NDP 2023 to include heartland celebrations with fireworks, live performances and sport tryouts

The NDP 2023 logo features a lion head looking beyond the horizon, and “58” for the number of years since independence in 1965.

It was also drawn at a slight upward angle to represent aspirations to take Singapore to greater heights, while the five stars represent national ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality, said the exco.

The NDP committee will also promote volunteerism through public engagement efforts like #GiveAsOneSG, which will partner non-profit organisations and schools among others to organise activities to give back to society.

The #UniteAsOneSG, meanwhile, will encourage Singaporeans to come together to learn more about the country and this year’s celebrations.

THEME SONG: SHINE YOUR LIGHT

Last year felt like the closing of a chapter as Singapore exited the pandemic and so the NDP 2022 song Stronger Together had a hopeful vibe, said the 2023 parade’s music director Don Richmond.

This year’s theme song, Shine Your Light, is cheerful and uses the metaphor in the title to illustrate that “we can bring out the best in all of us” as Singaporeans move onward as one, he added.

“What we wanted to do was start off a new chapter with something that’s even more vibrant,” said Mr Richmond, noting that NDP songs need to be appropriately written for a particular season of time.

“I don’t think it’s too soon to be celebrating, I think Singapore needs a song that brings everyone together.”

The song was co-written by Singaporean rapper Shigga Shay, who directed the music video.

Asked if the song was meant to target the younger crowd, Mr Richmond said the team wanted to instead create something “embedded in the minds and the memories of future generations”.

He said a lot of NDP songs he heard as a child stuck in his head, and that parents and grandparents respond to National Day songs through their children.

“I kind of feel like, if we kind of get the kids to clap along, they will usually be the ones that will inspire the older generation to also come along for the ride,” said Mr Richmond.

“So that was our way of trying to like write a song for all generations, without trying to write a song for all generations.”