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It was an emotional milestone celebration of Singapore’s amazing progress, from a tiny fishing village to the modern metropolis it is now, in just 50 years. Here are some of the best moments captured at the SG50 National Day Parade.
Singapore wears many crowns – World’s Best Airport, The World’s Best Rainforest Zoo, not to mention the lowest crime rates worldwide, millionaires made in the shortest time, and so much more. So when it came to the nation’s 50th birthday, the National Day Parade (NDP) organisers naturally pulled out all the stops, delivering what was truly one of the most spectacular, groundbreaking and yet at the same time, heartwarming events in Singapore’s history.
The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s tribute
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Many will agree that a lot of what Singapore has achieved today, came from a man who saw a vision for the country early in its formative years, fighting for its survival even when others saw no hope.
So, it was only fitting that on 9 August, 2015, the recording of former Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew reading the Proclamation of Independence went live on national TV and radio channels at 9am, just hours before the National Day Parade. At the actual event, the lively parade also came to a rare silence as a video tribute played in honour of Mr Lee.
“In the early years after independence, Papa would attend all the parade rehearsals personally. We used to watch from Papa's office in City Hall. Yesterday, I found myself seated on the steps in front of City Hall, but it had been transformed into the National Gallery Building. On the seat Papa was supposed to occupy were sprigs of yellow orchids,” wrote Lee Wei Ling, in a sentimental post a day after the parade.
Picture credit: Lee Wei Ling, The Straits Times
An aerial display of a record 50 aircrafts
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The fly-by has always been one of the key segments in the parade, and organisers rightly justified the SG50 name by sending out a record 50 aircrafts – the largest number in parade history.
Organised by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the aerial display included helicopter formations, transport and tanker aircrafts, fighter jets executing near-vertical climbs, before coming together to make an unprecedented ‘50’ formation in the air. The elites of RSAF, the Black Knights, also performed the “Five Stars” Tribute Aerial Flypast – in honour of the late Mr Lee, and as a reminder to Singapore’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.
Picture credit: dmchan81
Local singers belting out NDP theme songs of yesteryear
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They’ve made their name overseas, but home is truly where the heart is, as Corrine May, Stephanie Sun, JJ Lin and Kit Chan belted out National Day songs of previous years. Regardless of age, religion, nationality or race, it was a heartwarming sight as parade-goers sang along to songs such as ‘We Will Get There’, ‘One United People’, ‘Song For Singapore’, and of course the theme song for 2015: ‘Our Singapore’. Even a light drizzle couldn’t dampen spirits, as Kit Chan delivered one of the most iconic and beloved local songs, ‘Home’, as a wonderful end to the performance.
Picture credit: Corrinne May
Costumes with a difference
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If anyone was counting, they would have discovered a staggering 100 different costumes at the National Day Parade. The man behind this was the event’s Art Director and Costume Designer, Yang Derong – who was also previously the Global Image Director of Esprit International. Wanting to convey Singapore’s growth from the time it was discovered by Sang Nila Utama in the 1300s, all the way to its cosmopolitan status of today, a grand total of 4,300 pieces were used to commemorate the country’s history.
Picture credit: Channel NewsAsia
The Dick Lee and Eric Khoo theme song
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They are two internationally renowned movers and shakers in the creative industry, and they are also Singaporean. With lyrics and music by Dick Lee, prolific director Eric Khoo then dreamt up a vision for what would be the national theme song of this year: Our Singapore.
The video begins in black and white, chronicling the nation’s past – including Independence Day, and the time when its people moved from the kampungs to Housing Development Board (HDB) flats. With the first airport, building of the shipping industry and even moments of racial harmony – colour floods in, like hope, reflecting Singapore’s amazing success story.
Mobile columns make a stunning return
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We may be small, but whenever troops and supplies are needed – Singapore always rises magnificently to the occasion. Returning after a five-year hiatus, the Mobile Column demonstrated the vigilance of the nation through its 179 assets, showcasing machines that have never been seen before in previous parades. Always ahead of the times, the NDP 2015 Mobile Column App was also introduced – a quick one- step solution to understanding the military machines that were rolling past the audience.
Picture credit: www.ndp.org.sg
Icons of Singapore
Ask any self-respecting Singaporean what he or she misses most after an extended time abroad and the answer is almost always the same: the food. So it made sense then that a gigantic chilli crab, durian and bowl of ice kachang props made it onto the Padang stage, as did other icons such as the HDB block, iconic dragon playground, and the Changi Airport control tower.
Picture credit: PM Lee Hsien Loong
