It’s that time of the year again as we hear perennial favourite “We are Singapore” being played for the umpteenth time. I digress. Within the past two months, heavy-hitters and rising up-and-comers in the music scene have upped the ante, releasing singles accompanied with stunning music videos.

Ranging from the likes of hip-hop upstart Yung Raja, evergreen post-hardcore rockers Caracal, to Rich Brian-like rapper The Azn Sensation, Singapore is none short of great music videos to watch when it comes to this National Day season.

We list a few made-in-Singapore music videos that have caught our eye and are proud to call our own. Majulah.

1. Caracal — Manicenigmatic 

This is one tough word to swallow. Manic-enig-matic. In layman terms, this means deranged and mysterious.

Why you should check it out: Ever since the departure of charismatic vocalist KC meals, the band has been in a state of limbo since 2015. A few replacement names were floated along the way, such as HRVST’s Melvin Ong, but nothing had been cast in stone. Fast forward to 2018, and the band boasts a new singer in Rock Rosette’s Rachel Lu and a new bassist/unclean vocalist in Tomgirl’s Trent Davis.

2. Disco Hue  — Can’t Be Mine 

Disco Hue yet impresses with yet another wild-but-creative video.

Why you should check it out: We’ve written features about this four-piece band before; and we’re constantly impressed by the strong storytelling and vintage aesthetics that accompany with their music videos. Maybe they could compete for the title of Singapore’s very own OK Go?

3. THE AZN SEN$ATION — Emoji

You’ll never look at emojis the same way again.

Why you should check it out: We have no idea where this Travis Scott/Wachowski brothers-looking character comes from, but boy are we digging this video.  This two-minute plus video is almost as crazy as it sounds: mini-baby grand pianos, psychedelic visions and life-sized emojis.

Music-wise, we’ve got to hand it to THE AZN SEN$ATION for balancing the parody schtick with hard flows and emotive vocals.

4. Nikhil Senan — Tribe (Feat. Hevina Kuar) 

We can’t tell if this is one or two music videos.

Why you should check it out: What’s good hip-hop fans! These past months, we’ve been blessed with not one, but the emergence of three sterling rap acts. Upstart Nikhil Senan’s smooth storytelling brings to mind the likes of legends like Common and Q-Tip. Accompanied by a beautifully-shot music video that pieces personal clips together, here’s one act to catch in the future.

5. Yung Raja – Mustafa

Yung Raja gives Jim Carey’s Riddler a run for his money.

Why you should check it out: Where have you been if you haven’t heard of rap prodigy Yung Raja? Ever since he appeared on Joe Flizzow’s 16 Baris, Raja’s clout has skyrocketed dramatically. In this video, Yung Raja rocks Jim Carey’s Riddler look, and raps about Singapore’s very own beloved 24-hour shopping joint, Mustafa Centre.

Happy National Day everyone!

Read these other articles on National Day in Singapore:

https://popspoken.com/music/2011/07/national-day-parade-theme-songs-through-the-years

https://popspoken.com/wine-dine/2017/08/one-nation-together-singapore-yum

https://popspoken.com/opinion/2015/08/ndp-today-elections-tomorrow-a-recap-of-singapores-good-and-bad-sides-in-its-sg50-year

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