Has it been a year already?
It’s time to say goodbye to 2020 and welcome the new year with a sigh of relief.
For those in the arts and entertainment industries, 2021 couldn’t come sooner. Five of Singapore’s biggest acts—RRiley, Shigga Shay, Shye, Tabitha Nauser and Yung Raja—are ready to put the past 12 months aside as they share with SG Magazine their hopes and resolutions for the new year.
They’ll be performing live on Mediacorp’s annual countdown show, Let’s Celebrate 2021, along with an ensemble of homegrown hotshots and international acts like Jason Derulo and Ronan Keating. So tune in and look forward to an upbeat #SGTogetherBetterTomorrow.
RRiley
Bandmates Benjamin Kheng, Narelle Kheng and Jonathan Chua of The Sam Willows have already struck out with their solo projects; now it is Sandra Riley Tang’s turn. Performing as RRiley, she made her much-anticipated debut as a solo artiste with the release of her EP Alpha in Aug 2020.
In a nutshell, 2020 was…
“…a very strange year. I wish I could have done more music-wise, but it was definitely a year of insight and a year to re-calibrate personally.”
What do you think 2021 will be like?
“2021 will be a year where everyone will have adapted to the new normal and come out stronger than from 2020. A new normal comes with new opportunities so I think it’ll be an exciting year.”
What’s your wish for everyone in the new year?
“I hope everyone will have a successful year, and will achieve whatever they set out to achieve!”
My resolution is…
“I don’t usually set resolutions because I never keep them! But I do hope to achieve everything I did not in 2020.”
Shigga Shay
Talk about making a grand virtual entrance. This Singaporean rapper, who is also a music producer and film-maker, recently released a two-track EP 365 that was accompanied by an interactive show called ‘365’ Mixed Reality Experience. In a first-of-its-kind performance in Southeast Asia, he performed live as a digital avatar against a backdrop of 360-degree immersive stage sets.
In a nutshell, 2020 was…
“…a very introspective year for me. I feel like all the time spent working from home has given me a lot more time to reflect on certain things. You really start to think about what really matters in life.”
What do you think next year will be like?
“I think 2021 would be a year where plenty of amazing art will be put out into the world from creatives everywhere.”
What is your wish for everyone in 2021?
“My wish for everyone would be a brand new year showered with happiness & hope.”
My resolution is…
“…to drink more water and to exercise regularly. Health is wealth!”
Shye
Singer-songwriter Shye-Anne Brown is only 18 but has already made waves in the music scene with her electro-pop tunes. She just released her debut album days to morning glory on Dec 11.
In a nutshell, 2020 was…
“…challenging but fruitful. It was definitely an eye-opener!”
What do you think next year will be like?
“I would like to think that it will be the calm after the storm.”
What is your wish for everyone in 2021?
“I wish everyone peace, good health and lots of huatness in 2021!”
My resolution is…
“I plan to work on making new music and to keep improving on my production. Hopefully I can travel and play at festivals in the region.”
Tabitha Nauser
Third place winner in the third season of Singapore Idol, a reality star in Netflix’s Singapore Social, and a singer with a successful EP titled things I should have said—Tabitha Nauser has arguably become one of the most famous and successful artistes here. Watch this space as she prepares for more collaborations and original music.
In a nutshell, 2020…
“…has made me realise I’m more adaptable than I give myself credit for. It’s been a year of breakthroughs, both personally and professionally. I’ve found the silver lining and made the most of tough situations, and I believe I’ve come out stronger and wiser.”
What do you think next year will be like?
“I think 2021 is going to be what I decide to make of it. So I hope it’s going to be filled with love and passion, where I drive to push myself harder, and lots of exciting opportunities.”
What is your wish for everyone in 2021?
“That everyone else’s 2021 is what they make of it too!”
My resolution is…
“For 2020, despite almost no live performances, I’ve managed to release four tracks with two international collaborations. I hope that 2021 will be filled with more of these types of collaborations and packed with more original music releases. I’m a workaholic, and I really enjoy what I do, so I just want to be surrounded with endless opportunities to do what I love!”
Yung Raja
His hit song “Mustafa” may have propelled Yung Raja to fame but the Singaporean hip-hop artiste, known for rapping in English and Tamil, isn’t stopping there. The world’s his stage with the release of his two latest songs “The Dance Song” and “Damn Freestyle”.
In a nutshell, 2020 was…
“….a year of growth and perspective. All of us have been tested in every way possible—mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically, and we’re stronger than ever.”
What do you think next year will be like?
“I’m hopeful that 2021 will be a year of ascension for all of us. 2020 has shown us great depths of struggle and the lessons that came out of it.”
What is your wish for everyone in 2021?
“I hope we can come together and move forward to a more joyful year!”
My resolution is…
“I wish to share more music and more vibes with people. This world is in need of more light and I’m steadily working towards sharing mine.”
Watch Let’s Celebrate 2021 live on Channel 5 on Dec 31, 10.30pm to 12.15am. You can also watch the show on meWATCH and Mediacorp Entertainment on YouTube. More information available here.
