SMU Emerging Artist Award
The SMU Emerging Artist Award is the result of project initiated and led by the late Professor Winston Koh and alumnus Hong Huazheng as part of SMU’s 10th anniversary.
The Award seeks to identify passionate and talented artists in the SMU undergraduate community. It recognises the artist's past work and accomplishments, and encourages the artist to continually grow and nurture one’s love and involvement in the arts. The award also aims to raise awareness of the arts within the university.
Since its inception, the SMU Emerging Artist Award was awarded to the following recipients who served as active members in SMU’s vibrant arts and cultural community.
The following students were recipients of the Award:
Alwin Tua Ren Jie
from SMU Sound Foundry and SMU Broadcast & Entertainment
Alwin Tua, known artistically as Alwine, is a self-taught musician who weaves intimate sonic landscapes with raw authenticity and heartfelt expression. Through songwriting and busking, he crafted a unique artistic voice refined by the unfiltered energy of live street performances. These intertwined experiences shaped his distinctive sound that resonates throughout his self-released discography.
Beyond his solo endeavours, he demonstrates his passion for the arts through his leadership roles in SMU SoundFoundry in 2025 and SMU Broadcast and Entertainment in 2024. With sights set on larger stages and music festivals, Alwin continues to craft songs that capture emotional depth and genuine connection—transforming fleeting moments into lasting musical memories.
Goh Xin Yi
from SMU Eurhythmix, SMU Broadcast & Entertainment and formerly SMU Arts and Cultural Fraternity Executive Committee
With a decade of experience as a dancer and emerging roles as a choreographer and aspiring stage manager, Xin Yi embodies a multifaceted artistic journey. Rooted in the language of movement, she crafts narratives that reflect her personal experiences and societal reflections. As a choreographer, she explores innovative ways to express emotion and provoke thought through dance.
Simultaneously, she embraces the technical challenges and creative opportunities of stage management, seeking to orchestrate seamless productions that captivate audiences. Xin Yi's journey as an artist is a dynamic blend of creativity and a passionate pursuit of excellence both on and off stage.
Lo Xi Yu, Joy
from SMU Eurhythmix & SMU Broadcast and Entertainment
Joy would describe herself as a multidisciplinary creative. It's often difficult to introduce Joy and define her involvement in the arts, because she explores diverse art forms as tools of her creative expression. Over the past decade, she has delved into dance, choreography, theatre-making, literary works alongside stage production management.
Her artistic practice is guided by a desire to externalise difficult inner experiences and to craft meaningful encounters that resonate with others. She believes in the power of the arts to articulate one’s deepest emotions and design creative experiences.
Joy is also actively involved in co-curricular activities (CCAs) and SMU Student Life, having served as President of SMU Eurhythmix in 2022 and Honorary General Secretary of SMU Broadcast and Entertainment in 2021.
Andrea Vincent
from SMUSAIC, SMU Broadcast & Entertainment, Artdicted, Literati and formerly SMU Arts and Cultural Fraternity Executive Committee
Andrea Vincent is a Singaporean artist who desires to capture diverse and accessible narratives celebrating the human condition. The pursuit of personal growth inspires her creative work.
Passion for film and photography influences Andrea's evolving interdisciplinary image-making practice. She endeavours to create a meaningful impact and catalyse action through visual storytelling.
Andrea believes we all play a vital role in empowering ourselves and our communities. Her vision is to inspirit others to unlock their creative power, achieve their aspirations and contribute to society.
Daniel Sidhanand
from SMU Sound Foundry and SMU Broadcast & Entertainment
Daniel Sid is one of Singapore’s most sought-after singer-songwriters, who cut his teeth busking along the streets, all around the world and has now made his way to the big leagues. The multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer has garnered over a million streams on his original music and performed across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States. Beyond performing, Daniel produces music for other artists and is the head of communications at Goose Infiniti, a record label. He has also gone on to host shows on television and online, interviewing a variety of guests, from celebrities to ministers. Daniel's vibrant charm and talent have propelled him to becoming one of the most recognisable presences in the music industry and has his sights set on more.
Subastian Tan Bo Hern
from SMU Eurhythmix (Emix)
Subastian Tan Bo Hern is a dancer at Maya Dance Theatre (MDT) and has performed for productions locally and internationally which address social issues through dance theatre. He is also the programme leader of Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC), a community initiative by MDT which works with dancers with and without disabilities. DADC has presented its first production, Speaking With Hands, in collaboration with guest choreographer Liz Lea from Canberra, Australia.
With his exposure across cultures, backgrounds and abilities, Subastian believes in the arts’ ability to connect across differences and aims to create a meaningful impact in society through his practice. He is currently carrying out a personal project, Project Kinaesthesia, which aims to reflect human stories through a unique movement vocabulary.
Soon Kian Keong
from SMU Ballare
Soon Kian Keong started out as a volleyball player for 15 years. He was inspired to pursue ballroom dancing after a conversation with the late Professor Winston. He rose through the ranks from a novice to professional level by participating fiercely in local, regional and international competitions. He served as President of SMU Ballare in 2013 and handled over six productions. He was awarded the SMU Outstanding Student Life Award (Gold) in 2015. He is committed to ballroom dancing and hope to inspire more people to take up standard ballroom dancing as a lifelong passion.
Koh Hui Rong
from SMU Chinese Orchestra
At 8 years old, Koh Hui Rong learned the traditional Chinese musical instrument pipa under Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Young Talent Programme. She served as President of SMU Chinese Orchestra (SMUCO) and became their ensemble leader in 2014. During that year, SMUCO achieved Gold with Honours award at the International Chinese Instrumental Music Arts Festival in Taipei. She also won Gold prizes for both solo and ensemble categories at the International Folk Instrumental Music Competition in San Jose, USA. She believes in the importance of preserving the history of traditional music with the flexibility of exploring contemporary collaborations to remain relevant.
Daniel Lee
from SMU StageIT and SMU Broadcast & Entertainment
Daniel Lee was President of SMU StageIT and an active member of SMU Broadcast & Entertainment (SMUBE). He handled stage, light and technical design for productions by SMU StageIT and other clubs such as SMU Ardiente, SMU VOIX and SMU Ivory Keys. He was a finalist in the SMUBE’s Voice Personality Hunt 2012 and have hosted various events at SMU. As President of StageIT, he wrote and directed StageIT’s productions such as Salomé Twisted. Daniel believes “the arts isn’t a game of popularity or ticket sales, but a commitment to changing the world – one auditorium at a time.”