Although his record review columns in the local newspapers introduced him to the Singapore music scene, it was Lim Sek’s seven-year stint as a variety programmes producer at the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation that gave him the opportunity to work with some of the best local and foreign talents and to build up a regional network to make local entertainment more exciting and enriching.

Since helming Music & Movement 31 years ago, this vision has expanded to include large-scale national events, ground-breaking musicals, music festivals, as well as the production of international concert tours by local and foreign artists.

Another highlight was the opportunity to either manage or introduce stunning music talents like Sandy Lam, Tracy Huang, Dick Lee, Tanya Chua, Najip Ali, Nathan Hartono, Cheryl Wee and Corrine May to different music markets in the world.

More recently, apart from curating and sharing his early television experiences on a YouTube channel titled BiLingual, he is also working on concerts, musicals and other online projects with several regional artists. Yet, the belief that more can be done for the local music talents, young and experienced, still inspires him to be involved in meaningfully important projects like PopLore. 

Shabir is one of the most esteemed flag-bearers of Tamil music in Singapore. The inaugural winner of Mediacorp’s Vasantham Star in 2005, Shabir has since matured into a multiple award-winning singer-songwriter, music producer and performer. In 2020, he was the resident judge of Yaar Antha Star, a singing contest to unearth the nation’s best young singing talents. Shabir is the first artist of Tamil and Indian descent to be conferred the Singapore Youth Award, the highest national honour given to young achievers by the Singapore Government. In 2019, Shabir achieved mainstream success in India as a composer, songwriter and singer in the highly competitive Indian film music industry, with Yaayum crossing 105 million collective views on YouTube. 

Rudi Salim is the son of the late Salim I, one of the most popular pop yeh yeh singers of the swinging sixties. A talented musician in his own right, Rudi plays multiple percussion instruments, from the African djembe and the Afro-Cuban bongo to the Malay rebana. Rudi has been active in the music scene since 2000 as a session percussionist, as well as leading percussion groups such as Nadi Singapura. Endowed with his father’s signature husky vocals, Rudi started the band The Wisma 2 in 2015 to sing the songs of Salim I, and to promote and preserve pop yeh yeh authenticity. 

CT Lim writes about history and popular culture. He used to write for BigO magazine. 

Sketch Portrait Credit: Morgan Chua

In 1991, Art Fazil founded Rausyanfikir, the folk trio that presented the industry with alternative ethno-folk-rock-pop music combined with socially conscious lyrics. Since then, Art has had an expansive career in music, from writing songs for regional artistes, to recording and performing as a solo artiste himself. Art is currently signed as an artiste to Moro Records (Malaysia) and is also the label’s in-house producer. 

His most recent album is Good Morning Jogja, released in 2019 as part of a theatre production of the same title, which Art also acted in and produced. 

Brian has been a voice of a generation since 1971 when he made his bow on national radio. From being the first face on national colour television, to hosting sports and radio shows, Brian is one who has seen it all and done it all, resulting in a Lifetime Achievement Award by Mediacorp at the Singapore Radio Awards in 2005. 

In June 1961, three schoolmates of St. Patrick’s School—John Chee, Raymond Ho, and Leslie Chia—participated in the Radio Singapore Talentime at Victoria Theatre, collectively calling themselves The Crescendos. They were placed second in the grand finals, singing the Dean Martin version of Memories Were Made of This. In November of the same year, The Crescendos opened four shows for Cliff Richard & The Shadows at Happy World Stadium.

Just before the 1962 Radio Singapore Talentime started, leader John Chee, discovered 15-year-old Susan Lim, who gave The Crescendos not only a new voice, but also a new look.

In February 1963, PHILIPS Phonographic Industries Holland released The Crescendos’ first vinyl 45rpm single Frankie and Mr. Twister, making The Crescendos the first local singing group on an international label. 

The Crescendos stopped singing in 1966 when Susan enrolled in the University of Singapore. On 8 February 1970, Susan, who was then 22, was reported missing swimming with her fiancé and friends at Kemaman Beach in Terengganu, Malaysia. On 7 June 2021, Leslie passed away aged 77 years old. John (now 79) and Raymond (now 77) are still singing duets at friends’ gatherings, charity shows and at occasional public appearances. 

From the mid 1960s to the early 1970s, Lawrence Lee played bass guitar with The Checkmates, one of the resident bands of The Golden Venus, the venue remembered as Singapore’s hot bed for rock and roll back in the swinging sixties. After the band dissolved, Lawrence worked in the oil and gas industry for more than 40 years. Resuming music-making from the late 1980s, Lawrence has since been engaged in paid gigs, charity functions, and jamming with other musicians, as well as arranging and providing music backing for open mic singers.