JJ Lin, Taufik Batisah and other local musicians auction guitars for charity

SINGAPORE – Home-grown musicians JJ Lin, Taufik Batisah, Benjamin Kheng, Shabir Sulthan and Awi Rafael have each signed and donated a guitar to Gift A Guitar, a charity initiative that seeks to provide underprivileged youth with the gift of music.

The guitars will be auctioned, with proceeds going to The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.

Lin, 44, who donated his prized Martin D-45 acoustic guitar, supported the initiative as he believes in the power of music.

“When I first held a guitar as a teenager, it opened up a world where I could dream, express myself and connect. By supporting Gift A Guitar, I hope to spark that same fire in young people, so they, too, can find their own voice,” he said.

Also up for auction are a playable bass guitar made of Lego bricks, donated by the Lego Group, and an autographed guitar donated by

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in April

. These will be among the 60 guitars auctioned online in October.

Gift A Guitar is launched by local charity organisation The Music Society, Singapore in partnership with arts and culture non-profit The Rice Company Limited to celebrate the nation’s 60th birthday in 2025.

Some 600 teenagers aged 13 to 20 will benefit from the initiative, where they will receive guitars along with four structured lessons. The programme aims to empower young music enthusiasts and give them the tools and resources necessary to pursue their aspirations.

The guitars will be exhibited to the public before the auction. Details on the venue and exhibition dates have yet to be confirmed.

Youth interested in the programme can sign up at

str.sg/sJg5

. Selected participants will also perform at Sing60, which will be held at Fort Canning Park on Dec 6 and 7.