Mandopop has always been an integral part of Singapore's music scene. In fact, its history dates back to the 1980s, an era that saw the initial rise of xinyao that led to the popularity of, and eventual inclusion of Mandopop in the local music scene.
In the 1980s, Singaporean youths composed and sang local folk anthems about life in Singapore - these tunes were known as 'xinyao'. The popularity of xinyao brought many musicians into the Mandopop scene, including veterans Liang Wern Fook, Dawn Gan (Yan Liming) and Pan Ying, and currently-established artists such as Billy Koh, Wong Hong Mok, George Leong and Zennon Goh.
Xinyao's popularity and contribution to the rise of Mandopop eventually led to the creation of Ocean Butterflies International, the publishing house responsible for grooming the likes of JJ Lin, A-Do, Kit Chan, Joi Chua, BY2 and Jocie Guo, all of whom have experienced various levels of success in the international Mandopop scene.
Fans of the local Mandopop scene will also be familiar with singers like Stefanie Sun and Tanya Chua, who are recognised as big names even in competitive markets like Taiwan and China, as well as Olivia Ong and Wu Jiahui, whose songs have also become very popular among Singaporean listeners.
In our Mandopop playlist, we've included songs not only sung, but also composed or produced by Singaporeans. Let our playlist take you on a journey through Singapore's Mandopop history, with iconic songs all the way from the 80s and 90s from Dawn Gan, Kit Chan and Mavis Hee, to more recent hits by the likes of JJ Lin, BY2 and The Freshman.
