Kit Chan paid tribute to the late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew at the National Day Rally last night, as she became the first local singer to perform at the annual address.

Chan, 42, sang Home - the song she has become synonymous with - just before the start of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's English speech.

In brief remarks before her performance, she said she was happy to have been involved in the nation's Golden Jubilee celebrations, and added she was thankful for the opportunity to do something she had not been able to do in the earlier part of the year.

Referring to the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in March, she said it "left all of us (Singaporeans) quite shocked and bereaved".

"As a singer, I felt compelled to pay a tribute to the late Mr Lee, through something I do best, which is through a song."

She said: "I hope that we can all continue to sing this song for many years to come and that it will always serve to remind us that no matter what our differences, we'll always be united by the fact that we call Singapore our home."

Goh Yan Han