Serving The Nation With Their Musical Talent
For almost 50 years, the Music & Drama Company (MDC) has launched the careers of many of Singapore's most illustrious artistes.
First formed in 1973 as a way to boost the morale of SAF troops through live entertainment, MDC was once the NS stomping ground of entertainment stars like Dick Lee, Jeremy Monteiro, Sheikh Haikel, Jack Neo, Chua En Lai, Gurmit Singh and Najip Ali. The level of talent in MDC was, still is, and most likely will continue to be, in a word, insane!
Now, there's a new batch of alumni who have taken their musical skills from the balmy stages of Pulau Tekong to mainland Singapore - and beyond. With National Day around the corner, we pay tribute to these artistes who've never failed to show love for the nation through their musical projects.
Dominic Chin
The 25-year-old singer-songwriter Dominic Chin has gone from being an NSF with MDC to joining the company full-time. When it comes to soaring vocals, you could say he's the poster boy of the current generation of singer-songwriters. His original compositions have also garnered him a growing fanbase that is moved by his vulnerability and earnest lyrics.
Recent "national service": Dominic wrote and performed a tribute to the Singapore Armed Forces (entitled "Courage and Strength") as part of the recent SAF Day observance on 1 July, and it is an absolute banger. Pairing the montage of our servicemen in action together with Dominic's awe-inspiring voice is a winning combination. It is a performance that will definitely make you #hormatSAF. The song begins at the 1:00-minute mark in the video above.
Sezairi Sezali
R&B singer Sezairi is no stranger to most people. Ever since winning Singapore Idol Season 3 over a decade ago, the 34-year-old has gone on to establish himself as one of the most consistent and recognisable voices in the local scene with tracks such as "It's You" (a wedding favourite) and "70s". It's certainly a long way from his days conducting arts education programmes with MDC in his No. 4 uniform at secondary schools.
Recent "national service": This year, Sezairi follows in the footsteps of his Singapore Idol predecessors Taufik Batisah and Hady Mirza by having his name attached to a National Day Parade song. NDP 2021's theme "The Road Ahead" sees him performing alongside fellow singers Linying, Shye-Anne Brown, and Shabir Tabare Alam and has been praised for being one of the best NDP songs in recent years. Enamoured by the song's uplifting tune and the accompanying music video's charming animation, we can't help but agree.
