Singapore – The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) has released two new official music videos for ‘Majulah Singapura’, the national anthem of Singapore. Broadcasted on free-to-air channels every morning, the previous version of the film was created in 2011. This marks its first change in over a decade.
The two new films, titled ‘Bersatu’ (Unite) and ‘Majulah’ (Onward), focus on different aspects of the nation’s story. While ‘Bersatu’ celebrates our racial and religious harmony as well as our intergenerational rapport, ‘Majulah’ highlights our national achievements, and the coming together of one people to build a future we all aspire towards.
The two films were a result of discussions and planning that began in late 2023. The goal: To resonate with as many Singaporeans as possible, and to chart a collective path towards a progressive future.
Led by GOVT, the films were jointly conceptualised with Freeflow Productions, and co-directed by Roslee Bin Yusof and Leroy Lim. The project represents the coming together of two homegrown independent creative companies for a single national cause.
Together, they share a common creative vision to build the films from scratch, and not rely entirely on archival footages. This allows the scenarios and stories portrayed in the work to be current, inclusive and authentic; a nod to the changing times of Singapore— and Singaporeans—today.
To that end, the films feature personalities never before seen in previous national anthem films, like a female firefighter as well as a blind dragon boater. It also includes new iconic landmarks such as Gardens by the Bay, Jewel Changi Airport and Sentosa Sensoryscape.
Lastly, the film is set to the re-recording of the National Anthem, performed and released by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra on 3 December 2019.
Aaron Koh, co-founder of GOVT and creative lead on both films, said, “Growing up as a kid singing the national anthem, this has to be by far the most sentimental piece of work I’ve done and I’m extremely proud I did it with a team that pulled in the same direction.”
He added, “The new renditions build upon the timeless melody composed by Zubir Said while bringing a fresh, contemporary perspective through everyday triumphs, resilience and hopes for generations to come.”
Meanwhile, Leroy Lim, co-director of the films, commented, “We wanted the two pieces of film to be a celebration of progress. But more importantly, of a sense of connection between our people, communities and nation. Just like the lyrics of the anthem: “Let us unite in a new spirit (Dengan semangat yang baru),” we hope that these films will be a rallying cry and inspiration for all Singaporeans, now and in the years to come.”
