Apparently, nobody knows anything about NDP 2025 Theme song “Here We Are”! Why?

As a music vendor working in MOE primary schools, I was genuinely surprised to find that many students had never heard of the National Day Parade (NDP) 2025 theme song, “Here We Are.” Curious, I asked a few more questions and quickly realised that most of them didn’t know who Charlie Lim or Kit Chan were either.

Watch our funky version of the NDP 2025 theme song “Here We Are”! 

To be fair, I also found myself on the receiving end of a cultural gap. Some boys pointed at me and said “Rizz,” and I had no idea what they meant. That moment made me feel just how far removed I was from their world, and it highlighted a strong disconnect between what we teach and what today’s students relate to.

This blog post is my response to that gap. Music education has always been our mission, and it is now more important than ever. Running a music school in Singapore, I feel a deep responsibility to help young learners discover and appreciate the vibrant local music scene that has shaped our nation’s cultural identity.

This is my contribution to National Education (NE), and I hope it inspires others to do the same. Let’s bring our music back into the hearts of our children.

Are there more NDP Theme songs like “Here We Are” ?

In 2014, Vinnie Classroom created a medley that featured all the National Day Parade (NDP) theme songs released up to that year. At the time, there were already 16 songs, and fitting them all into one video was no easy task.

Since then, the number has grown to an impressive 28 official NDP theme songs. Below is a complete list of the songs every Singaporean should know.

1. 1998 – Home
2. 1999 – Together
3. 2000 – Shine on me
4. 2001 – Where I belong
5. 2002 – We will get there
6. 2003 – One united people
7. 2004 – Home
8. 2005 – Reach out for the skies
9. 2006 – My island home
10. 2007 – Will you
11. 2008 – Shine on me
12. 2009 – What do you see
13. 2010 – Song for Singapore
14. 2011 – In a heartbeat
15. 2012 – Love at first light
16. 2013 – One Singapore
17. 2014 – We will get there
18. 2015 – Our Singapore
19. 2016 – Tomorrow’s here today
20. 2017 – Because it’s Singapore
21. 2018 – We are Singapore
22. 2019 – Our Singapore
23. 2020 – Everything I am
24. 2021 – The road ahead
25. 2022 – Stronger together
26. 2023 – Shine your light
27. 2024 – Not alone
28. 2025 – Here we are

So, who are Charlie Lim and Kit Chan?

Charlie Lim and Kit Chan are both highly respected Singaporean singers, each with their own achievements and musical journey. Charlie Lim is best known as a singer-songwriter. He co-wrote and performed the NDP 2025 theme song “Here We Are” together with Kit Chan and The Island Voices. He also reimagined the 2018 NDP song “We Are Singapore,” giving it a modern touch that resonated with a new generation.

Kit Chan has been a beloved figure in the local music scene since her debut song 《不要伤了和气》in 1993. However, she is most famously known for performing “Home,” the very first annual NDP theme song. Since its release, “Home” has become a national favourite and is often considered the unofficial anthem of every National Day Parade.

Interestingly, while many children today can sing “Home” word for word, most have no idea who the original singer is. It’s a clear sign of how quickly cultural knowledge fades when not passed down intentionally.

Were there any NDP songs before 1998?

Yes, there were plenty of patriotic songs for the NDP before 1998, but they were not released every year. Instead, they were more like folk songs commonly sung in mass performances during the parade. These songs were also taught in schools and often sung together in school halls across Singapore.

Many of us remember singing them as a group, complete with coordinated actions and dance moves. Those were truly great times! Sing-along to these super classic NDP songs below!

What does it mean to know all this information?

While it may be true that these songs might not hold deep meaning for everyone, they represent us as Singaporeans. They serve as timely reminders of who we are and what we have achieved together as a nation.

This is the perfect time to sing these songs and feel proud of our heritage and country. And what could be better than singing them? Playing them, of course!

If you’d like to experience these songs in a whole new way, consider signing up for music lessons with us.

 

Consider signing up for trial lessons!.

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