This NDP may be my last, says Kit Chan

While this year's National Day Parade (NDP) will see many firsts, it could be the last for home-grown singer Kit Chan.

The 42-year-old, who is synonymous with the NDP classic Home, revealed yesterday that the golden jubilee parade is "likely my last NDP".

"I've thought about it. I've done it from 1998 till now and there's no better ending than on the golden jubilee," said Chan, who recently embarked on her first regional tour. Chan will perform Home at the finale of this year's parade. She debuted the song, written by music veteran Dick Lee, in 1998, and she last performed it at the 2010 NDP.

The song has also been covered several times by other acts such as local band The Sam Willows.

But Chan said she "never gets tired" of the song, despite having performed it multiple times.

"I do get emotional while singing it. It evokes a slightly different feel from my other songs. Home is just a song that I feel is shared with everyone," she said, after performing at last night's NDP Preview show, the final dress rehearsal ahead of the big event on Aug 9.

In the last three weeks, spectators lucky enough to get a sneak preview of this year's National Day Parade (NDP) have been wowed by the Air Force displays.

But joining them for the first time yesterday was a Singapore Airlines A-380 decked out in the livery of the Singapore flag, which soared across Marina Bay and the Padang.

More than 50,000 gathered at the Padang and the Floating Platform yesterday for the NDP Preview, where they caught a sneak peek of the biggest NDP celebrations to date.

Second Minister for Defence and Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew, who was watching from the stands at the Float, said: "It's wonderful to see so many people get together, celebrating the birthday of Singapore and being proud to be Singaporeans."

He also viewed the drive-by of the mobile column, as a segment of 28 vehicles drove past the Float.

At the nearby Swissotel building, six families enjoyed the view of the fireworks as part of Great Eastern's SG50 Wishes campaign, including two members of the pioneer generation.

"We are really happy and lucky to be here. The atmosphere here is just exciting - you can feel it when people sign and wave the flags," said accountant Teo Meng Kan, 42, who was at the Float with her husband and one-year-old son.

Padang spectators were treated to an array of performances, from primary school pupils dressing up as "electrifying" stickmen in different colours to dancers from the Singapore Soka Association.

Home-grown stars Stefanie Sun, Corrine May and JJ Lin also appeared to sing National Day theme songs, both past and present.

The reviewing officer for the preview was the Speaker of Parliament, Madam Halimah Yacob.

lesterh@sph.com.sg
jianxuan@sph.com.sg

Additional reporting by Amelia Teng and Samantha Boh

This article was first published on August 2, 2015.
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