashfy to recount their STUDYO journey.
OSA: Who came up with the idea to start STUDYO? Is there a story behind the name?
STUDYO: STUDYO was born in Dr Jovan Tan’s course, CDE2301 Value Creation in Innovation, when we noticed a gap: non-CCA students lacked accessible performance platforms. Official arts groups and hostel bands often carry a certain barrier to entry, which can be daunting for newcomers. STUDYO is a wordplay of the words ‘study’ and ‘studio’, but beyond that, it suggests a stress-free environment for anyone looking to start performing on campus!
OSA: What differentiates STUDYO from other music presentation formats?
STUDYO: STUDYO is a platform for aspiring NUS musicians to share their craft and a welcoming and accessible space for newcomers to start performing to a live audience. We wanted to show how a tightly knit yet open and inclusive music community can exist in NUS without barriers to entry, by continuing to have open mics to allow anyone to try their hand at performing. Through this, we blur the lines between ‘performer’ and ‘audience’. Everyone is just part of the same music community!
OSA: How did the two of you meet and decide to work together?
STUDYO: We were Freshman Orientation Programme groupmates when we first entered NUS. Being fellow Electrical and Computer Engineering course mates helped grow our friendship.
Tse Han: Kashfy is much more technical and detail-oriented, while I prefer developing systems and following through project completion. But together we share the same purpose of elevating student life via our love for music.
Kashfy: In the early days of STUDYO, it was just the two of us. Having been in the music industry, Tse Han brought a clear sense of direction to STUDYO and what it could achieve, while my prior experience as a live performer and connections to on campus groups and musicians allowed us to better execute this vision. Over the years, we’ve formed friendships with key members of NUS Arts Production Crew (NAPC) and NUS Amplified .
OSA: What support did third space provide STUDYO with?
STUDYO: We’ve always wanted STUDYO to be “For Students, By Students,” and third space gives us the space and resources to make that happen. They let us shape the community ourselves, while connecting us with other arts groups and people along the way. At the same time, being part of third space means that what we do as a student-led initiative is recognised and supported within the university.
Tse Han: It is greatly beneficial to allow more creative and bold ideas to develop within NUS. In a world and generation where AI is becoming more prevalent, third space initiatives give us students the platform to genuinely connect.
Kashfy: Between the rigour of school and the comfort of home, third space provides the students with literal third spaces for everything else - to connect, interact, and express themselves freely. It allows student-artists to envision a seemingly ordinary space as something more and to share that space (and vision) with others.
OSA: Two years in, what has been the most pleasant surprise?
Tse Han: There is so much unnoticed talent that exists within the NUS community from across different faculties. The NUS arts scene does not only exist within traditional student groups that we currently know; it is so much more vibrant when given the right opportunity and space.
Kashfy: Definitely the support from the student community. Some ask, “You’re not performing or getting paid, why do you guys continue to do this?”, but we also meet students who share the same vision, that come forward to help us even though they aren’t part of our planning committee.
OSA: Tell us about NEBULA, your exciting new STUDYO project launching on 8 Oct 2025.
STUDYO: NEBULA is STUDYO's biggest event yet — think a mid-scale outdoor music festival, right in the heart of Town Plaza. Watch our usual Town Plaza spot transform into a fully decked-out stage, NUS Makers' Alley booths, some of the best bands on campus and an electric atmosphere built entirely around good music and good people. As always, our STUDYO event is completely free and open to everyone.
Whether you're a die-hard gig-goer or someone who just wants to catch a great show after classes, NEBULA is for you. Come watch your friends and fellow students perform on the bigger stage, discover new acts from across campus, and be part of the community.
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