PopLore – A Year of Singapore Popular Music is an exploration and celebration of Singapore's vibrant popular music scene spanning from the 1960s to the present and beyond. Presented by The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay as part of its 20th-anniversary celebrations, the year-long programme will bring us gripping live performances, engaging podcasts and documentaries, and a compelling exhibition at Esplanade.
Kicking off on January 1 with Gemilang, a showcase of Malay pop icons like Najip Ali and Nurul Aini, the rest of January through March will feature more well-loved Singapore artists. Tune in to XingPop 2.0 on February 12 to catch local talents like Olivia Ong, Nathan Hartono and Hong Junyang as they retrace the last two decades of Singapore's Mandopop history.
In March, we go back in time to celebrate Singapore's pop legacy through three exhilarating concerts. Blast from the Past will bring members of three legendary groups to the stage: John and Raymond of The Crescendos, brothers Mel and Joe Ferdinands and Peter Diaz of The October Cherries. Also, catch 10 getai artists – from veterans Huang Qing Yuan and Lin Ru Ping to next-gen artists 2Z Sisters and Andi Goh take the stage to perform the best of this unique genre in Getai in Retrospect. Meanwhile, Malam Yeh Yeh brings together icons in the pop yeh yeh scene – Asmuri, June Abdullah, Rudi Salim and more.
Later in the year, the one-and-only Dick Lee will perform with Omnitones and vocal trio Third Degree. This project will showcase new music created in collaboration with the group, as well as a retrospect on Dick Lee classics. Jazzing things up will be 45 RPM – Jeremy's Jazz Journal, where the "King of Swing" Jeremy Monteiro will take us on a musical journey through his 45-year legacy.
The later half of 2022 will see more promising young artists and popular singers such as Charlie Lim, Shabir and Murali Krishnan performing at The Esplanade Concert Hall. A special New Year's Eve performance at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre is also in the works to ring in 2023 with Singapore's brightest musical acts.
Complementing the live performances are podcasts and documentaries that the public can tune into the delve into Singapore's rich pop music legacy. PopLore – Stories of Singapore Pop is a seven-episode podcast that will take you through the highs and lows of Singapore's music history. It's chockful of lively tales and exclusive insights from over 25 industry figures including veteran broadcaster Brian Richmond, singer Rahimah Rahim, singer-songwriter Mohamed Raffee and more. Catch the episodes on Esplanade Offstage, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Mediacorp's meLISTEN.
More to be excited for – Esplanade has also announced Home Grooves, a year-long exhibition at the Esplanade Concourse that will begin in August 2022; and a video series meant to demystify Singapore pop also due for release in August this year – keep your eyes peeled for more updates on the official website.