NDP2026: A midair song, a stadium of light, one pledge in the final stretch
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Singer Jasmine Sokko descended from a cube hung from the stadium’s ceiling to dance in the air above a sea of lights during the National Day Parade at the National Stadium on Aug 9.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE – As the show built to its finale under a darkened sky, singer Jasmine Sokko descended from a cube hung from the stadium’s ceiling to dance in the air above a sea of lights.
Clad in black and reflective silver, Sokko was suspended 30m above the National Stadium’s floor as she performed her single You’ll Be Okay.
Around her, 300 drones swirled in a multicoloured light show synchronised with the stadium’s lighting and the LED wristbands distributed to the audience.
The LED lights from the wristbands formed patterns across the crowd that moved in waves through the audience, echoing the human-powered Kallang Wave of the earlier segments.
Images of a city lit up in neon lights were projected onto the cubes, which remained in the air above the performers.
Sokko was flanked by aerialists Amanda He and Megan Lau, and performed choreography planned by Adelene Chua.
All three had been hidden in cubes suspended from the ceiling during the end of the previous act, before descending to oohs and ahhs from the audience.
Preparation for the stunt began as early as May, with rehearsals lasting two to three hours a day several times a week, including nine-hour sessions on Saturdays for the two aerialists, who wowed the crowd with flips and spins next to Sokko.
The display was also the result of months of preparation by defence engineers like Kwek Qing Wei, a senior programme manager (unmanned systems) for land systems at the Defence Science and Technology Agency.
This included getting an indoor positioning system in place so the drones could receive signals, a process that took almost a month.
All in all, more than 200 people were involved, playing different support roles to ensure the sound, lighting, projections and stage automation ran smoothly.
Everything moved in concert with Sokko’s electronic pop track – one of three 2026 National Day Parade (NDP) songs.
Jasmine Sokko (centre) was suspended 30m above the National Stadium’s floor as she performed her single You’ll Be Okay.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The 30-year-old, who in 2019 became the first Singaporean to win the award for Best Southeast Asian Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards, also experiments with tech in various ways, such as 3D-printing props and outfits alongside her music production, and has described herself as a technologist.
The lyrics of her electronic dance music-inspired track urged calm in the face of uncertainty and change. “You’ll be okay, you’ll be okay, know it gets different before it gets better,” she sang.
Sokko’s performance was followed by a performance by violinist Han Oh accompanied by dancers, then a song by singer Sky Shen, who uses a wheelchair.
A performance by violinist Han Oh accompanied by dancers during the National Day Parade on Aug 9.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
This closed the penultimate chapter, titled Go Beyond Our Limits, with the stadium’s spotlights steadily brightening as the show moved towards its finale.
Singer Iman Fandi began the second NDP 2026 song, Giants, first alone and then accompanied by Singaporean athletes and The People’s Choir.
Gareth Fernandez and Dru Chen then closed the show with the final NDP 2026 song, Sparkle, with performers from the show’s earlier segments filling the stage before the stadium recited the National Pledge.
University student Bryan Chen, 21, said he was glad the two chapters featured local artistes, and that he found Chapter Five’s message of reassurance important. Chen, who attended the parade with his 92-year-old grandmother, said he hopes Singapore will not lose its traditions and heritage as it advances into the future.
