The full-scale edition of the Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert returns to celebrate Singapore’s 58th birthday with an electrifying line-up of local stars and an inaugural fireworks display!
Singapore, 7 July 2023 – For the first time in four years, the Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert returns to a full-scale extravaganza on 5 August at The Meadow, the Gardens’ largest event venue. Occupying a space of 22,000 square metres, the size of about three football fields, this free concert aims to bring different communities together to celebrate Singapore’s 58th birthday with mesmerising performances by multicultural local talents. Into its fifth edition, this concert will also feature an inaugural fireworks display that will illuminate the night sky at Gardens by the Bay in a myriad of colours. In addition, there will be pre-concert activities such as a carnival and mini performances.
Hosted by all-rounded artiste Vernetta Lopez and Pesta Perdana 2023's "Best-Host - Info-Ed" winner Fauzie Laily, this year's celebration promises to captivate audiences with a dazzling lineup of beloved homegrown personalities. Well-loved local gem Kit Chan will headline the concert and serenade audiences with the nation's all-time favourite National Day tune Home, a performance made more meaningful given the 25th anniversary of the song this year. Meanwhile, Fauzie will also display his versatility by pairing up with up-and-coming singer-songwriter Umar Sirhan to put up a specially curated mash up of chart-topping pop tracks.
In a rare appearance, singer Mavis Hee will present stirring ballads including the classic Moon River and 城里的月光 (Moonlight in the City), theme song for the 1996 Chinese drama 豆腐街 (Tofu Street). Audiences will also enjoy a multi-cultural performance featuring traditional musical instruments like the erhu, guzheng, kompang and tabla by Mediacorp artistes including Ayden Sng, Fadli Kamsani and Jaynesh Isuran among others, while the multi-talented Suthasini Rajendran will showcase her electrifying viral Tamil National Day song Nam Singapore live.
But that’s not all! Concert goers will continue to be treated with top-notch stage acts like the catchy Singapore-themed track Call Me (Not Maybe) from local Mandopop duo 插班生 The Freshman, as well as jazzy tunes from award-winning Joanna Dong as she delivers a captivating medley of familiar and popular Chinese numbers including 天黑黑 (Stormy Skies). In a series of fresh collaborations, Joanna will also team up with the young stars of Mediacorp’s reality singing competition Juara Mic Junior S2 to rehash the nostalgic tune Semoga Bahagia, while the latter are subsequently joined by volunteers from Team Nila and Gardens by the Bay in an energetic flash mob, grooving to the catchy tune of I Feel Like Dancing. Meanwhile, inclusive choir Voices of Singapore will also be treating audiences to an exclusive performance of Our Story, an uplifting original song that celebrates unity in diversity, while renowned acapella groups Vocaluptuous and MICappella will join forces in an inaugural collaboration and belt out hit songs from the 1990s and 2000s.
Please refer to Annex A for the bios of the hosts and performing artistes.
Concert goers looking to start their day early can also head down with their picnic mats and join the pre-event festivities. These include a carnival with free family-friendly activities and photo-worthy spots, featuring inflatables of well-known Singapore landmarks such as the iconic dragon playground, giveaways of plants grown in Gardens by the Bay, a pet’s walk programme, and distribution of old-school snacks such as kacang putih to bring communities together as they celebrate the nation’s birthday. Concert goers can also look forward to three uniquely Singapore ice cream flavours concocted specially for the event by MasterChef Singapore Season 4 Top 18 contestants! The public will be able to try the ice creams for free onsite, while stocks last, and vote for their favourite flavour.
Early birds can also look forward to a pre-show with appearances by Mediacorp DJs as well as performances by community partners such as APSN Chaoyang School and Fei Yue Community Services.
Organised with the support of five partners including Dads for Life, Families for Life, NTUC, People’s Association and SAFRA, this year will see the most community partners on board for the event since its inception in 2019. Collectively, they provide activities and opportunities for Singaporeans from all walks of life to enjoy the celebrations.
Please refer to Annex B for more details on additional activities happening as part of the pre-concert festivities.
The Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert 2023 will be graced by Guest-of-Honour President Halimah Yacob and Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, as well as Senior Minister of State for National Development Ms Sim Ann.
President Halimah said: “The Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert has sought to bring the community together through fun, family-friendly entertainment right from its first edition in 2019, and even through the challenges of the pandemic. As such, I am heartened to see the concert returning to its full scale for the first time since it began, to bring even more people together.”
Felix Loh, CEO, Gardens by the Bay, said: “This year’s edition is a special one as we can finally have a full-scale concert without the restraints of the pandemic. To celebrate the return to our original venue at The Meadow, we will be staging a crowd favourite - fireworks - for the first time. We look forward to seeing more people come to Gardens by the Bay to soak in the festivities this year.”
Tham Loke Kheng, CEO, Mediacorp, said: “We are happy to collaborate once again with Gardens by the Bay to bring communities together to celebrate Singapore’s 58th birthday. We hope everyone will enjoy the fun line-up of activities and performances by our talented homegrown stars.”
The Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert 2023 will take place on 5 August, 7.30pm to 9.00pm at The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay.
The concert will also air on mewatch, Channel 5 and Mediacorp Entertainment on YouTube on 12 August, 7.30pm to 9.00pm.
For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg/ndc2023.
-Ends-
Media contact
Gardens by the Bay
Gretchen Lee
Corporate Communications
gretchen.lee@gardensbythebay.com.sg
Mediacorp
Nurul Atiqah
Communications Associate
Atiqah.MY@mediacorp.com.sg
About Gardens by the Bay
An integral part of Singapore’s “City in Nature” vision, Gardens by the Bay is a national garden and premier horticultural attraction that showcases the best of garden and floral artistry for all to enjoy. Spanning 101 hectares in the heart of Singapore’s downtown Marina Bay, it comprises three waterfront gardens – Bay South, Bay East, and Bay Central. Bay South, the largest at 54 hectares, officially opened on 29 June 2012.
Guided by the vision to be a world of gardens for all to own, enjoy and cherish, the Gardens’ extensive plant collection, ever-changing floral displays, and myriad of engaging programmes have captured the imagination of many, while its Gift of Gardens community initiative, with Madam Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore as Patron, reaches out to people from all walks of life.
Since opening, Gardens by the Bay has welcomed more than 93 million visitors and garnered numerous international awards including Best Theme Attraction at TTG Travel Awards 2022, a silver for Destinations Building Back Better Post-Covid at the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2021, Best Attraction Experience at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2019, and ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award presented by ASEAN Tourism in 2018. The Gardens continues to refresh and refine its offerings, to be a place that everyone can enjoy – a garden where wonder blooms.
For more information, visit www.gardensbythebay.com.sg.
About Mediacorp
Mediacorp is Singapore’s national media network and largest content creator. Its purpose is to create engaging and trusted content, as well as to connect communities and inspire people. Mediacorp engages over three million people in Singapore daily across four languages on its digital platforms including mewatch, melisten and CNA.asia, six TV channels and 11 radio stations. Beyond Singapore, Mediacorp also has a growing international audience through CNA and content distributed across markets.
With a focus on nurturing talent and growing the sector, the company is committed to investing in nation-wide initiatives like Star Search, Anugerah, Yaar Antha Star and SPOP, commissioning a wide variety of work from local content creators, and collaborating with institutes of higher learning. As Singapore’s first local Multi-Channel Network in partnership with YouTube, Mediacorp is also committed to developing a network of digital content creators.
For advertisers, Mediacorp has partnered industry-leading brands like ESPN, Mothership, theAsianparent, VICE, YouTube and 99.co to form the Mediacorp Digital Network in offering more effective content-driven solutions.
Mediacorp is the recipient of industry accolades including New York Festivals, World Media Festivals, PromaxBDA (World and Asia) and Asian Academy Creative Awards.
For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg.
Annex A – Bios of hosts and performers for the Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert 2023
|
Fauzie Laily
|
Fauzie’s career was launched to stardom following his appearance in Mediacorp’s Malay reality singing competition Anugerah in 2005. Since then, Fauzie has produced chart-topping hits including his debut single Selalu and latest single Tersebutlah Kisah. Through his music, Fauzie aims to bridge the sounds of pop music today with traditional Malay artforms, which inspires his unique style. A jack of all trades and a master of all, Fauzie is a multi-talented artiste – an award-winning singer, established actor and versatile host. Among Fauzie’s notable on-screen appearances include the English longform drama Tanglin, English police procedural series Code of Law, as well as numerous Malay and Chinese dramas. On the hosting front, Fauzie has been a host for several major events and shows including the National Day Parade, Chingay, Mediacorp’s English charity programme President’s Star Charity as well as Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana. |
|
Vernetta Lopez |
Vernetta has more than two decades of experience in the entertainment scene as a DJ, host and actress. Vernetta’s first appearance on-screen was in the English sitcom Under One Roof in 1995. Since then, she has established herself as a household name with GOLD 905, entertaining audiences with her charisma, infectious energy and witty humour. Vernetta has proven herself to be a versatile host with a bevy of achievements under her belt. Among her notable hosting engagements include lifestyle programmes The 5 Show, Money Week and Body & Soul, as well as events such as the National Day Parade, the Southeast Asian Games, and Mediacorp’s annual countdown party Let’s Celebrate. |
|
Performing artiste |
Bio |
|
Ayden Sng |
Ayden Sng is a rising star who first made his acting debut in 2019 in the short film The Play Book. Since then, he has taken up numerous lead roles in an assortment of programmes including the Chinese drama Loving You, starring alongside prominent actress Jesseca Liu. Among other programmes under his belt include C.L.I.F. 5, Lobang King, The Descendant, The Unbreakble Bond, and recently in 2022, Ayden was offered a major role in Hungry Souls, a drama co-developed by CJ ENM Hong Kong and Zhao Wei Films. A versatile artiste who is musically-inclined, Ayden has also displayed his talents beyond acting, playing the erhu, piano and violin. Ayden was a former member of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, and continues to remain involved in the scene as he now hosts their online programme Music Chatterbox. |
|
Jaynesh Isuran |
Jaynesh is a multi-faceted media personality with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment scene. The former Oli 968 DJ is also a versatile actor, host, model, comedian, dancer, singer and rapper. Through his infectious personality onscreen, Jaynesh has established a loyal fanbase locally as well as across the causeway in Malaysia. The highly-sought after actor also caught the eye of Indian TV network Angel TV, who offered Jaynesh a lead role in their local drama series. On the hosting front, Jaynesh also holds an impressive portfolio, having hosted Mediacorp’s Tamil awards show Pradhana Vizha as well as the Tamil variety programme Vasantham LIVE. For his performances, Jaynesh has been accorded an array of awards including “Most Popular Personality” at Pradhana Vizha in 2014, 2016 and 2021, as well as the “Best Comedy Actor”. |
|
Joanna Dong |
Joanna is a homegrown singer, recognised for her vocal prowess and unique jazz tunes, who has shone on the global stage. Her passion for singing was sparked by the karaoke sessions she participated in as a young child. Since then, Joanna has released multiple albums, most recently 天天月月年年 DDMMYY, and collaborated with popular artistes including Chok Kerong, Benjamin Kheng and Charlie Lim. Joanna continues to captivate audiences with her charismatic stage presence. In 2017, Joanna participated in the reality singing competition Sing! China and rose above many others to clinch a second runner-up finish. Later in 2020, she collaborated with The Purple Symphony to perform the nostalgic number Semoga Bahagia as part of the Purple Parade 2020. On top of singing, Joanna is also a host and actress. In 2018, Joanna was awarded the “Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes” award at Mediacorp’s Chinese awards show Star Awards. |
|
Juara Mic Junior S2 Top 8 |
Following the success of its inaugural run, Mediacorp’s Malay reality singing competition Juara Mic Junior returned for a second season, and recently crowned 10-year-old Sarah Alia as champion. The second season featured 16 young local talents who competed in a series of solo and duet performances that put their vocal capabilities to the test. Juara Mic Junior S2 also introduced a new competition component to highlight contestants’ artistic talents beyond singing such as acting, storytelling, dancing and playing musical instruments. Apart from winner Sarah Alia, the Top 8 consisted of Aaliyah, Adrianna Putri, Ahmad Khabir, Arissa Zara, Deeyanee, Nur Ariana, and Quraisyah.
|
|
Kit Chan |
Kit Chan is regarded as one of Singapore’s most iconic and influential singers, who is most notably known for singing the National Day song Home. Kit first rose to fame in 1994 with her debut album Heartache, which quickly became a bestseller across Asia. Following the release of more albums regionally, Kit’s popularity soared and secured her opportunities to perform globally in countries including the United States, South Korea and Hong Kong. Kit possesses a powerful voice, and is able to deliver highly emotional performances. A decorated singer, Kit has been recognised in various awards such as Mediacorp’s Chinese awards show Star Awards, the Singapore Hit Awards and the Hit Radio Awards 2000. This year, Kit is also marking the 30th anniversary of her singing career, and will be performing a three-night concert later in September. |
|
Mavis Hee |
Mavis is the voice behind the highly popular and reprised ballad Moonlight in the City. Mavis first found the limelight after she finished as second runner-up in Singapore’s Miss Chinatown Pageant in 1992. Following this, she was scouted by famous Mandopop composer Chen Jiaming to join his record company. Ever since then, Mavis has topped the charts in album sales, with two and a half million copies sold, beating artiste Faye Wong and the “Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop” Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai. A beloved singer-songwriter and actress, Mavis is best known for her ballads Regret, Iron Window, Living by Night and Moonlight in the City, the theme of the 1996 Chinese drama Tofu Street. Most recently, Mavis has teased the release of new music in the near future, along with a tour in China. |
|
MICappella |
MICappella is one of Asia’s leading vocal bands. Effervescent, dynamic and versatile, the homegrown acapella band, whose humble beginnings started in 2009, has since show to international fame. The group has clinched the championship at the Moscow Spring A Cappella Festival, and has performed for fans across Europe as well as in countries including Australia, China and the United States. Apart from international gigs, MICappella has also appeared on big stages locally including the National Day Parade 2022, as well as performing a rendition of the Singapore National Anthem at the Singapore Grand Prix Flag-off ceremony. To date, MICappella has released more than 10 albums, and secured the “Best Original Song by a Professional Group” award at the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards 2020. |
|
Suthasini Rajendran |
Suthasini is a singer-songwriter, music producer and host who shot to fame following her win in Mediacorp’s Tamil reality singing competition Vasantham Star 2011. Since then, Suthasini has branched out to participate in other regional competitions including Malaysia’s Astro International Superstar 2015, and was among one of the finalists in the Indian singing contest Singing Stars. Known for her smooth and powerful vocals, Suthasini provides a refreshing voice. Apart from the local entertainment scene, Suthasini’s works are also part of several Tamil films including Chennai. Most recently, Suthasini produced the Tamil National Day Song Nam Singapore. A fusion of electronic dance music and Indian folk genre music, the track instantly became a viral hit, garnering over 1.1 million views on YouTube. |
|
The Freshman |
The Freshman is a dynamic duo, made up of Carrie Yeo and Chen Diya, that was formed in 2010. The two, who first met on the set of the Chinese reality competition Project Superstar, have since succeeded in pursuing their dreams to make it big. Since the release of their debut album Life Experiment 101, The Freshman has garnered nearly 83,000 monthly listeners and a slew of awards crediting their works. Some of their notable tracks include the karaoke hit Holding On, which topped the charts and was recognised as one of the “Top 10 Singles of the Year” at the 10th Freshmusic Awards, as well as their upbeat hit It’s Love, Harry, which was nominated for “Best Theme Song” at the Mediacorp Chinese awards Star Awards 2018. Their soothing vocals and harmonised melodies have made it on national screens, and earned the praise of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The pair performed their Singapore-centric hit Call Me (Not Maybe) on the National Day Parade 2021 stage, and most recently, they released their latest single Throw for the Chinese drama Fix My Life. The Freshman has also graced international stages, completing 233 shows to date as backup vocalists for Hong Kong’s “Heavenly King” Jacky Cheung and popular popstar JJ Lin in his recent JJ20 World Tour. |
|
Umar Sirhan |
Umar Sirhan is a fresh face on the block who is known for his pensive lyrics and smooth vocals. The singer-songwriter and aspiring producer has produced several self-penned singles including If, Evergreen and Love from Afar, which has garnered over 1.2 million listens. Umar was first recognised as one of Singapore’s up-and-coming artistes in 2017, when he opened for local big hit Lewloh’s album launch. Later, he went on to perform on the stage of Mediacorp’s English charity programme President’s Star Charity 2020, alongside local artistes Jarrell Huang, JJ Neo and Meenakshy. Umar has also performed with legend Dick Lee and popular singer Nathan Hartono on the big National Day Parade stage. |
|
Vocaluptuous |
Vocaluptuous, formed in 1997, is one of the earliest vocal bands in Singapore who made history by performing in Singapore’s first acapella musical No Strings Attached. With a long list of performances in concerts, events and shows in over 25 years, Vocaluptuous has continually entertained both local and global audiences with their eclectic mash of music styles including traditional, jazz, bossa nova, R&B and pop. Among their notable performances include the stage of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, opening for Sir Elton John for his concert at the Marina Bay Sands An Evening with Sir Elton John, and many high-level state functions such as the ASEAN Ministerial Summit. Throughout the years, the funky and refreshing group has established a distinctly unique Singaporean flavour that they have incorporated into their numerous albums. Presently, Vocaluptuous continues to delight audiences with unique covers of pop songs and local tracks such as My Old Hometown Katong. |
|
Voices of Singapore |
Voices of Singapore (VoS) empowers and inspires Singaporeans to sing, create and learn through choral participation. Starting off as a choral training school for choirs, VoS has grown into a family of multiple choirs, part of a national network, who have collaborated with big names including the National Museum of Singapore, Sony, the Singapore Tourism Board, and more. Among the various choirs under VoS is the VoS Starlight Voices, which involves children with disabilities. VoS Starlight Voices have performed for a multitude of shows and events including Mediacorp’s English charity programme President’s Star Charity, the Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards and VoS Festivals. |
Annex B – List of pre-concert festivities
|
Time |
Activity |
|
From 4.30pm onwards |
Partner activities
Additional activities
|
|
4.45pm to 5.00pm |
Stage performance by APSN Chaoyang School Ensemble |
|
5.00pm to 5.15pm |
Stage performance by Fei Yue Seniors Pop Band “Rubber Band” |
|
5.20pm to 5.40pm |
Stage performance by Fei Yue Youth Pop Band “Sign Off” |
|
5.40pm to 5.50pm |
Stage performance by APSN Chaoyang School Choir |
|
6.30pm to 6.45pm |
Stage appearance by Mediacorp DJs |
