SINGAPORE - As someone who has keenly followed veteran singer-songwriter Ramli Sarip's long and illustrious career, I became emotional when I heard his singular rendition of Majulah Singapura for this year's National Day Parade.

Since he made his music industry debut in the late 1960s, the 66-year-old singer has gone through a considerable evolution - from hard rock pioneer who commanded arena-sized audiences in his early decades to the soulful folk troubadour he is today.