Rhythm Nation

As Singapore marks its 56th birthday on August 9, we look back on—and take strength from—some of the songs that have become the soundtrack of the annual National Day Parade

As Singapore marks its 56th birthday, we look back on the songs that have become the soundtrack of the annual National Day Parade

For a song that has been commissioned to foster a sense of belonging and solidarity, there is nothing more polarising than the theme song of the annual National Day Parade (NDP).

Don’t get us wrong, we love a good, goosebumps inducing song, but when the year’s theme song is released just weeks before August 9, everyone and their mother has opinions.

Even so, there are songs that have struck an emotional chord and even brought some to tears—a sure sign that we are all proud to call Singapore home.

The Dick Lee classic, Home, sung by Kit Chan at the 1998 NDP, remains a crowd favourite. Since then, a new song has been commissioned for every National Day (except for 2014 and not counting the remakes).

They have come to showcase not only homegrown musical talents, including Linying, Nathan Hartono, Charlie

Lim and JJ Lin, but also filmmaking talents such as Royston Tan, who shot the official music video in 2019, and Wee Li Lin in 2018.

We take a look at this year’s NDP theme song, The Road Ahead, and re-jig our collective memory of the notable tunes from the past decade to put on your playlist this month.