National Day Parade Show segment features drone performance largest special effects display

This year's National Day Parade promises its boldest production yet at the National Stadium. It'll feature the first indoor drone performance and the largest ever special effects and lighting display. Audiences will also be at the heart of the action. Charlotte Lim has more. A song in the Orang Laut dialect, tracing Singapore's deep connection to the sea while paying tribute to one of the nation's earliest communities. For the singer, this performance is a way of keeping her community's heritage alive. This language is still being practiced among the people of the coastal communities. So it is something that has always been there and I really hope that Singaporeans will appreciate it because if this language are gone, our stories will be gone too. The celebration of Singapore's heritage continues in the next chapter. It will reflect the nation's multicultural journey through music, dance and for million national campaigns. The show then turns its focus to the future. The energy picks up with a performance by dancers of different backgrounds and abilities celebrating the strength found in diversity. To choreograph my dance part and combine them with the other dancers, getting the time right for me with my shorter limbs. It is challenging but exciting. The momentum continues with singer-songwriter Gareth Fernandes performing one of this year's original songs, Sparkle. Together, these performances celebrate local talent while reflecting Singapore's journey from its rich heritage to a shared future. It's important to create meaning through showcasing and highlighting people that we feel it's important for Singaporeans to know. You know, just to celebrate them and just to talk about them, whether it's the work they do in their daily lives or whether it's talents, things like these are quite important to showcase our diversity. I mean, diversity is really our strength in Singapore. The National Stadium's larger performance space also opens up new creative possibilities. Audiences can expect more immersive effects. There are over 170 special effects machines and an expanded lighting system. Another highlight, a performance featuring 300 drones. But behind every spectacular moment is months of careful planning. When it comes to the novel technologies that we put in, as well as the hanging aerial cuboid set, we have done extensive studies when it comes to the engineering works, the roof loading plans, when it comes to safety distance with audiences, rigorous testing when it comes to security elements of such systems. These are things, because of the technology that we use, things that we consider really carefully. So these, because these technologies are new, they have to be put through their paces. This year's show segment will feature 36 artists and more than 2,600 performers at the National Stadium.