How the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix became the concert weekend of the year

The Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix season has definitely made its mark as one of the hottest events of 2026. From race activations and pop-ups to driver and surprise celebrity appearances, crowds were treated to non-stop action in the weeks leading up to the race. But one thing everyone kept talking about over the last few months was the power-packed lineup of artists set to perform in Singapore for the Grand Prix.

CORTIS

Kicking things off was the highly anticipated debut of CORTIS on our shores. The K-pop group rallied fans from across the region for their first visit to the country since debuting in August 2025. During their 50-minute set, they performed some of their most well-loved tracks like TNT and GreenGreen, and let’s just say they were nothing short of energetic. With fans queueing from as early as the morning, it’s safe to say the group really needs to bring a solo concert to Singapore in the near future.

JJ Lin

Next up, our very own homegrown talent JJ Lin took the reins to close out Day 1 of the race weekend. The Mandopop star drew huge crowds after the race, singing popular tracks like No. 89757 (2005) and Sanctuary (2017), as well as Careful With Fate, best known for being on the soundtrack of the series Pursuit of Jade.

Zara Larsson

On Day 2, the crowd took it up a notch and dressed to impress for Zara Larsson’s performance at the Padang stage. While Zara is no stranger to the music scene, she’s recently found a whole new wave of fans. Thanks to TikTok revivals of her older catalogue and a vibrant Y2K-inspired rebrand, her track ‘Lush Life’ took off on social media, complete with a viral dance challenge featuring upbeat, highly synchronised steps and distinctive hand gestures that perfectly match the song’s fast pop tempo. Add to that the success of her 2025 album, Midnight Sun, and it’s no wonder the crowd showed up in full force.

The star wasted no time kicking off her performance, joined by her talented all-female band and backup dancers, who gave it their all throughout the set. During ‘Lush Life’, she even brought a Singaporean fan up on stage to dance alongside her, and the two shared a sweet moment as the crowd cheered them on. She also performed hits like ‘Symphony’ and ‘Midnight Sun’.

The Killers

Later that night, The Killers took centre stage to close out Day 2, performing some of their most popular songs like, you guessed it, ‘Mr Brightside’, along with other hits like ‘Shot at the Night’ and ‘Somebody Told Me’. This wasn’t the band’s first time at the Singapore Grand Prix either. In fact, this year marked their third appearance at the race weekend, after previously performing in 2013 and 2018.

James Arthur

On the final day, X Factor winner James Arthur serenaded the crowd with songs like ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ and his latest single, ‘Waste My Tears’. Before his performance, we sat down with him to talk about fame, healing and the songs that got him through.

Since winning The X Factor, the British singer-songwriter has become one of music’s most open voices on mental health, turning his toughest moments into songs that have made millions of fans feel a little less alone. In our interview, he also opened up about what he won’t waste his tears on anymore, the song he needed more than anyone else, and what looking after himself looks like day to day.

Lana Del Rey

Last but not least, Lana Del Rey herself rounded off the race weekend as Sunday’s final headliner. She was one of the most anticipated acts of the F1 season, as this was also her first time performing in Asia, so it came as no surprise that fans flew in just to see her live. The Padang was filled to the brim with fans singing along to some of her most iconic songs like ‘Video Games’, ‘West Coast’, ‘Born to Die’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’.