NDP 2024: Benjamin Kheng to perform theme song, Total Defence takes centre stage

SINGAPORE - Local artiste Benjamin Kheng will perform 2024’s National Day Parade theme song, titled Not Alone, which aims to validate the hardship Singaporeans have faced throughout their history and promote unity and support to face the future.

Kheng, who gained prominence as part of local band The Sam Willows, also stars in the NDP music video of the song, released on May 23. Computer-generated fabrics are seen soaring through scenes throughout the video, as a metaphor for the social fabric of Singapore.

The song was written with producer Evan Low, who also worked on NDP 2021’s theme song The Road Ahead, and pays homage to past hits like Where I Belong.

“You’ll notice nods to songs of the past,” Kheng told the media on May 23 at a briefing on NDP 2024.

“This is very deliberate, because we wanted to pay homage to these classic songs that are part of our legacy, and we wanted to connect Singaporeans to the meaning of these beautiful lyrics that we hear every year.”

The theme song is among the highlights of 2024’s NDP, which celebrates 59 years of Singapore’s independence.

Themed “Together, As One United People”, NDP 2024 aims to underscore the collective strength of Singaporeans and rally citizens to shape its future, said the chairman of the parade’s executive committee, Brigadier-General Wilson Low.

BG Low, who is the Chief Guards Officer under the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), told the media: “Our theme this year calls upon Singaporeans from all walks of life to express their love for Singapore and to celebrate the nation’s progress.”

This year’s main NDP celebration takes place at the Padang and will extend to The Promontory @ Marina Bay for the first time.

The NDP Heartland Celebrations, involving a series of carnival events at various neighbourhoods, will continue on Aug 10 at five heartland venues.

These are the key highlights of NDP 2024:

The NDP logo

NDP 2024’s logo is a stylistic play on SG (short for Singapore) and 59, featuring five shooting stars that symbolise the nation’s aspirations for democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. The stars are trailed by six ascending strokes that represent Total Defence, Singapore’s long-running national defence campaign, which entered its 40th year in 2024.

Remote video URL

[video_shortcode_youtube src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D3f1ZRSQKIeY%26rel%3D0&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=XRd_nTw3puBiNFSSqQcEKkDRhJ7ZcBK0Rh9j0AcSNfw" itemprop="image" content="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D3f1ZRSQKIeY%26rel%3D0&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=XRd_nTw3puBiNFSSqQcEKkDRhJ7ZcBK0Rh9j0AcSNfw" data-src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D3f1ZRSQKIeY%26rel%3D0&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=XRd_nTw3puBiNFSSqQcEKkDRhJ7ZcBK0Rh9j0AcSNfw"]

Main show at Padang, Marina Bay

The festivities on Aug 9 will take place at the Padang, where some 27,000 spectators are expected.

In 2024, the event space has been expanded to the Promontory area – an open space near the Marina Bay Financial Centre – where more spectators can gather to get a closer look at the fireworks, and maritime and aerial displays over the bay.

The main show is split into six chapters, said BG Low, who chairs the parade for the first time. The segments will include crowd favourites such as the State Flag Flypast, Salute to the Nation and the Red Lions – SAF’s parachute team.

ndp 2024: benjamin kheng to perform theme song, total defence takes centre stage

The Padang audience will also be at the centre of a 360-degree firework experience.  PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE

For the first time, the marching contingents will also march onto the spectator stand at the Padang, to bring the parade closer to the audience.

Dynamic LED wristbands, made popular at concerts by Taylor Swift and Coldplay, will be handed out to audience members to create a vibrant light display from the stands during the parade.

The Padang audience will also be at the centre of a 360-degree fireworks experience. They will be surrounded by fireworks launching from the Marina Bay area and the Padang, as well as newly positioned ones from the neighbouring Adelphi building, to form a loop around the stands.

Additional NE Show

The NDP organisers will arrange an additional National Education (NE) Show – bringing it to four shows for students – before the main event to make it up to secondary school students who missed the parade in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The NE shows are typically open to Primary 5 pupils from Ministry of Education institutions.

Invitations were sent out to parents of the secondary school students in March through the Parents Gateway portal.

ndp 2024: benjamin kheng to perform theme song, total defence takes centre stage

Primary 5 students attending the 2023 National Day Parade National Education (NE) Show as part of the NE learning experience. PHOTO: MINDEF

Total Defence 40

Total Defence will take centre stage in the show’s second act to commemorate the campaign’s 40th year.

The national defence concept comprises six pillars – military, civil, economic, social, digital and psychological defence.

Spectators will witness the Total Defence 40 Dynamic Defence Display, a segment that showcases Singapore’s response to threats in the air, on land and sea, as well as civil emergencies and disruptions, in a coordinated demonstration across both the Padang and Marina Bay.

BG Low said: “This is the first time we will see a coordinated display between the Padang and Marina Bay.

“We will get to see different elements, from the police force, SAF, to the SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force), working with the community in response to incidents.”

Not Alone: NDP theme song

Embed Facebook

Facebook

NDP 2024 Theme Song – "Not Alone"

Enjoy this year’s NDP song. #NDP2024 NDPeeps

Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Wednesday, May 22, 2024

This year’s theme song Not Alone adopts a first-person perspective and incorporates lyrics with a tinge of sadness to validate how Singaporeans might feel through hardships throughout Singapore’s history, said Kheng, who composed and performed the song.

Supported by an ensemble from the Music and Drama Company, the song builds into an uplifting second half that aims to foster a sense of belonging among Singaporeans.

Writing the song felt like a big undertaking, said Kheng.

“We put our hopes and dreams and feelings about a country into one song, and it has to work for everyone. It’s impossible to please everyone, but I felt the best place to start is to be honest about my experiences,” he said.

“I think generally doing life in this day and age is not easy. I spoke from my lived experience and wanted to write something that felt true to me,” said Kheng, adding that the song addresses feelings of isolation and loneliness.

“What brings me comfort is how people really make this country feel like home to me, and that’s why I wrote it.”

Remote video URL

[video_shortcode_youtube src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7ymz2xhYtI4%26rel%3D0&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=6eovmxl5cHCop1qP3A-s6GFl3cWlcL2016-RepUwk9w" itemprop="image" content="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7ymz2xhYtI4%26rel%3D0&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=6eovmxl5cHCop1qP3A-s6GFl3cWlcL2016-RepUwk9w" data-src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7ymz2xhYtI4%26rel%3D0&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=6eovmxl5cHCop1qP3A-s6GFl3cWlcL2016-RepUwk9w"]

The NDP music video that accompanies the song was jointly directed by local directors Koo Chia Meng, Brian Gothong Tan and animator Davier Yoon.

The video begins with a minimalist style to reflect the mood of the song, and gradually features vignettes of Singapore’s past and present to illustrate the nation’s evolving social memories.

Linking the two phases of the video are animated strips of multicoloured fabrics, which symbolise the tapestry formed by Singaporeans’ shared experiences and heritage.

In the final scene, the cloths drape over a housing estate, symbolising how individuals, like threads, come together to form a resilient and united nation, said the NDP organisers.

Celebrations in the heartland

As with previous NDPs, the festivities will be brought into the neighbourhood through Heartland Celebrations, where residents can gather for carnival and family activities, and watch fireworks and stage performances.

Details of the five Heartland Celebrations locations will be released soon.

Last year’s Heartland Celebrations focused on sports and physical activities to encourage residents to get active and play physical games like table tennis and take part in athletics, instead of just soaking in the festivities.

OTHER NEWS

24 minutes ago

GT Aston Martin Exits Le Mans In a Dramatic Rollover Crash

24 minutes ago

Fernando Alonso knows the moment it will be ‘bye bye’ from F1 for good

30 minutes ago

The Tory manifesto raises more questions than answers – here are 20 of the biggest

30 minutes ago

'This film is about a survivor': Alicia Vikander on playing Katherine Parr

30 minutes ago

Controversial finish in Collingwood and North Melbourne game, as Bobby Hill takes MOTY contender, and Giants down Power

30 minutes ago

THR Frontrunners Q&A With the Cast and Creators of 'Young Sheldon' | THR Video

30 minutes ago

'We'll hunt you': Trump, MAGA supporters' violent rhetoric isn't a glitch. It's a feature.

30 minutes ago

The big lie: why taxes are going up (no matter what the Tories or Labour say)

30 minutes ago

‘Star of the show’: DeChambeau firmly in driver’s seat to win second U.S. Open

30 minutes ago

‘Keep the coaches, change entire team’: Wasim Akram wants all players of Babar Azam-led Pakistan squad dropped

30 minutes ago

Donald Trump challenges Joe Biden to cognitive test but then forgets name of his own doctor

30 minutes ago

Lady Elliot Island boat capsize: Desperate search for missing man after boat overturned ends in tragedy off Queensland coast near Bundaberg after Life Flight winched a father and son to safety

33 minutes ago

Ashley Graham debuts children's book encouraging self-love, confidence

37 minutes ago

Video: Hundreds of Majorcans take over tiny picture postcard cove made famous by Instagram 'influencers' and unfurl banners reading 'SOS Residents' amid Spanish island's anti-tourism backlash against UK holidaymakers

37 minutes ago

Ukraine proves it can target the Russian air force's weakest link

37 minutes ago

Canada cricketers miss out on marquee matchup with India due to wet ground conditions

37 minutes ago

Luai praised as Origin awaits

37 minutes ago

'Good to go': Edwards, Luai shine in final NSW audition

37 minutes ago

Down 10% in a week! What’s wrong with the Legal & General Group share price?

37 minutes ago

Gary Neville hammered after naming England XI Southgate MUST pick for Euro 2024 opener

37 minutes ago

'Prison-cell' flat that costs £475 a month is like a sit-com set

37 minutes ago

Ox Nche makes the cut as Bulls dominate URC Team of the Season

37 minutes ago

Israel announces ‘pause’ along southern Gaza route to allow in aid but no let up in Rafah offensive

41 minutes ago

Thorpe Park’s Hyperia rollercoaster breaks down again leaving thrillseekers hanging at 236ft

42 minutes ago

Woman who spent 43 years behind bars has murder conviction overturned

42 minutes ago

"Pogacar seems unbeatable, so we must aim for stage victories": What can EF-boys Powless and Van den Berg pull off in the Tour?

42 minutes ago

Samantha Murphy: Cop makes bleak admission about the endless search for missing Ballarat mum after discovery by a dam renewed hopes of finding her body

42 minutes ago

Video: Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli's one-year-old son Lucius shares first words

42 minutes ago

Video: All the best videos from Trooping the Colour: Kate's great comeback, glimpses behind the scenes and Charlotte and Louis acting up

47 minutes ago

Sex attacker dubbed 'Coronation Street rapist' launches NEW parole bid - despite breaking rules when he was last released from jail

47 minutes ago

Jobless man, 60, who still lives with his mother smashed woman's windscreen with his fists in fit of rage after she turned her car around in his driveway

47 minutes ago

From AI-powered limb-tracking to a match ball with a chip inside: The futuristic technologies powering Euro 2024 in Germany this month, revealed

47 minutes ago

NASA's Chandra X-ray telescope captures closest super star cluster to Earth (image)

51 minutes ago

Happy Father's Day! Amanda Holden and Charlotte Crosby lead the stars marking the occasion with sweet family snaps and heartfelt tributes

52 minutes ago

Ben Johnson to Snub Crystal Palace and Stay at West Ham

52 minutes ago

Alan Shearer spots England's biggest problem at Euro 2024 as he names ideal starting XI

52 minutes ago

England faces Serbia in Euro 2024 group opener aiming to end 58 years of hurt

52 minutes ago

Koeman shrugs off hiccups and insists Netherlands have fighting chance

52 minutes ago

Why 'The Apprentice' Filmmakers Have Not Yet Secured a US Distribution Deal | Analysis

54 minutes ago

Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli's one-year-old son Lucius shares first words