Just in time for Singapore's 59th birthday, Shabir Music Asia is launching Project Zero, a new podcast series hosted by acclaimed Tamil composer, producer and singer Shabir Sulthan. This 10-episode visual podcast features Singapore’s top music artists exploring the nation's musical identity and multiculturalism.
The idea for Project Zero originated in 2021 when Dick Lee and Rahimah Rahim asked Shabir, "But what is the Singapore sound?" This question inspired Shabir to embark on a journey to define this unique sound. In 2023, a quote from Lee Kuan Yew’s The Wit & Wisdom of Lee Kuan Yew reinforced Shabir's vision of celebrating Singapore's musical diversity.
"From my observation, the monolinguist is more likely to be a language chauvinist and a bigot. He only sees the world through one eye. He does not have binocular vision to see the world in depth, to realize that there are as rich, if not richer, worlds of human experience and knowledge, all expressed in beautiful words, elegantly, vividly, and fluently in other languages. He does not understand other great civilizations which have expressed themselves in other languages." - Lee Kuan Yew
Project Zero tackles the lack of curiosity and understanding among local musicians of different genres and backgrounds. By bringing together artists from various walks of life, Shabir aims to bridge these gaps and foster collaboration.
Each episode delves into the cultural influences and evolution of the Singaporean music scene. Past episodes have featured prominent musicians such as shazza, Jean Seizure, Don Richmond, Evan Low, Chok Kerong, Akeem Jahat, Fauxe, ABANGSAPAU, Axel Brizzy, Sheikh Haikel and JJ Neo, among others.
Upcoming episodes are set to feature even more renowned guests like Sezairi Sezali, Dick Lee, Dr. Samuel Wong, and Jeremy Monteiro.
Catch new episodes every Friday at 6pm SGT on YouTube (Shabirmusicasia) and Mewatch. Follow Shabir Music Asia on YouTube and Instagram to join the journey of defining the Singapore Sound.
