PopLore is a seven-episode narrative podcast series about Singapore pop. And in this first episode, we kick things off with a big question—what exactly is Singapore pop?

Waves of regional migration and colonialism gave rise to a uniquely diverse soundscape. Early forms of entertainment—from the cabarets and song stages of amusement parks to the hybrid melodies crooned by homegrown movie stars—brought this mingled music to new heights. Meanwhile, puritanical impulses gave rise to movements that took aim against the perceived decadence of pop music, even as pragmatism reined in these campaigns.

Then, in 1961, a seismic event—a concert by UK rock and roll royalty Cliff Richard & The Shadows—convinced a generation of budding musicians in Singapore to join the pop revolution. These are the opening notes of Singapore pop.

The podcast series PopLore: Stories of Singapore Pop, produced by Hong Xinyi and Dorothy Ding,is commissioned by Esplanade as part of PopLore: A Year of Singapore Popular Music,in celebration of the arts centre’s 20th anniversary in 2022.

The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.