PopLore
A seven-episode documentary podcast on Singapore's musical past, present and future. PopLore is produced by Esplanade on the occasion of its 20th anniversary in 2022.
- Update frequency
- every 16 days
- Average duration
- 44 minutes
- Episodes
- 7
- Years Active
- 2022
The future of Singapore pop
In this finale episode of PopLore, hear from weish, Charlie Lim, Ruth Ling and Yung Raja about what Singapore’s pop music history means to these shapers of its future, and how they view the unique tr…
New wave, new sounds
If the 1970s saw music-makers grappling with the stagnant and constrained development of homegrown music, then perhaps the 1980s was when things started to change. Hear from composer Dick Lee, musici…
“Barbarous music of this kind”
The English-language pop scene in 1960s Singapore was a vibrant one, full of talented youths who pulled out all the stops to master their instruments of choice, and created beautiful songs of their v…
Singapore Indian pop transcends the music of Indian cinema
Singapore’s Indian pop is very much influenced by the uniquely musical nature of Indian cinema. In this episode, we explore why music plays such a powerful role in this film industry, and how differe…
The fertile ecologies of Singapore Malay pop
For music-makers to thrive, having the right kind of support is essential—not just in the form of resources or infrastructure, but also in the form of people. Discover the communities and ecosystems …
Singapore Chinese pop’s agile attunements
Standing out while fitting in—that’s what the creators of Singapore’s Chinese pop music have been doing for decades as they try to make their mark in the larger markets of Hong Kong and Taiwan. In th…
Origins of Singapore Pop
In this first episode, we kick things off with a big question: What exactly is Singapore pop?
Long before we even get to the idea of whether there is a Singapore sound, these are the questions that …