A New National Anthem
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) faced a challenge - keeping a long-standing national symbol meaningful in a fast-changing society. Its national anthem video, last updated over a decade ago, no longer resonated with younger Singaporeans in a more diverse and digitally connected country. To address this, MCCY needed to refresh Majulah Singapura in a way that felt modern, inclusive, and emotionally engaging while preserving its core meaning, reinforcing its relevance as a unifying cultural touchpoint.
That’s when GOVT VCCP stepped in to help. Together we created 2 new films, titled ‘Bersatu’ (Unite) and ‘Majulah’ (Onward) highlighting different aspects of the nation’s story. ‘Bersatu’ celebrates Singaporeans racial and religious harmony as well as their intergenerational connection. ‘Majulah’ highlights their national achievements, and the coming together of one people to build a future we all aspire towards.
The goal: To resonate with as many Singaporeans as possible, and to chart a collective path towards a progressive future.
The films featured personalities never seen in previous national anthem films, like a female firefighter as well as a blind dragon boater, embracing the new younger and much more diverse Singaporean population. They also include new iconic landmarks such as Gardens by the Bay, Jewel Changi Airport and Sentosa Sensoryscape - landmarks Singaporeans are proud of. Footage was built from scratch allowing the scenarios and stories portrayed to be current, inclusive and authentic; a nod to the changing times of Singapore and Singaporeans today.
Aaron Koh, Creative Lead on both films, said: “Having grow up as a kid singing the national anthem, this is by far the most sentimental piece of work I’ve done and I’m extremely proud I did it with a team that pulled in the same direction.”
Leroy Lim, co-director of the films, said: “We wanted the two films to be a celebration of progress. But more importantly, of a sense of connection between our people, communities and nation. Just like the lyrics of the anthem: “Let us unite in a new spirit (Dengan semangat yang baru),” we hope that these films will be a rallying cry and inspiration for all Singaporeans, now and in the years to come.”
