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Hosted by ex-Formula 1 Driver and TV Celebrity Alex Yoong and E! News Asia’s Yvette King
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The Podium Lounge entertainment line up over the three evenings (to late) include first ever Boyzlife performance in Singapore, special guest Celebrity DJ Joel Madden and celebratory Race Night performance by Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas
The Podium Lounge Singapore after-parties taking over the 2018 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX weekend extend beyond music performances towards lifestyle, fashion and charity.
The 2018 edition will see the launch of the “Cosmic 108” clothing line by Lisa S. Johnson, in collaboration with Haus of M. Photography. The clothing line takes inspiration from yoga philosophy, elements of a rock’n’roll and the yogi lifestyle. Each piece will carry the cosmic frequency of number 108 in combination with the sri yantra.
Art Works, a fine art investment gallery, will present an exhibition by British contemporary artist Lincoln Townley who is known for his expressive figurative paintings. Collected by the likes of Charlie Sheen, Al Pacino and Russell Brand and affectionately known by Michael Caine and others as ‘the next Andy Warhol’.
“Drawn from the artist’s subconscious, the dark and often tormented imagery of Lincoln’s work seeks to evoke the chaos bubbling just below the surface of our lives, which drive our desires to succeed and win in life.”
The Podium Lounge weekend will see a series of live auctions of authenticated and exceptionally rare F1 memorabilia with all proceeds going to a local charity. Outstanding and not-to-be-missed include a Lewis Hamilton signed race glove showcasing the multiple Formula 1 World Champion, a Niki Lauda signed and framed 8 x 12 inch photo, capturing the highly sought after signature of the 3-time Formula 1 World Champion who famously survived a fiery crash at Nürburgring in 1976 and returned to racing only six weeks later.
We spoke with Robbie Hoyes-Cock, CEO & Founder, The Podium Lounge about his background leading The Podium Lounge and where he goes to enjoy a drink to unwind after all that glamorous work.
Spirited Singapore (SS): What’s your background and how did you come to helm 10 years of The Podium Lounge?
Robbie Hoyes-Cock (RHC): I grew up in Singapore and have lived here since I was just six months old, back in 1982. I studied law at university, worked in Citibank in their management associate training programme thereafter and then eventually decided, given the extraordinary network I’d built up as an expat here over the year, to start hosting super premium club nights for Singapore’s wealthy party elite.
I was invited by the GM of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore – Peter Mainguy (who’s still the GM all these years later) to host a world-class motorsport themed event at his hotel over the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix; given they accommodate the vast majority of the Formula 1 Drivers, Teams and Team Owners. I jumped at the opportunity and enjoyed it so much that I thought I’d dedicated at least six months a year to making The Podium Lounge the most spell-binding events that anyone could ever hope to attend in Singapore.
SS: What’s a key highlight from the many years at The Podium Lounge that you find a personal achievement?
RHC: I expanded The Podium Lounge brand internationally in 2013 together with my best friend and former Executive Director of Marketing & Entertainment at Pangaea (at Marina Bay Sands), Steve Yallop, and we hosted four Podium Lounge events around the Formula 1 calendar that year. It culminated in Abu Dhabi at the end of the 2013 Formula 1 Season and we were asked to host an extraordinary celebration for Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel, who became a living legend by winning his fourth consecutive Formula 1™ World Driver’s Championship and victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Infiniti Red Bull Racing.
F1’s record-breaking four-time World Champion chose our star-studded party, held on the Marina Rooftop Pool of the Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, to continue celebrations after winning the title in New Delhi the previous week which was unbelievably cool.
The post-race party that we organized hosted the racing community’s most powerful celebrities with Vettel’s team of mechanics, engineers, management and friends from The Paddock Club including racing legends Damon Hill, David Coulthard, Rubens Barrichello, Eddie Jordan, Gil de Ferran (IndyCar Indianapolis 500 Champion) and other personalities including Sky Sports F1 presenters Simon Lazenby and Natalie Pinkham, Chairman of Sky Nicholas Ferguson (CBE), Princess Deborah Murrat, HI&RH Archduchess Eleonore of The House of Habsburg, English television presenter Vanessa Feltz, and soccer legend Diego Maradona all revelling in the post-race celebrations of the 2013 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
SS: In your time leading The Podium Lounge, how have you seen our Singapore Grand Prix evolve?
RHC: I think Singapore GP does a wonderful job of planning the event and building hype for the Marina Bay Street Circuit around the world. For many motorsport and Formula 1 enthusiasts in particular, the Singapore Night Race has become a bucket-list destination for so many and this is something that together with the Singapore Tourism Board should be protected and harnessed for maximum potential.
The Singapore Grand Prix continues to attract scintillating trackside entertainment and racing and world class music acts. Recently, we’re seeing more multi-national corporations from around the globe hosting events to coincide with the Singapore GP and flying their clients in to entertain them in style. It was a huge result for Singapore to extend the Formula 1 by another four years and hopefully we can emulate the success that Monaco has had over the ages in making the event a must-attend spectacle tens of thousands each year.
SS: What are some milestones from the past 10 years of The Podium Lounge that you personally enjoyed?
RHC: As a massive Game of Thrones fan, I was so excited to book Hodor (the giant in Game of Thrones) to DJ at The Podium Lounge Singapore in 2015. Kristian Nairn (his real name) is 6ft 11 and looked terrifying with multiple tattoos of stars on his face which are obviously concealed with make-up in the series. He’s a real softy at heart though and still lives with his mum and his dogs in Ireland. I was also surprised by what a brilliant DJ he was, and everyone was going absolutely crazy for his set.
That same year, we also booked SKY BLU from LMFAO. Given how viral ‘Party Rock Anthem’ had become with over 1.5 billion views, it was pretty powerful watching him shuffle down The Podium Lounge runway with a bottle of Grey Goose in hand.
SS: If the Singapore Grand Prix is symbolised by the winner and champagne, what type of alcohol would The Podium Lounge be and why?
RHC: The name ”The Podium Lounge” was of course modelled on the Formula 1 Winner’s Podium; and champagne is very much our #1 seller at the event each year. It is indeed all about champions, success and bubbles, so perhaps whereas the Grand Prix is symbolised by the spraying of Jeroboams (3L) Champagne bottles, The Podium Lounge is more about Methusalahs (6L) and enjoying the bubbles on your VIP Table in the company of some of the most powerful and successful people on the planet.
SS: What’s your favourite spirit, drank in which fashion and where in Singapore?
RHC: I’m a single malt drinker and quite partial to a Lagavulin 16, double, served on ice at The Masonic Club Bar, 23a Coleman Street. As an active member of the Freemasons in Singapore it’s a wonderful, member’s bar where you can imbibe a wee dram together with your ‘brothers’ within the quiet confines of the beautiful heritage building Freemasons Hall, which was built in 1879.
SS: What should we expect this year at the 10th year anniversary of The Podium Lounge?
RHC: Formula 1 Drivers & Teams, Formula 1 Legends, celebrities, Royalty, ambassadors, supermodels, world class musicians (including Keith Duffy from Boyzone, Brian McFadden from Westlife, Joel Madden from Good Charlotte and Taboo from The Black Eyed Peas), sensational fashion shows staged by three of LA’s top designers and a guest list that always features the who’s who of the racing community.
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Pictures are provided courtesy of The Podium Lounge
More information about The Podium Lounge can be found at their website.
