NDP show to celebrate the Singapore identity

SINGAPORE — When Mr Mohmad Amiruddin Casperico Ali takes the stage at the National Day Parade (NDP) as a People’s Association (PA) performer this year, he will be doing so for the 17th time. 

The 32-year-old attractions supervisor first performed when he was 14, and has forged close friendships with other performers over the years. “What keeps me coming back to PA is the united community we have … because over the years we’ve come back to do it together,” he said.

Along with more than 500 performers, he will be doing a dance at this year’s NDP show segment at the Padang that celebrates various aspects of Singaporean identity.

The performers bust moves to a song about things such as fried rice, fishball noodles and Water Wally, part of a public awareness campaign to save water.

Also making a repeat appearance at the NDP this year are homegrown celebrities Stefanie Sun, Kit Chan and Corrinne May, who will perform their hit theme songs from previous NDPs, such as Home (1998) and Song for Singapore (2010).

A younger generation of Singapore talent such as The Sam Willows band and singer JJ Lin will also perform this year. The latter will be performing this year’s theme song Our Singapore. 

In all, nearly 3,500 participants and motivators will join this year’s NDP show segment. It will be underpinned by a narrative of Singapore’s journey — the Republic’s beginnings and progress,  as well as its unity, identity and aspirations for the future.

Chairman of the NDP’s show Committee Colonel Tan Cheng Kwee, 37, hopes that the show will resonate with Singaporeans. “We have injected into the show many segments where Singaporeans can sing along to familiar tunes and community songs in (vernacular languages),” he said at a media briefing yesterday (July 8).

Mr Mohmad hopes that the retro feel of his performance segment will evoke memories for older Singaporeans. “The music we have is classic, hyped-up retro music … that might get parents moving,” he said.

Composer Dick Lee, 59, who serves as creative director for the show this year, admitted that it was stressful coming up with a show that would live up to expectations in the Republic’s Golden Jubilee year.

“But at the end of the day, this is a celebration of who we are and where we’ve come and I just want to focus on that,” he said.