NDP 2023: 2,400 performers let their lights shine at the Padang
Entering on foot, bicycle and a variety of boats, they turned the Padang field into a musical extravaganza to commemorate Singapore’s 58th birthday.
As night fell on downtown Singapore, 2,400 performers and 43 artistes in their technicolour best lit up the National Day Parade (NDP) show on Wednesday.
Across four acts of the upbeat – yet occasionally reflective – show segment, the cast kept the 27,000-strong crowd entranced, with many keeping time using the drum in their NDP packs.
The pre-parade segment hosted by Joakim Gomez, Hazelle Teo, Eswari Gunasagar and Fauzie Laily included a dance performance by students from Bedok View Secondary School, East Spring Secondary School and Victoria Junior College to a remix of 2023’s NDP theme song, Shine Your Light.
While there was signature NDP synchronicity, there were also flashes of individual brilliance.
This was intentional, to highlight the diversity of the performers, said choreographer LumLum Lee Shie Yar from the Music and Drama Company.
“Everybody comes from different backgrounds, so we tried to have moments where we could showcase the performers’ individual styles, because dance comes in many different styles,” said LumLum, who added that the dancers had certain moments where they could freestyle.
Rare is the NDP show without a dollop of nostalgia, and there was plenty to go around during Act One, which featured singer-songwriter lewloh’s take on classic NDP song Home and Kopi-O, Eric Moo’s theme from the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation’s 1985 drama The Coffee Shop.
Perennial parade favourites such as Rasa Sayang and Munnaeru Vaalibaa also pleased the crowd.
Married duo Haramain Osman and Judah Lyne performed their original song, Oh Kawan, which they wrote in 2020 of their experiences while being confined to their home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And singer-model Iman Fandi wowed at her NDP debut with her take on Bunga Sayang.
One of the loudest singalongs from the audience was that for Shine Your Light towards the end – the crescendo of all the light-themed elements in 2023’s NDP show. These included overhead spark showers, stadium lights that pulsated to the music, illuminated props and floats, and the psychedelic floor projections that accompanied each act.
Light was an important motif in 2023’s show, a symbol of hope as Singapore leaves the shadow of the pandemic and moves towards the future with optimism, NDP 2023 creative director Royston Tan told The Straits Times.
“I also hope that this motif can inspire Singaporeans to shine their light for the community,” he said.
Earlier, the film-maker had said he wanted to put on a “very, very big show” to make good on what he could not do in his first run as creative director in 2020, when the parade had to be scaled down due to Covid-19.
“NDP 2023’s journey has been a fantastic one and a dream come true,” he said. “The journey of creating a wonderful show by working with many passionate and like-minded members from the creative and tech teams, as well as show partners, is really an unforgettable one.”
The message – that every person is a point of light who can make a difference – carried through in three short films interwoven through the show, which featured nineteen Singaporeans, including track phenom Shanti Pereira and artisanal sauce maker Ken Koh.
One of them is professional counsellor Vickineswarie Jagadharan, who became an advocate for suicide prevention and mental wellness after losing her son to suicide in 2015.
She said: “What I experienced with my son is not easy. As a school counsellor, I hope to reach out to the young people who are going through a dark period.
“So I started making videos about our mental health that I hope will bring a little light to their lives.”
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