Building a festival from the ground up with no investors, big sponsors, and blueprint to follow is no easy feat. But Daniel O'Connor and Jake Camacho's stubborn optimism, deep love for music and shared community spirit paved the way. Best known for their beloved party series Ice Cream Sundays, the duo have since ventured into bigger territory with Sunda Festival. What began as a passion project has grown into a platform that champions independent culture, regional collaboration, and community-driven experiences.
We caught up with them over a video call to discuss about the journey behind Sunda, the challenges of staying independent, and what it really means to build something from the ground up.
ESQUIRE: With just a few days into the Sunda Festival, how's the preparation coming along?
DANIEL O’CONNOR: Well it’s definitely crunch time [...]. Always feels like there’s a million things to do but we’re pretty used to it now, I guess.
ESQ: For the people who might not be familiar, paint us a picture of Sunda.
JAKE CAMACHO: Sunda's essentially a collaboration between Ice Cream Sundays and FuFu Creative. Dan and I are two of the founders of Ice Cream Sundays, an events collective based in Singapore, and our partner Florian [Mélinette] runs FuFu, a creative agency in Hong Kong (who's also behind the Shi Fu Miz festival). We bonded with Florian over our shared love for music and events at Wonderfruit in 2018 and after bringing him and the FuFu crew to an Ice Cream Sundays event, the collaboration sparked the idea to create something bigger, that's where the vision for Sunda really began.
ESQ: What's the story behind the name "Sunda"?
JC: It’s inspired by our mission: to celebrate regional talent and to unite the different regional creative scenes. So acting as a place where collectives and people in the creative scenes from all around the region. Whether it’s Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and so on, everyone can mingle, network and build relationships.
We were thinking about what would represent that well. Inspired by the region geography, there's a tectonic plate called the Sunda plate which sits underneath Southeast Asia and parts of the Asian mainland. It felt like a nice tie in to what we were trying to achieve.
ESQ: It fits the vision perfectly. Taking on a festival is no easy feat, jumping from Ice Cream Sundays to a festival is a big step, was there a moment where you were like, Alright, we can actually pull this off?
DOC: I don’t think there was a specific moment, but Ice Cream Sundays had reached a point where we were comfortable producing larger events. The vibe already felt festival-like. When we started talking to FuFu who had prior festival experience, we realised that was the missing piece we needed to feel ready to take the next step.
You never feel completely ready, but when you make that jump, it's always a steep learning curve. Still, we were as ready as we could be at that point, and you just have to be prepared to learn a lot on the job.
JC: Yeah, taking a leap of faith was the main part of it.
ESQ: Really more of learning through experience.
DOC: For sure. We met some amazing people along the way and they helped us with everything from technical production to the creative side. I think our biggest strength was the support team that we had, everyone knew exactly what they were doing.
ESQ: How did the name Ice Cream Sundays come about? Did it start off with a weekly bromance date on Sundays to have ice cream?
DOC: Haha, about a year before we actually started, we were just chatting outside at the old Kyo club on Cecil Street. That's when the idea of doing something small, like a daytime party series came up. Jake kind of blurted out the name while we were both a little drunk, and it just stuck. We originally started as a Sunday party series, but as we got older, we shifted to Saturdays so we could have a day of rest. The 'Ice Cream' part was just for fun, we did give out free ice cream, but it was never really a big focus.
ESQ: Hosting Ice Cream Sundays at Haw Par Villa was such a cool move. Are you naturally drawn to those kind of unexpected places?
JC: Ice Cream Sundays started as a roving party so we'd pick a different venue each time, always looking for places that felt interesting to us. We've always been drawn to spots with a raw, unpolished vibe, places that have their own character and aren't your typical party venues. Haw Par Villa definitely fit that and has become one of our favourites; we've done several parties there now.
ESQ: Was it tough convincing the folks at Haw Par Villa to let you host a party there? How did it go?
DOC: Kinda. We had three long meetings with them at the start. The idea actually came up after I drove past and remembered seeing a promotion for the 2017 Noise Festival. I thought, if live band gigs are possible, maybe a dance music event could too. It took some convincing, since it's privately managed but STB's jurisdiction, so there were a lot of factors to consider. But they gave us a shot, and we signed a two-event deal.
JC: We earned their trust after delivering two successful events in 2019, and that really helped us keep the door open for more events, especially after COVID.
ESQ: A solid first impression for sure. The same "unexpected" vibe seems to carry over to your new venue for Sunda. How did you land on that location?
DOC: We wanted to create something distinct between Ice Cream Sundays and Sunda Festival, especially since Haw Par Villa is so tied to ICS. Interestingly, it was Florian, the only person not based in Singapore who found the venue. He was using Google Maps, zooming in on different parts of the city. When we visited, I had this strange weird déjà vu feeling, like I'd been there as a kid for camp. It's a bit far from the city, but that's exactly the kind of experience we wanted. Getting out of town, and in a more natural setting. As soon as we saw it, we knew we had to make it happen there.
ESQ: How are you transforming the space into a full festival site?
JC: The site already had a lot of infrastructure in place, making it ideal for an event like this. The open spaces have an intrinsic beauty, much like Haw Par Villa, so transforming it into a festival felt like enhancing what was already there. Our approach has been to complement the venue and create something that feels like an extension of the space. We're adding two music stages and reimagining the pavilion stage, which will offer a more chill atmosphere with relaxing music and activities for those looking to escape for a bit. It's all about transforming what's already there to fit the festival vibe.
ESQ: Why two music stages?
JC: We've got the Nomad stage presented by Fred Perry, exciting stuff, where we'll be spotlighting rising stars from the local and regional scenes. While most of our live acts, bands and a mix of regional and international DJs will take over the Jurong stage. And as you enter the field, you'll come across some art installations and a food area with multiple bars, we're really hoping everything comes together to give the full festival experience.
ESQ: And it's kid friendly as well, right?
DOC: Yeah, the family-friend aspect is big part of what we're trying to achieve. We want it to be accessible to different groups. So when planning the activities, the music flow across multiple stages, and food options, we always keep that in mind.
It's a somewhat undeserved market, but we really love the energy families bring. There's a great balance when all ages are in the crowd.
ESQ: From the on-going preparation, how do you think you've evolved since the first edition?
JC: We've always stayed true to our mission of celebrating regional talent and serving as a gathering place for that scene. While the festival has definitely evolved, the core ethos remains unchanged.
We made a few key changes this year: we moved the date to a public holiday weekend, making it a full two-day festival, instead of just one and a half days. We also added an opening night in the city with Antel, a DJ we really love and co-founder of Rush Hour Records. Since we couldn't book him for the main dates, we saw an opportunity to host a kickoff party with him. We also brought in some international DJs and acts we're passionate about, while still keeping over 90 per cent of the lineup from the Asian diaspora. So yeah, there've been some shifts, but the heart of the festival remains the same.
ESQ: There's a certain flow towards the lineup. What was your approach to it?
JC: The curation was mainly led by Florian and Nick Bong (aka Bongo Man). The aim is to bring together artists from different scenes and collectives across neighbouring countries, while also working with local crews like Darker Than Wax, Revision Music, Strange Weather, and Civilian Affairs, all of whom have built strong communities here.
As for the music, the vibe evolves throughout the day. Early on, you'll catch live bands like Mary Sue & the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club, a rapper backed by a jazzy, soulful band, along with some live electronic sets. As the day rolls on, the energy picks up with house, disco, and soul, before transitioning into more intense late-night dance music like techno, drum and bass, acid, breakbeat, and more. The goal is to showcase a broad spectrum of sounds and let the energy build naturally as the day unfolds.
ESQ: Is there a dream act you'd love to book one day?
DOC: On a personal level, definitely Vinny. We did try and we'll try again. But when it comes to curating the lineup, the focus is really on who's doing something fresh in the region at the time. That has always been the priority, and it'll continue to be about pushing the current regional scene.
ESQ: How do you see Sunda shaping Singapore's music and festival scene?
JC: When we start a project that’s different from what’s already out there, you hope it can do a few things. One is encouraging people to get out of the city where people usually go for music events and explore experiences a little further out of town. Another is exposing audiences to music from around the region. We’re big fans of collectives from places like Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and it’s exciting to introduce them to a Singapore audience, helping them build fan bases here. That’s a big part of what we’re trying to push with Sunda.
It’s something we’ve also tried to do with Ice Cream Sundays. That moment when someone hears a DJ for the first time and walks away a fan, already looking forward to their next set, that’s the kind of impact we hope Sunda can have too.
DOC: We really wanted to push the boundaries of what's possible for an independent promoter in Singapore. It's completely self-funded, no big investment, or major sponsors. So a big part of it is testing just how far we can go as a small, independent team. If it ends up inspiring similar events in the future, that would be amazing. There’s so much potential in the music scene here, and a lot of it is just starting to be realised, especially post-COVID. We’re seeing more new promoters, more people trying to open venues, and hopefully the return of some festivals, both new and existing. It’s been a slow comeback, but we hope that culture starts to rebuild, and that Sunda can play a small part in it.
ESQ: I can see that it's really coming from your love of music. What do you think has been the most rewarding part building Sunda and together as well.
DOC: For me, the most rewarding part is that week leading up to the festival. We move on-site about six days before it starts and stay there 24/7 for around eight days. Seeing everyone come in, friends, family, volunteers, even people we’ve never met, all working together to build the festival from the ground up is just really special. It’s amazing to watch different pockets of the community come together to support. We’ve had so much support from individuals and collectives, and no matter what the future holds for Sunda, that’s something we definitely want to hold on to.
JC: Echoing what Dan said, it’s very much a ground-up, community-built project. Having so many people involved and showing up to support us really means a lot. One of the best parts each time is the new relationships that form. Not just locally, but regionally too. Booking artists, getting to know them, and then reconnecting in their home countries is always such a nice outcome of the festival.
And of course, the feedback from attendees is huge. After 2023, when we ran the festival for the first time, I don’t think I’ve ever been so mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. It’s a big undertaking for a small independent team. But then there’s this wave of euphoria when you see what people are sharing, the comments they leave. it really puts everything into perspective. Being able to share in the happiness people felt from being there is incredibly rewarding.
ESQ: What advice would you give someone wanting to start their own event series?
DOC: Asking for help. There are so many moving parts to organising an event, and if you’re doing it for the right reasons, people are usually willing to support. People genuinely want to be part of a community. I think at times, we’ve taken too much on ourselves, gotten tunnel vision, and forgotten just how many people around us are ready to help.
Another key lesson: always overestimate how hard it’s going to be. Pop-up events, where you’re building everything from scratch, are seriously challenging. We’ve gone into a few projects thinking we were ready, only to get hit with some tough lessons. As harsh as is sounds, however hard you think it’ll be, it’s probably going to be 10 times harder.
JC: There are some amazing people who’ve helped us along the way. Shoutout to our technical production manager, Myles [Ziebart]. He really shook the ephemeral god out of me when he straight-up said, “You’re not ready. You don’t have a big enough team.” I thought about it, then called him the next day and asked, “Will you help?”
There are so many elements that go into curating and running an event, and without the right support or knowledge, it can be really tough. Having the right people around you makes all the difference. It's honestly the biggest thing. With the right help, everything becomes a lot more manageable.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Sunda Festival runs over Easter Weekend (17-19 April); for tickets and information, visit the website
