Eye-catching light-ups and decorations to check out in the city, delectable festive treats to feast on, and festive shopping to indulge in aside, it is the spirit of giving that makes each Christmas season feel truly special.
While many of us look forward to receiving and giving gifts wrapped in pretty packaging, it is often what's intangible that brings us the most joy — think the time you spend in the company of your friends and family or that feeling of knowing that you can wind down for a bit after a long year.
Just like the aforementioned things, the presents that members of the local music community come bearing each year contribute greatly to the Christmas cheer. Crafted with love by artists across different genres and languages, Christmas releases from sunny Singapore often offer unique perspectives on the beloved holiday.
Ahead of Christmas this year, Hear65 caught up with three homegrown names — vocalist and radio presenter John Klass, singer-songwriter Poh Chin, and music trio LimTayPeng — to discover how they put together their 2023 Christmas releases, learn their thoughts on made-in-Singapore festive tunes, and find out what makes Christmas special to them
POH CHIN - 'FIRST SNOW'
Credit: Poh Chin
Poh Chin is a budding singer-songwriter who has been creating music from the comfort of his bedroom since 2019, the year he launched his first single, 'Rose'. Over the last few years, he has released two full-length albums — 2020's lmao. and 2021's neverland — as well as several singles. The SAFRA The Ultimate Talent 2020 semifinalist unveiled a new Christmas single, 'First Snow', this November.
What inspired you to release a Christmas track this year?
I was studying in New York for about four months during my student exchange programme last year and I was so inspired that I started working on an album about my time there. As I was there during winter, I got the chance to experience snow for the first time in my life, and it was a big moment for me. I have always liked the idea of snow, so being able to revel in that weather was truly a dream come true. This extended to ticking “having a white Christmas” off my bucket list as well. As such, I thought that 'First Snow' would be the perfect song to release this Christmas season while I roll out new songs off my upcoming album.
Credit: Poh Chin
"I have always liked the idea of snow, so being able to revel in that weather was truly a dream come true."
When you were putting 'First Snow' together, what were some messages and emotions that you wanted to convey to your listeners?
I simply wanted to share this very monumental moment of mine and immortalise the emotions I felt when I made this song. It was like crafting a very detailed text message while giving it [a] melody. While I was thinking of what lyrics to write, I wanted to make this song uniquely mine by adding elements specific to my experience, so I quite literally documented the day into the song. I included moments like being excited after seeing the snowflake icon set for 7 PM in my weather app, rushing out of the apartment to walk in the snow at the carpark (or as they call it, the parking lot) at 7:45 PM, and walking slowly along People’s Avenue in Troy, New York, to stay outside longer before I had to eventually meet my friends at a chapel nearby.
I wanted this song to represent the childlike innocence of that moment as well. I felt like I was a young boy again as I was playing in the snow, which made the moment all the more fun and memorable for me. As I was producing the song, I wanted to make the song a sonic representation of how light and pretty the snow I experienced was. This trickled into the way I recorded my vocals as well. I tried to sing in [an] airy falsetto for most of the first half of the song, which is something I’ve never really explored before. It is also intentionally one of the shortest songs I have ever written to represent how my first snow experience was a similarly fleeting moment.
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"As I was producing the song, I wanted to make the song a sonic representation of how light and pretty the snow I experienced was."
In your opinion, how are made-in-Singapore Christmas tunes different from those made in the West and other parts of the world?
I think a big difference is that we don’t have winter in Singapore. Most of us rarely get to have the whole white Christmas experience, which all the more makes it so much more special when we finally do get to experience it. On the other hand, some of these songs write about having a Christmas summer, which is an interesting twist as those from the West do not cover this theme as often as well. The only song I can think of at the top of my head that covers this theme from the West would be 'Winter Things' by Ariana Grande.
I might be wrong, but another thing we do that I feel is different is that more often than not, we like to go for a classy, jazzy type of sound, which sounds undoubtedly great and does fit the occasion. However, the iconic Christmas bells sound is usually missing, which I think is a huge part of making a Christmas song iconic, although I feel like it’s a give-or-take situation. You don’t hear loud Christmas bells in the classy 'It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas' by Michael Bublé and they are also very soft in his version of 'Holly Jolly Christmas'. Meanwhile, they are a big part of what makes Mariah Carey’s 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' so iconic as a Christmas-pop song! However, this could stem from how we (or at least I) don’t hear Christmas bells too often in Singapore to begin with. As such, it is not strongly associated with the Christmas vibe in Singapore.
Credit: Poh Chin
What are favourite ways to spend Christmas/the holiday season each year?
I typically like to spend Christmas with family. We usually have a big Christmas party at home every year and the big extended family usually gathers to spend time with each other. We would set up a fake Christmas tree in the middle of the house and put decorations and lights on it. We would also have a Secret Santa Lottery, where everyone brings a mystery present to add to the pool of gifts under the tree. Each gift will be labelled [with] a number and each person will draw a number from a box. They would then get the gift with their corresponding drawn number.
As a child growing up, I’ve always deemed this Christmas party as one of the biggest family events every year and the sentiment still stays. I naturally do not plan to go out for Christmas because I always assume that we will host this annual party. It is amazing to reconnect with the whole big family at this time of the year.
Listen to Poh Chin's 'First Snow' here:
JOHN KLASS - 'CHRISTMAS IN MY MIND (REISSUE)'
Credit: John Klass
If you have tuned in to Singapore-based radio station Gold905 recently, chances are you would be familiar with John Klass' voice. When he is not keeping listeners company in the form of a friendly voice on local airwaves, the multi-talented Klass splits his time between hosting, providing music and media training and education, and making music. On the music front, he has fronted the bands KICK! and The Professionals and released solo tracks such as 'I Just Fall In Love Again', 'Ballad', and 'Believing In Fergie's Fighters', a tribute song to Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United team.
In late November, Klass released a reissue of 'Christmas In My Mind', a holiday single that was originally released in December 2022.
What inspired you to release a Christmas track this year?
For the past 15 years, I had held onto the dream of writing and recording my very own Christmas song. However, life always seemed to get in the way, and the project remained shelved. It wasn't until last year, when I found myself having to isolate and confine myself because of COVID, that the perfect opportunity presented itself.
With spare time on my hands, I finally seized the moment and embarked on bringing my long-awaited Christmas song to life.
Over the course of three days, I poured my heart and soul into the creative process. The lyrics came flowing, the melodies took shape, and before I knew it, the song was complete. I had captured the essence of my vision and transformed it into a demo, complete with the song's structure and guide instrumentation. It was a labor of love, fueled by both determination and circumstance.
Credit: John Klass
"It (my song) was a labor of love, fueled by both determination and circumstance."
When you were putting 'Christmas In My Mind' together, what were some messages and emotions that you wanted to convey to your listeners?
This song holds a special place in my heart, resonating with the magic of Christmas on multiple levels. It's my personal love letter to the holiday season.
During my childhood, I was fortunate to experience wonderful Christmases surrounded by the love of my family. With three older siblings and caring parents, those moments were truly enchanting. I can still recall the melodies of Christmas songs playing on our home's turntable, the twinkle of lights, the festive decorations, and the joy of unwrapping presents. We would dress up and head to midnight Christmas mass, singing carols in the church choir. It was a time of pure happiness.
However, everything changed just before my 13th birthday. Without any warning, my mother decided to leave us, leaving our once secure and complete family shattered. Our home was no longer whole. I didn't see my mother again until 32 years later, but that's a story for another time.
As the years went by, I desperately tried to recapture the feelings I had during Christmas as a child. I formed a caroling group with my school friends and managed to secure gigs at various malls in Singapore, even through my late teens. I had a close-knit group of friends, and we exchanged gifts while attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve. All of this was an attempt to fill the void left by what I had lost.
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Finally, when I got married and started my own family, I was able to create new Christmas memories with my wife and two daughters. It was a chance to build something beautiful and meaningful.
Even today, whenever I crave that special "Christmas feeling", I turn to the songs that accompanied my childhood, especially the albums I grew up listening to. These Christmas tunes have become my source of comfort and inspiration, lifting my spirits whenever I need a little pick-me-up, no matter the time of year.
That's what 'Christmas In My Mind' is all about. It's a heartfelt love song that tells the story of a man who meets his true love during the December Christmas season. Sadly, he loses her after they exchange vows. Now, whenever he longs to cherish those precious memories of their love, he simply conjures up Christmas in his mind. It's a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the enduring magic of Christmas.
Credit: John Klass
"['Christmas In My Mind' is] a heartfelt love song that tells the story of a man who meets his true love during the December Christmas season."
In your opinion, how are made-in-Singapore Christmas tunes different from those made in the West and other parts of the world?
'Christmas In My Mind' was crafted as a melodic pop song infused with the magic of Christmas. Growing up, I loved Wham!'s timeless hit, 'Last Christmas'! It was a pure pop gem that captured the essence of the holiday season.
That's exactly how I envisioned my own Christmas song. I wanted to pay homage to the spirit of 'Last Christmas' while deliberately infusing it with a nostalgic touch. The result is a festive tune that takes you on a delightful journey back in time while keeping the Christmas vibes alive and thriving.
What are favourite ways to spend Christmas/the holiday season each year?
For me, it's all about being in the company of my beloved family and friends. There's truly nothing that compares to the warmth and joy found in meaningful human connections. It's in these moments that life truly blossoms with happiness.
Sending out a heartfelt message of peace and love to every corner of humanity ❤️. May this holiday season bring us all closer together, spreading kindness and creating memories that will be treasured forever.
Listen to 'Christmas In My Mind (Reissue)' here:
Watch the music video for 'Christmas In My Mind (Reissue)' here:
LIMTAYPENG - '十二月的热情 (DECEMBER LOVE)'
Credit: LimTayPeng
Made up of singers Aaron Matthew Lim and Tay Sia Yeun and composer-pianist Peng Chi Sheng, LimTayPeng, as their name (Hokkien for "Drink Iced Tea") suggests, are a music group who pride themselves on making songs that show their love for the Little Red Dot. Since their formation in 2019, the trio have populated their music library with songs about the Lunar New Year, Christmas, life during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even bubble tea.
Just this November, LimTayPeng launched their latest Christmas number, '十二月的热情 (December Love)'. Accompanying the Mandarin track's release was a remix of it featuring DJs from local radio station 96.3好FM.
What inspired you to release a Christmas track this year?
LimTayPeng has been releasing Christmas singles in Mandarin every year since 2019, celebrating the uniqueness of the Singapore Christmas experience, which is miles away from the familiar Western image of a white Christmas, and reminding everyone of our bilingual Singaporean cultural identity.
LimTayPeng is, at its very core, a trio of Singaporeans. As such, we insist on releasing songs that celebrate what is uniquely SINGAPORE. Our songs talk about many aspects of Singapore's culture and history, and we even have a song about the taboo Hungry Ghost Festival!
"LimTayPeng is, at its very core, a trio of Singaporeans. As such, we insist on releasing songs that celebrate what is uniquely SINGAPORE."
When you were putting '十二月的热情 (December Love)' together, what were some messages and emotions that you wanted to convey to your listeners?
With reference to our song lyrics for '十二月的热情 (December Love)', Singapore may not have New York's Rockefeller Centre’s festive lighting, but we have our own Singaporean Orchard Road Christmas lights! We may not have winter landscapes or snowflakes, but we have Tanglin Mall and its iconic artificial snow, which many of us have fond childhood memories of. Celebrating Christmas in Singapore is certainly a heartwarming experience, as Christmas will never be complete without the company of our loved ones, rejoicing in the festivities, reflecting on the events of the past year, and renewing the plans for the New Year to come.
Credit: LimTayPeng
"We may not have winter landscapes or snowflakes, but we have Tanglin Mall and its iconic artificial snow, which many of us have fond childhood memories of."
In your opinion, how are made-in-Singapore Christmas tunes different from those made in the West and other parts of the world?
With regard to our song lyrics, since 2019, LimTayPeng’s Mandarin Christmas singles have each had a unique Singaporean twist. For example, '不下雪的冬季 (Snowless Winter)’ in 2019 celebrates the Singapore snowless winter experience. 2020’s '圣诞在线 (Christmas Online)’ records a historic moment when travelling was disallowed, and all Singaporeans were forced to celebrate Christmas online because of COVID restrictions. ‘Christmas Summer (圣诞夏夜)' in 2021 talks about how every season in Singapore is summer, and Christmas is no different! 2022’s '圣诞魔力 (Merry Christmas Everybody)’ celebrates the removal of COVID travel restrictions, allowing the magic of Christmas to return to all Singaporeans!
As for tunes that are made in Singapore, we believe that we are exposed to music from all around the world, and so our influences can come from Korea, Taiwan, China, the UK, the US, and many other countries! Our songs are mostly uptempo, fun, and happy, and that keeps our listeners coming back for more of this positive and upbeat energy from LimTayPeng!
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What are favourite ways to spend Christmas/the holiday season each year?
LimTayPeng loves to meet up with friends and enjoy good food and company, and that is probably what each of us would be doing this festive season! As our song lyrics say, whenever we are in Singapore during the Christmas season, we can always drop by the shopping malls with our family and enjoy the Christmas decorations and lighting along Orchard Road, especially the artificial snow display at Tanglin Mall. Or, we can meet up with friends in cafes and take IG videos and photos to celebrate the season together! And of course, we can also enjoy a good cosy family dinner with our family at home, enjoying the company of our loved ones.
Listen to LimTayPeng's '十二月的热情 (December Love)' here:
Check out LimTayPeng's Christmas playlist, featuring a mix of originals and tracks by international acts, here:
