As Singapore marks six decades of music, Sing60 Music Festival arrives this 6 and 7 December at Fort Canning Park as a landmark celebration of sound, culture, and creativity. Bringing together over 60 artists across generations, the festival is helmed by three creative powerhouses — Festival Director Nicholas Tee, alongside Creative Directors Jeremiah Choy and Lim Sek — each representing a different facet of Singapore’s artistic evolution.
Nicholas Tee is known for experimental works like BUNKER BY NIGHT and cmd.exe: Portals, bringing a bold, future-looking edge to Sing60. Jeremiah Choy, the veteran producer behind national showcases such as Sing50 and ChildAid, grounds the festival in storytelling and heritage. Meanwhile, Lim Sek, co-founder of Music & Movement and a pop industry pioneer who’s shaped icons like Tanya Chua and Frances Yip, bridges Singapore’s golden pop era with its vibrant present.
Together, this trio are crafting a festival that’s more than a festival — it’s a living story of Singapore’s music, where past meets present and the next generation takes the stage.
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Sing60 marks 60 years of Singapore music — what was the spark that made each of you say yes to taking on this landmark festival?
Nicholas Tee: Sing60 is really a musical love letter that seeks to make a loud and emphatic statement about the richness and diversity of Singapore’s music scene. 60 is not only an important historical milestone; it’s also significant in the span of one’s life. It’s an opportunity to reflect on what has gone past but also a chance to look forward to what comes next – and looking forward is what I’m most excited about.
Jeremiah Choy: I was the Creative Director for Sing50 in celebration of SG50 10 years ago. So when I was asked to work on this project again, I said yes without any hesitation.
Lim Sek: I have been a big fan of Singapore music since the day I discovered wonderful local compositions at a songwriting contest at the National Theatre in the 1970s. After joining the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation as a variety unit producer, I had the opportunity to work with many talented Singaporean singers and composers. One of the English series I produced — Singers & Their Songs — was a four-part tribute to Singapore music.
Later, I co-founded Music & Movement with Dick Lee, where my love for local music deepened. My hope was to bring local acts abroad and have them signed to international labels. Supporting local music has always been in my entertainment DNA. Taking on Sing60 felt like a calling — not only to showcase new talents but also to celebrate our musical heritage and unite generations of Singaporeans around the music in their own backyard.
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With your different backgrounds — experimental art, national productions, and pop music industry — how do you balance and blend these perspectives into one cohesive festival?
Nicholas Tee: When we first conceptualised this festival, I was excited about curating artists across three different programme strands to show the diversity of Singapore’s music landscape. Even amongst the three of us, we have very different musical tastes — but that’s precisely what makes us complement each other. I truly believe there’s something for everyone at this festival.
Jeremiah Choy: I’ve worked with Lim Sek on several projects before — we work well together, almost in sync. With Nick, this is the first time I’m collaborating on something of this scale. Once we settled on our roles and programmes, planning and programming came naturally.
Lim Sek: We wanted to include a wide spectrum of music genres and showcase what Singapore talents have to offer. A single themed show on the main stage wouldn’t suffice, which is why we designed this as a festival. Fort Canning offered multiple spaces to present each genre in its ideal setting. To attract more audiences, we added a lifestyle component — F&B, fashion, artisan products — so that music forms the backbone of a vibrant, family-friendly event.
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The festival spans six decades of music. What was the most challenging part of curating a lineup that honours heritage while staying future-looking?
Nicholas Tee: The most challenging bit was choosing who to leave out — a good problem to have! Singapore has too many good musicians. We wanted artists with stories to tell, and weaving those narratives into the festival was key.
Jeremiah Choy: After Sing50, where we featured the movers and shakers of our first 50 years, the challenge was to approach things differently this time. We wanted to feature the songwriter-singer’s narrative and involve bands and DJs, hence the festival format. Artists are observers of society — their songs reflect our changing hopes and stories. Through that, we hope to show how Singapore has evolved and continues to grow.
Lim Sek: Every generation has its own music. Our goal was to let different generations share and learn from each other. We asked younger artists to think about their early influences and how those shaped their music. Many were excited to reinterpret classics or collaborate across eras. The hardest part wasn’t finding heritage acts — it was curating the incredible pool of new talent. We hope audiences will continue discovering and supporting them long after Sing60.
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Beyond the music, Sing60 has a pay-it-forward model for underserved youth. Why was it important to embed social impact into the DNA of this festival?
Nicholas Tee: It’s easy to forget that not everyone can access a festival like this. Access and inclusion are values I deeply believe in, so embedding social impact was essential. The thrill of live music should be for everyone, and this model lets us open that experience to those who might not otherwise afford it.
Jeremiah Choy: Music has the power to transform. It should be for all — especially underserved youth, who are the creative forces of the future. Hopefully, they’re inspired to carry the gift of music into their lives and share it with others.
Lim Sek: One of Sing50’s most memorable moments was gifting 50 pianos to schools that promoted local music. It made music more accessible. With Sing60, the “Gift of 60 Guitars” continues that spirit — planting seeds for the next JJ Lin or Dick Lee, and encouraging more young people to join the local music movement.
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Nicholas, your past works like BUNKER BY NIGHT and cmd.exe: Portals pushed experimental boundaries. How are you bringing that same boldness into Sing60’s programming, especially with Bunker B2B?
Nicholas Tee: With BUNKER BY NIGHT and Portals, we showed how a historic site like the Battlebox can be transformed into a space for music, performance, and contemporary art. Bunker B2B builds on that — pairing veteran and next-gen DJs for an intergenerational sonic collision. I’m always looking for ways to shake things up by foregrounding experimental practices and bringing them to new audiences.
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Jeremiah, you’ve been at the helm of national-scale productions like Sing50 and ChildAid. How does Sing60 differ in terms of storytelling, and what narrative are you hoping audiences will walk away with?
Jeremiah Choy: Sing60 is like an update of Sing50, 10 years later. Back then, we presented Singapore’s vibrant musical history through icons like Stefanie Sun and Dick Lee. Now, the landscape has changed. The rise of the internet and social media has produced a generation of independent artists — songwriter-singers telling stories shaped by their experiences.
We also want to “cross-introduce” audiences — young fans discovering older tunes, and older fans meeting the next generation. From lullaboy reimagining 'Widuri' to the Talentime All-Stars reunion, we’re bridging eras. It’s not a definitive survey, but a snapshot of how far we’ve come — and a reminder to look at Singapore music differently.
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Lim Sek, you’ve helped shape Singapore’s pop scene from Tanya Chua to Frances Yip and Sandy Lam. For Sing60, how are you connecting that golden era of pop with today’s rising stars?
Lim Sek: Good music must move and connect people. Whether from the golden era or today, that’s the goal. We asked younger performers to explore the songs that shaped their families and heritage — and reimagine them for today. Expect reinterpretations of classics like 'Within You Remain', 'Life Story', and 'Getaran Jiwa', plus a medley of Talentime-era hits.
I also hope to share lessons of longevity and craft. Working with greats like Sandy Lam and Judy Ongg taught me the discipline, dedication, and respect they have for their craft. If our younger artists can embrace those same values, I’m confident they’ll bring about another golden age of Singapore pop.
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Tickets are available via SISTIC at S$40 for a 1-Day Pass and S$60 for a 2-Day Pass. Tickets can also be redeemed using Culture Pass credits as part of a nationwide initiative to boost engagement with local arts.
