Blush Brings Singaporean Shoegaze to the SF Streets
Written by Michelle Sy | August 25, 2025
photos by Michelle Sy
Meet Blush, an up-and-coming Singapore-based shoegaze band known for fusing alt-rock, indie, and slowcore into an inventive new sound. To celebrate their recent album drop, Beauty Fades, Pain Lasts Forever, Blush embarked on a U.S. tour, with Kilowatt in San Francisco as their second stop. Precocious Neophyte, a Korean shoegaze/dreampop project led by Ham Jeehye, opened the West Coast tour dates.
The band is composed of four members: Soffi Peters (vocals), Daniel Pei (bass), Darell Laser (guitar), and Jared Lim (production and guitar). Blush opened with a haze of fog and soft lights accompanying Soffi’s airy vocals and heavy guitar riffs. The dichotomy between her voice and the wall of sound behind her gave each track a raw, cinematic feel that invited both swaying and headbanging.
Midway through the set, guitarist Darell Laser leaned into the microphone and yelled, “Who here has been heartbroken?” The crowd erupted as the band launched into Heartbreak Café, one of the standout songs from their new album. Heartbreak appears to be a clear theme in this record, with other tracks like X My Heart and Love Is a Dog from Hell. Still, Laser’s playful commentary and energy kept the atmosphere lighthearted.
The audience was a mix of young shoegaze fans and older alt-rock veterans. Excitedly anticipating the set, one fan admitted they expected to cry throughout the entire show. Afterward, I found them again and they laughed, saying, “I was honestly too happy to cry.” Blush’s outstanding performance even created new fans—some curious locals who blindly attended were overheard exclaiming, “It was amazing!”
Kilowatt, with its dive-bar-meets-college-basement vibe, proved to be the perfect venue for such an authentic and fun performance. The string lights and smaller stage setup allowed fans to be up close and personal, evoking the intimacy of basement shows at a local college. The underground energy paired perfectly with Blush’s sound.
It felt refreshingly familiar for San Francisco, a city whose music roots are often tied to the psychedelic and hippie movements of the past. Blush created a truly unforgettable night for diehard fans of both the band and shoegaze.
Follow the Artist:
Instagram: @blush__band
Spotify: Blush on Spotify
