Renowned singer-songwriter Dick Lee is back as the creative force behind this year's ChildAid, an annual charity concert co-organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times.
The 2005 Cultural Medallion Award Winner, who was also the concert's creative director last year, said the immense talent and energy that the young performers showed last year was a reason why he decided to come back for an encore.
While last year's concert had an Asian theme to it, blending songs from Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia as kids were taken on a magical Asian adventure, pop music will be the influence this year.
Titled "The Jumping Jukebox Jive", the two-day concert will showcase how pop music has evolved over the past 60 years, and will feature music familiar to both adults and young people.
"Pop music is for everyone," said Mr Lee, who is a fan of the genre, having listened to it while growing up in the 1970s.
"I think there is a lot of melody in the music of the past, starting in the 60s, 70s and 80s," added the 62-year-old.
This year's concert will be held at the Resorts World Sentosa theatre on Nov 25 and 26. Mr Lee added that it will be a "great platform for young talent to build their confidence".
ChildAid raises funds for both ST's School Pocket Money Fund - which provides pocket money to students from low-income families - and BT's Budding Artists Fund - which supports arts education for children and young people from underprivileged families.
Last year's edition raised more than $2.1 million for both funds.
Said Mr Marc Lim, ST news editor and co-chairman of the ChildAid organising committee: "Over 1,300 people got to see some of Singapore's brightest young musical talent perform last year, and this year will be no different. With Dick Lee at the helm again, I have no doubt ChildAid 2018 will be a treat for all the good people who have chipped in to help a good cause."
Auditions for this year's concert will begin next month.
Singers, dancers and other performers aged five years old to 19 can sign up by sending a video clip showing their talents to childaid@dickleeasia.com
The video must be at least 90 seconds long but no longer than five minutes. It should include the performer's name, age, school, phone number and e-mail address. A short write-up on the reasons for wanting to perform in the concert should be submitted as well.
Entries will close on July 20. Those shortlisted will be invited for an audition on July 28 and 29.
The organising committee is hoping to recruit more than 120 performers for the November extravaganza. The main sponsors of the event include United Overseas Bank, Citibank, Porsche, and Suntory Beverage and Food Asia.
