LUKE Steele never stops working because he knows he can't afford to in the music business. Which explains why the Australian singer-songwriter is constantly collaborating with other musicians - including hip hop's First Couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce - in addition to starting his own bands.

One of his most commercially successful projects, synth-pop duo Empire of the Sun, is making its return to Singapore later this month to play its first ever headlining show. The band previously performed here in 2010 at the now-defunct Avalon-At-Large music festival.

A collaboration between Steele and fellow Aussie Nick Littlemore - whose band Pnau recorded an album with Elton John in 2012 - the gig finds the duo touring behind Empire of the Sun's new critically acclaimed full-length release, Ice On The Dune.