Sing We Are Singapore and lend a voice to NDP's virtual choir

While this year's National Day Parade (NDP) theme song is yet to be announced, one familiar favourite will feature in the celebrations come Aug 9.

The patriotic We Are Singapore, which premiered in 1987 and is now considered a national classic, will be performed by a "virtual choir" of regular Singaporeans.

Submissions for joining this choir are now open.

The song was chosen for its "meaningful lyrics which remind Singaporeans to look out for each other in difficult times, and to overcome any obstacle together", said this year's NDP executive committee during the announcement yesterday.

Written by Canadian jazz pianist Hugh Harrison, the song's lyrics incorporate the Singapore pledge written in 1966 by then Minister for Foreign Affairs S. Rajaratnam, as well as quotes from a speech given that year by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew at the Victoria Theatre.

Mr Lee was addressing school principals and was concerned about the lack of national sentiment among Singapore's youth. He said: "But whatever it is, ultimately the result that we want - and I am sure you must want this - is to produce a community that feels together."

He then continued in the words now immortalised in the song: "You know, on certain things it responds together: this is my country, this is my flag; this is my President; this is my future. I am going to protect it."

The executive committee said the virtual choir performance will be broadcast as part of the evening show, together with other films produced specially for NDP.

While no details on the number of submissions to be eventually featured were available, it is understood that selections will be made with the aim of showing a representative picture of Singapore.

Colonel Wong Shi Ming, chairman of the NDP2020 show committee, said: "We invite Singaporeans, young and old, to join us to sing together as a show of our unity and confidence in our country, our home.

"The virtual choir provides a platform for Singaporeans to contribute their recordings, connect with each other, and sing with one voice as we celebrate from our homes."

Those who want to lend their voices to the project can find the submission link on the NDP website or at www.go.gov.sg/virtual-choir

The submission window is now open until June 25.

NDP will be different this year owing to Covid-19.

Instead of having the parade at a central location such as the Marina Bay floating platform, parade segments will move into the heartland and proceedings will be live-streamed into homes.