Renowned local DJ Andrew Chow has died on Monday (Aug 3) at the age of 63.
Better known as DJ Wiz, Andrew was a resident DJ at popular night club Zouk from the mid-1990s to early 2010s, and has been lauded as a pioneer in Singapore’s hip-hop, R&B and turntablism scene.
Over the course of his career, he received numerous accolades, including winning national DJ and turntablist competition DMC Singapore three times, as well as the Singapore leg of the 1998 Technics World DJ Championships.
The nightlife veteran’s daughter Abby Chow took to Facebook on Monday to announce his death, and shared details of his wake which is held at Ang Mo Kio until Saturday.
“I am glad to see all the sweet and touching messages and tributes to him, he passed on peacefully and he would be so happy to know that you guys appreciate him so deeply,” she wrote.
The dress code for the wake is “colourful and stylish”, akin to how the DJ would dress, she added.
Andrew had stomach cancer and had been unwell for a few years leading up to his death, Abby told The Straits Times. He died peacefully in a hospital surrounded by his two daughters.
The news of his death prompted an outpouring of condolences from fans and fellow industry friends.
Shigekawa Hidekatu recalled regularly bumping into Andrew during his clubbing days, describing him as “humble, warm and approachable”.
“Back in the Zouk days, before you’d head into Phuture for your set, we’d often bump into each other at Zouk Wine Bar. Those chats were never long, but they were always genuine,” he wrote.
Andrew would always stop to interact with him “no matter how busy the night was”.
“It’s often the little moments we remember most. Looking back now, I’m grateful for those conversations and the chance to know you, even if only in passing,” Hidekatu said.
Terence Leong, managing director of Live Nation Entertainment, also paid tribute to the late DJ.
“Wherever you are now, please know that there is a generation of us who are forever indebted to you, not just for the decades of real music but also for being the best coach a DJ could have, the best DJ a rapper would want to rock with and above all, the mentor that many of us needed when we were coming up,” he wrote.
In an Instagram story on Monday, Wayne Liu, also known as DJ KoFlow, shared that Andrew had given him his first opportunity as a DJ.
Wayne, who founded local bar Kossa, later had the honour of hosting Andrew’s final gig there.
https://www.instagram.com/kossa.sg/p/Dbk1DwnE8kS/?hl=en
Another tribute on Kossa’s Instagram page described Andrew as “more than just the DJ that every Millennial came to know while partying at Zouk and Phuture” — but a “true pioneer” who paved the way for many in Singapore.
“His legacy lives on through every one of us, as someone who dedicated his life to cultivating hip-hop culture through DJ-ing and turntablism in Singapore,” Kossa wrote.
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carol.ong@asiaone.com
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