This year's National Day celebration, “Together, A Stronger Singapore”, looks and feels very different from past years', due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

For the first time ever, the NDP Evening Show will be held indoors, at the The Star Performing Arts Centre at Star Vista.

The show will feature films and live stage performances, and will tell inspirational and uplifting stories of real Singaporeans during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year's National Day Song, "Everything I Am", was composed by Joshua Wan and is performed by Nathan Hartono.

The music video for "Everything I Am", which was released on Jul. 13, featured some of these real Singaporeans, such as OK Chicken Rice owners Daniel Tan and Clara Loh, who delivered free chicken rice to healthcare workers, local deaf dance crew Redeafination, and local initiative “Come Makan With Me”, which encourages Singaporeans to invite migrant workers for a shared meal in their homes.

We caught up with Hartono as he gears up for his National Day performance, to hear more of his thoughts on taking the national stage amidst a pandemic, criticisms of 'Everything I Am' being "too slow" or "sad", and comments questioning his nationality.

How are you feeling in the lead-up to National Day and your performance?

"Excited and curious as to how the audience will respond! This year’s show is undoubtedly unique, but one of my favourite parts about it is how it is placing Singaporean stories front and centre.

2020 has been the year of individual acts of kindness, rallying together to bring us through a very difficult time. And a bulk of the show is dedicated to those stories.

It is extremely personal, confronting almost, to see the trials and tribulations many individuals have gone through for the last few months. But that’s the beauty of it, and I think this year’s show will definitely be one that we will look back upon."

How did you feel when you found out that this year's NDP would be virtual, rather than in- person?

"I kinda figured it was going to be a scaled down affair by the time Phase 1 was setting in. It was the right call to make.

I’m just happy that the show is still happening. I am a huge believer of arts bringing people together in times of hardship.

I believe this year's show is an important touchstone for generations of Singaporeans to come. To look back and see what happened in 2020. And how we fought back."

What is your favourite line from "Everything I Am", and why?

"The first one. 'I want you to understand, because of you I am who I am.'

It struck me immediately the first time I saw the lyrics. It wasn’t just a song for the nation, it was a love letter to the individual. A heartfelt call of gratitude to the ones who have made 2020 tolerable and not a complete poopstorm."

Some online have commented that "Everything I Am" sounds "sad" or is "too slow". What do you think of the song and the sentiment behind it? What do you hope people take away from it?

"Meh, art is subjective. There was no way that this song was going to get love across the board.

Honestly I’m kinda happy that it’s gotten the mixed reactions it has. It’s encouraged engagement, and that is more than any piece of art can ask for.

As for the tone of the song, I think after everyone has seen this year’s show, they will understand how it fits in the bigger picture. This year’s NDP is less of a 'RA-RA-YAY-SINGAPORE' type of show. It is full of personal stories of hardship. Stories that we will look back upon and be proud of.

Tonally, I think an intimate ballad like “Everything I Am” is fitting. We can go back to the 4-on-the-floor party stuff in 2021, okay? ;)"

You shared on Instagram some comments from the public asking why a foreigner or Permanent Resident has been chosen to sing the National Day theme song. One read: "Why is a Indonesian singing the NDP song... does Singapore not have any singing talent as well? (sic)".

Have you experienced these kind of comments — about not being a "true" Singaporean, or questioning your patriotism — before? How does it make you feel to be seen in that way?

"It doesn’t really matter to me on a personal level, because I have very little control over what opinions people might have over my own history. I just thought it was funny that I can just click over to the comment section of the theme song if I ever feel like I need to be taken down a peg, hahaha... thus is the plight of being a ~public figure~.

But on a serious note, my bigger question (that I chose not to ask, because I hate enabling arguments in my comments section) was "What qualifies someone to call a place their home?”.

Is it paperwork? Time served in the military? Accent? Or could it just be a sense of belonging? A deep knowing that these streets are where your roots lie, regardless of where you might be from.

I call this place my home because I have known no other place to be my home, I was born and raised here. But there are people out there who have chosen to call this place their home because of what Singapore means to them.

I don’t think I am any more or less 'Singaporean' than them."

In his Instagram post, Hartono shared that he is proud to be a first-generation Singaporean:

"I was born as a Permanent Resident, and raised here by parents who immigrated to this country. After serving 2 years of National Service, I was finally able to get a Singaporean citizenship...I am thankful for everything this land has given me," he wrote.

You shared a throwback video on Instagram of you performing "Where I Belong" in NDP 2008. How do you feel taking the stage this time around, 12 years later? How is the experience similar or different?

"Haha... I guess it’s similar only by principle..?

But man, 17-year-old Nathan would not have believed you if you told him that in 2020, he would be singing the theme song for a NDP that was going to be void of a [mass] audience, live-streamed, socially distanced, and occurring during a time that many people might perceive to be 'apocalyptic'.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that everything about this year feels different hahahahahaha... sigh."

The NDP 2020 Evening Show will have only about 150 spectators — including the President, the Prime Minister, some members of the parliament, and representatives of the society — attending the show live.

And here is the throwback video, for anyone interested in seeing 17-year-old Hartono tearing up the stage:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDgQbWMDUTU/

What is your favourite NDP song of all time (other than "Everything I Am")? Why is it your favourite?

"Song for Singapore by Corrinne May. It’s just a beautiful song, that happens to be a national day theme song. It worked beautifully as a ballad, and just as beautifully as a pop song (sung by Sezairi and Sylvia Ratonel in 2010, please look it up. Sezairi’s outfit was just...art. Sorry Airi, love u buddy hahaha)."

We did look it up, and Sezairi's costume (which appears first at the 0:40 mark of the video) certainly did not disappoint.

Do you have any exciting projects we should look forward to?

"Single ["Dig Deep"] dropping on Aug. 21, as well as a Chinese EP releasing in the coming months!

Been working on lots of music during this circuit breaker, so look out for it."

Hartono previously announced on Instagram that for every pre-save of "Dig Deep", he will donate one meal to the shelter animals at the Animal Lovers League.

Evening Show broadcasted live at 7pm on Aug. 9

The Evening Show, during which Hartono will be performing "Everything I Am", will be broadcast live on TV and online at 7pm today (Aug. 9).

You can find more information about the Evening Show here.

Other things to know for National Day

Photos by Lauren Choo and via YouTube / NDPeeps. Quotes have been edited for clarity.