Fidel Tan

Writer

Singapore

Fidel is a writer with a keen interest in music and cinema. He spends his free time scouring the internet for intriguing pop culture stories and listening to his cherished 2000s music playlist. He finds solace in writing and shares his musings at poptimister.substack.com

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hard feelings and the loveless Scorpio

this Scorpio szn, we dive into four critically acclaimed works by famous Scorpio musicians-Frank Ocean's Blonde, SZA's Ctrl, Lorde's Melodrama, and Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion.

NTU Film Society
12/04/2023
SGIFF Film Review: Evil Does Not Exist

Vice-President Fidel Tan reviews Ryusuke Hamaguchi's latest film Evil Does Not Exist (2023), following the themes of capitalist greed and gentrification in conflict with nature.

Counter Arts (Medium)
01/24/2024
'May December' and the Ethics of Media

Is May December a drama or a comedy? It's a question that has divided online film spaces after Netflix submitted the film in the Comedy category at the Golden Globes. Loosely based on the real-life story of a sex offender and her child victim, the film was considered by some to be too grim a comedy, and the move ultimately a ploy to maximize awards potential in the less competitive Comedy category.

Esplanade Offstage
10/04/2023
Notes on the Campus

“We did it for the culture and for the fun of it all,” says Faseehudeen, a National University of Singapore (NUS) student, of his time at Tembusu College making music with his friends. Faseeh is part of a growing community of student musicians who have to balance between academic commitments and their passion for music. Indeed, the college environment is fertile ground for cultivating musical innovation, where young talents can gather, collaborate and let their creative juices flow. In...

Medium
12/26/2023
The 15 Best Albums of 2023

From Troye Sivan to Olivia Rodrigo, here is a rundown of the greatest albums of the year.