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SINGAPORE – It is a remake for the current times of a timeless song.
Eleven local artists joined and partnered with The Straits Times to voice their opinion on the much-loved National Day song by local music veteran Clement Chow Count On Me, Singapore.
They have launched Stay At Home, Singapore, a call for rally for Singaporeans to do their part to help the nation overcome the Covid-19 outbreak.
Chow, working with others on the team, gently lifts his spirits with a parody of the original lyrics.
“We have a vision for tomorrow” is replaced with “We need a vaccine for tomorrow.”
And Singaporeans are also told: “Stay home Singapore, don’t go out or kena is fine more …”
“We were discussing whether to make it a parody or something serious, but we decided to make it fun. This is a time when people want to smile and rise,” Chow said.
But the main message is simply to ask Singaporeans to stay home, as that is the best way to fight the virus, he added.
The collaboration will also raise funds for the ST School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF) and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BTBAF), and will help those whose families have been affected by the outbreak.
When ST first approached Mr. Chow to collaborate on the initiative, his first reaction was that he had heard enough fake Covid-19 songs online.
“The only reason I came on board was because this was a project that would return and benefit others,” he said.
Many children who benefit from the funds are struggling. Some have seen their parents fired and their families find it difficult to pay bills or buy essential items.
Local artists are also having a bad time. “Half of my friends are in a place where there is literally no work,” said Chow.
After being addressed on Wednesday (April 8), Chow quickly gathered a group of interested artists, and that night, he held a four-hour online chat session to discuss the lyrics and other parts of the song. By Friday afternoon, a draft of the video had emerged.
There were failures along the way.
Chow’s original soundtrack was corrupted and one of the artists, Wayne Sandz, had to create a new version.
Also, due to the measures of staying home, it was for the first time that Chow had to make a video putting clips together instead of having everyone in the studio. He did this by working several nights with the video editor Ang Wee Pin.
“It’s not about production, it has to be a real, raw song from our homes. Basically everyone sent a video taken on their phones when they heard the song and sang it,” Chow said.
For local artists, it was a way to do their part for Singapore, said singer-songwriter Beverly Morata.
“Hopefully, because it’s such a familiar song, Singaporeans will realize and realize that the lyrics are different and will take note of the message,” he added.
The other artists involved in singing and writing the lyrics are Alemay Fernández, Lisa Haryono, Mathilda D’Silva, Michelle Poh, Jordin Tan, Izat, Christiane Michaela and Alexendra Hsieh.
STSPMF CEO Tan Bee Hiong said many of the families the fund supports have a hard time making ends meet.
“It is during this time that we need even more support to help us continue to provide pocket money to our students from low-income families so they can buy their meals and not go hungry when they are at home or at school.” she said.
Warren Fernández, editor-in-chief of the English / Malay / Tamil Media division of Singapore Press Holdings and editor of The Straits Times, said: “In these testing times, when we are all trying to deal with staying home, there are some In our community they are having a much harder time than most of us. These are families where parents may be out of work or struggling to keep their commitments.
“We would like to do our best to help, so the ST Pocket Money Fund will be in touch to offer additional support, where possible.”
He added: “This Stay At Home, Singapore video effort, organized by our Singaporean artists and ST journalists, will help us in this regard. Therefore, we appeal to Singaporeans: Stay home and help other Singaporeans. people in need”.
To donate to this campaign, go to str.sg/stayathomesg. All donations will be eligible for a 2.5 times tax deduction.
The STSPMF provides pocket money to children and youth from low-income families.
The BTBAF supports artistic training for financially disadvantaged children and youth here.
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