Singaporean singer Amni Musfirah (centre, in white) performing the original NDP composition Hold Up The Sky, accompanied by singers from the Music & Drama Company. SINGAPORE – To prepare to sing the Malay song Anggerik Singapura for the 2024 National Day Parade (NDP), singer Amni Musfirah hired a Malay traditional voice teacher. The 29-year-old Malay Singaporean, who usually performs pop and R&B songs, did so to learn traditional Malay singing inflections to incorporate into her performance.
“As a 21st-century Singapore girl, I unfortunately did not grow up with traditional Malay music blasting in my ears,” she said. “(Undergoing training for the inflections) was an eye-opening experience for me, as I have never sung a traditional Malay song. My performance on the day will be a mix of traditional style and my personal style.
” Amni, who is performing at the NDP for the first time, also took pains to understand the lyrics. The title of the song translates to “The Orchids Of Singapore”. She said: “(The lyrics) position Singapore as a blooming orchid, and this is such an interesting and poetic idea to me.
My white dress (which I’ll be wearing when I perform) also has these beautiful wings, and I feel like a fantastical creature wearing it.” With this performance, Amni will open the parade’s Chapter Three, where the show segment begins. This year’s NDP show features theatrical elements across four chapters, each designed to captivate and uplift.
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