SG50 and beyond

7th August at the Sing50 concert, the new National Stadium sparkled to life in show of appreciation for a certain singer called Tracy Huang. It was the first time that night that people in the stands lit up their (assistive phone) lights in appreciation for a performer. I had no idea who she was, had never heard her songs before, and my friend thought she was a 20-smth (a quick Google showed she's actually 63). But at the moment she started singing 哭砂, the stadium roared in approval and transformed into a sea of twinkling stars. I was one of those who cheered, without knowing exactly why. Haha, it could've been anything, but aside from the really nice chorus, I was thrown back to 11 years ago when I attended an NE show as a P5 kid. In each of our funpacks was a torch, creatively shaped to look like what is now known as a Nokia dinosaur, something (the real thing) that many of us had pestered our parents for at that time. As darkness fell, a beautiful sight beheld, and I never forgot how those twinkles bloomed across the stands and shimmered to the music.

Back to the present, it was a night of all round reminiscing overall, given that I was with some of my oldest friends. I always manage to have fun with this bunch, snaking queues, horrible acoustics, and all xD It's kinda unfortunate that that was the only day possible for all 8 of us to meet at once in 2015, but hey, some friendships need very little maintenance. Here's to 10 years of sisterhood, and many tens of years more!

姐妹们!

The wait for 9th August felt especially drawn out this year. It's prob because of all the pre-hype and the extra long SG50 weekend (awesome move, coz we all love holidays haha!), and even on the day itself I couldn't wait for the NDP to start (watched at home on TV, not lucky enough to get tickets :/). After spending such a long stretch overseas, I'm glad I could be back for this. And this year the nation celebrates 50 years of independence, something really extra special.

I was at marina barrage to watch the RSAF Black Knights on that day with J and J. No videos/pictures, coz I wanted to enjoy the action live, without having to allocate attention to a small screen. The Black Knights never disappoint :D [Well, they didn't disappoint, but we chose a wrong spot to watch. Meaning, instead of cheering during the aileron cross and criss cross, we facepalmed as the F16s disappeared behind a building at the most intense part. At least there were many other more visible stunts.] Of all the stunts, mostly roaring crowd pleasers, one was particularly symbolic and beautiful - the Dedication Pass. I guess a quick google will yield some photos and videos, but being there was something else. Right before the stunt, the pumping club music was silenced, and so was the crowd. Marina barrage was suddenly automatically hushed as if everyone knew something was coming. The music started playing (See You Again by Wiz Khalifa), and befittingly, the line "We've come a long way from where we began" played as the Black Knights emerged from the clouds - 4 in a diamond formation with 2 others spiralling deliberately around slightly behind, all with extra thick trails of smoke. As they made their entrance, the angle emphasised the lights on the underbellies of each of the F16s. Small but strong, visible lights, a contrast to the gloomy skies. The effect was lasting, and the crowd felt it, I felt it. As the F16s roared away to the uplifting chorus, the crowd cheered as one. You get breathless watching this kind of thing, and without thinking, you start to smile :)

Then there was the getting out of there. I'd already had a taste of free transport getting to Bayfront mrt, and I don't think there has ever been such a huge number of Singaporeans out on the streets before that day. Massive waves of people headed to and back from the bay area throughout the day, and it was a huge, slow crush in the sweltering heat after the aerial performance. But like that then have 气氛, and once a year is fine haha. The plan was to go to the retro carnival at tanjong pagar railway, but I was falling asleep over lunch, so we just went home, in good time for the parade!

Just like every year except the last, I watch the parade at home on TV. Some years are meh, esp in recent years where the songs have never managed to match up to those from the pri school days, but this year was really WOW. Most people find the marching contingents boring, but ever since I came from a UG in sec school, I'd always taken interest. This year, there was an added vintage contingent, and even the traditionally cheesy portions with dancing kids was something special. Which Singaporean can't resist chuckling at a neon green spiky (and cutely round) durian float, or another one shaped like a packet of tissue primarily meant for chope-ing? [Typing this, I realise the word "durian" isn't in the dictionary. Time to wake up your idea blogger! x)] My sis squealed "so cute!" at the combined pri sch performance, where they all wore suits that lit up in multi-coloured stick figures. But the part that I'd been looking forward to forever was yet to come. I think many of us who'd grown up with the old songs would've wished for the day when the original singers come back to do a performance at the NDP. This year, so many of them did! SG50 ma, special. Kit Chan came back to sing the perennial favourite "Home", as did Clement Chow, Corinne May, and JJ lin with this year's song (his version is the best NDP song we've had in recent years). But for me, the highlight was Stefanie Sun, who did a medley of "We Will Get There" and as I said last year, my favourite NDP song, "One Singapore". I really wished I could've gotten tickets this year, but then again so would almost the rest of the population.

Ending off with the fireworks adding colour to our ever picture perfect marina bay night scene, the celebrations on 9th August came to a close. Singapore, you've fought hard to come this far. I've only been around for so long, but I've had the chance to experience living overseas, and I feel the love for my country more than ever before. Where I am safe, where I am rewarded for my hard work, where different ethnicities are bound by common values, tastes, and a common language, and most importantly, where my loved ones are. I hope in 50 years I'll still be sprightly enough to cheer and sing along to the old songs during SG100 ;) Singapore, have a great 50th!

In the week after, things are back to normal. It's how we roll, through celebrations or grief, we carry on. For me, school has started proper, but I feel like I haven't had enough holiday xD