For the better part of the last decade, Axel Brizzy, 28, has openly worn the mantle of an independent music artist in Singapore — even going as far as to reference not having a management team and DIY-ing everything surrounding his music in several of his tracks.
Today, he feels it is high time for change.
In November 2025, the rapper-singer-songwriter let the cat out of the bag: he had signed a 360 record deal with PARKA, a Singapore-based record label servicing Southeast Asian artists. Shortly after, he dropped ‘TAMPA BAE’, the first offering at his new home.
What made the artist who was once so proud of the “indie-ness” of his artistry change his mind? And after more than 10 years, why now?
In this feature, Axel Brizzy unravels the logic behind this major milestone with STREAM KVLT, and shares the weals and woes of operating independently against the backdrop of the Singapore and wider Southeast Asian music landscape.
Finding His Footing in a Different Era
For context, Axel Brizzy has been officially releasing music since 2017, but he has been active in the Singaporean circuit for slightly longer. He got his start as a performer in a school concert sometime in 2014, when he was just 17. Shortly after, he formed a rap group with friends he met online.
That was, according to him, one of the only viable avenues for an aspiring rapper to get started in the industry back then.
“Right now, it’s a lot more accessible to become a musician. Social media is prominent, microphones are cheaper, and you can learn whatever you need from YouTube. The barrier to entry is much lower today than it used to be,” he said.
“But when I first started out, I had to accept small shows that paid pretty much nothing just to get noticed by the bigger players in the industry. Those shows were stepping stones to where I am now, but I had to slowly build my network and credibility through those platforms first.”
It was through this consistent networking and willingness to put himself out there that eventually gave him his first break. Axel recalls signing up for a talent development programme that gave him access to industry mentors, culminating in his first large-scale show in 2017.
He performed in front of roughly 2,000 people along Orchard Road, Singapore’s prime shopping district, supporting several major acts at the time.
“It was from that experience where I started getting more and more shows, not only at schools across the country but also at festivals and bigger stages. During that time, I started building a small following — listeners who would follow me to shows, get my autographs, buy my merch, and such,” he explained.
Wearing Every Hat, Alone
However, after the mentorship programme ended, Axel realised that if he were to continue pursuing music seriously, he would have to do everything himself — from producing the music to marketing it, booking shows, and securing sponsorships and brand deals.
“When the era of the mentorship programme and the collaborations that came with it ended, I thought: How am I going to navigate it myself?” he reflected.
“That was the tough part, but I had to put myself out there because if I don’t, I don’t have a team to do it for me. I had to send that DM or talk to so-and-so myself — otherwise people wouldn’t know me or work with me.”
“It’s a double-edged sword, because I prefer to let things happen organically, but nothing’s going to happen if I don’t make the first move.”
His hard work has arguably paid off. Over the years, Axel has worked with brands such as Puma, Adidas, Zegna, G-Shock, and Mobile Legends, and performed on stages such as Singapore’s Chingay Parade and the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.
For an artist with no formal management team, these achievements may seem impressive to the layman. To Axel Brizzy, however, his career had gone as far as it could with only him in the kitchen.
“Having done this for a decade, I’ve pushed myself all the way to the glass ceiling,” he admitted. “But to break that ceiling and go beyond it, I need a support system that can share some of the workload while I ramp up my music releases and performances.”
Confronting the Ceiling & Beating Stagnation
While Axel recognises that being independent was a core part of his identity, maintaining his standing in an increasingly saturated music market has now become crucial.
“I just turned 28. I don’t have that much runway anymore to experiment and see what fails and what succeeds,” he said. “If I need a team, I need a team. I have to face the fact that not everything can be done by myself anymore — especially now that times have changed.”
“There are so many musicians out there now, all fighting for a spot. I want to make sure I keep mine. But if I can’t do that on my own anymore, then it’s time to find a team that believes in me and my vision. I can’t continue being stubborn, only to later suffer the fate of never having felt the support of a functional team and entering my 30s with my career stagnant.”
It was with this mindset that Axel began opening himself up to conversations with music labels. Although several approached him, he ultimately decided to sign with PARKA.
Why PARKA Felt Right
Having known PARKA founder Dominic Yuan since their school days, what began as casual conversation slowly turned into negotiation after Axel confided in Dominic about the label talks.
“I’ve known Dominic for many years, and when the topic of labels came up, I felt that he was the only one who really knew who I am,” Axel shared. “When he first started PARKA, I also knew he was onto something.”
The respect PARKA showed him as a seasoned artist — rather than treating him as a brand-new signing — was a major deciding factor.
“The most important thing about signing to a label is the relationship you have with the people,” he said. “If that trust isn’t there, things can become very transactional, and I don’t want that.”
“At this point in my career, I want to work with people who are genuine, trustworthy, and have my best interests in mind. Dominic and his team — who are young and hungry — are exactly that.”
A New Chapter Begins with ‘TAMPA BAE’
On 28 November 2025, Axel Brizzy released ‘TAMPA BAE’, the first of many tracks under the PARKA umbrella. The song serves as a loving tribute to Tampa Bay, Florida, where he visited the year before.
“I was there with a girl who grew up there, and it was also my first time in the United States, as a Singaporean boy who grew up idolising American hip-hop artists,” he gushed. “The time I spent in Tampa was one of the greatest times of my life!”
“I wanted to make a song that felt like a memory capsule — an ode to the place I fell in love with.”
In terms of process, Axel described his first experience working with PARKA as smooth and straightforward, as he had already produced and recorded the track.
“All I had to do was hand over my stems to Leo Matias (aka. ICEBOX) to mix and master — and boom, the song was done. Very quickly, we moved on to visuals, artwork, and the music video.”
Less Admin, More Art
The biggest difference between Axel’s current workflow and his previous independent process lies in workload and mental capacity.
“Now, all I have to focus on is the creation aspect, which is something I’ve never experienced before,” he said.
“Previously, besides making the music and visuals, I also had to handle backend work like writing press releases and manually sending them out.”
“Having people take care of that now has been so refreshing,” he admitted.
That said, Axel emphasised that having a team does not mean slacking off. If anything, being signed holds him accountable and pushes him to create his best work yet.
Advice for New Artists: Acquire the Necessary Skills First
Looking back on his journey, Axel is careful to stress that every artist’s path is different.
“If you’ve just started making music and haven’t solidified your identity yet, signing to a label immediately might not work in your favour,” he said.
“When you start independent, you learn how to do everything yourself. Those experiences shape how you navigate the music business long-term.”
“What if the label deal gets cut short halfway? You become a fish out of water. If you’ve been independent before, you’ll know how to bounce to the next pond and survive.”
What’s Next for Axel Brizzy
With the new year approaching, Axel Brizzy has several plans lined up for 2026. The first half of the year will see another single, with an EP potentially on the horizon, though no dates are locked in yet.
On a personal note, he is hoping to finally host his first-ever EP launch party.
“I haven’t had a proper EP launch party in my whole 10-year career,” he laughed. “I need an EP launch.”
“I want to curate the show, pick my supporting acts, have a merch booth, food, drinks — and just celebrate the moment with the people who’ve been on this journey with me.”
Performing overseas is also on his radar. “There are talks happening, but nothing’s finalised yet. Slow and steady wins the race, so we’ll see what the new year brings.”
Axel Brizzy’s latest single ‘TAMPA BAE’ is out now on all major music streaming platforms via PARKA. You can also find him on socials via @axelbrizzy.
If you enjoyed reading this feature and wish to support STREAM KVLT’s independent coverage, please consider a one-time donation or a monthly contribution via our Ko-fi page.
Author’s Note: This is not my first time interviewing Axel Brizzy — and it very likely won’t be the last. It started with a simple feature in my campus newspaper back when I was still in school, and interviews with him followed across almost every publication I’ve written for since.
While I’m proud to call Axel a close friend, I am even prouder that STREAM KVLT can be the objective platform where he shares his inner thoughts behind such a massive career decision.
And to our late friend Reshma Grace: You would’ve loved this new chapter in Axel’s career. We know you’re watching, wherever you are. You’ll always have a spot at every show.
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