On Wednesday (28 Sep), after extensive chatter and impassioned pleas for him to step up to the job, the man whom everybody wants to be the next Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Tharman Shanmugaratnam emerged to state categorically that he is not going to be the next Prime Minister.

This comes as a bit of a shock and heartbreak for Singaporeans. After all, DPM Tharman is widely considered to be one of the best men for the job.

As with everything else that gives us grief or disappointment, there is always music to empathise with our plight.

So because we understand how you feel, we've chosen five songs that match the five stages of grief we are all going through in accepting this tragic news:

1. Denial:

Ah, the classic state of denial, which quite a few Singaporeans are clearly still in. If these comments are anything to go by, anyway:

2. Anger:

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Because HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO US?

3. Bargaining:

Look, Tharman, as PM you will undoubtedly shine bright like a diamond. And we will all be extremely proud of the sparkle you'll bring to our country, and the world, as our brightest, shiniest representative.

Your passion for an inclusive society is beautiful and your intellect and charisma is rare, like a diamond in the sky.

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So shine bright, tonight, you and us (Singapore).

4. Depression:

Okay, here's when we realise that he really spoke about it quite definitively.

It's clear from what he's said that his role is one that should be more supportive, and he listed former DPMs Goh Keng Swee and S.Rajaratnam as illustrations of what he feel his role should be.

Never mind, we'll find someone like him. Impossible as it feels to us right now. And we'll wish nothing but the best for him.

5. Acceptance:

And so, our hopes of Tharman becoming PM sail away... into a grey sky morning. But hey, we'll just hold in our hearts the assurance that he's one of the best DPMs we'll ever have.

In case you want to read some more serious stories about #TharmanforPM:

Why DPM Tharman has no choice but to respond to the “next PM” speculation

Here’s everything DPM Tharman said about being PM when he categorically said “not me” three times

DPM Tharman sounds like a PM when he categorically states he does not want to be PM

Top image adapted from here and from Adele's Someone Like You music video. 

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