SG govt asks citizens to 'be steady' with Phua Chu Kang COVID-19 rap song

Gov.sg has brought back iconic contractor Phua Chu Kang in a rap video as part of its continual efforts to rally Singaporeans in its fight with COVID-19. Titled "Singapore Be Steady!", the rap video aims to encourage Singaporeans to “be steady” and to stay vigilant as the outbreak spreads globally.

Done in collaboration with Tribal Worldwide Singapore, the video highlights precautionary efforts Singaporeans should take, including checking news sources before sharing, and buying what you need at supermarkets. According to a press release, ideas and lyrics were gathered from the public to create the song. It is added that the goal is to show Singaporeans how simple precautions such as maintaining personal hygiene, being socially responsible and practising social distancing can protect them and their loved ones from the virus.

In a statement to Marketing, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said it hopes that the song will inspire Singaporeans to remain united, do their part to contain the spread of the virus, and appreciate the contributions of frontline workers. The spokesperson added that MCI will continue to use a mix of online and offline public communications platforms (including Facebook and YouTube, as well as print, TV and radio) to reach out to people across different segments of society. It will also monitor the effectiveness of the campaign, and explore the possibility of additional communications efforts if necessary.  

The video was uploaded on its Facebook page and YouTube page, and- at the time of writing- has garnered 41,636 views on YouTube, as well as 4.7k reactions (consisting of the like, laughing, and love icons) and 480 comments on Facebook. 

The video has received mostly positive comments regarding the video, with netizens saying that the song is catchy and that Gov.sg "did a good job", with one requesting the song to be uploaded on Spotify so he can listen to the song on repeat. There were also a couple of netizens who pointed out that social distancing measures were not included in the rap video.

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This new rap video comes after a previous video which featured Phua Chu Kang narrating protective measures against the virus that the public should take. Gov.sg worked with Tribal Worldwide Singapore in raising awareness through videos and posters during the COVID-19 situation. According to Jeff Cheong, president of Tribal Worldwide Asia, the video created "a huge demand" for a new rap from Phua Chu Kang, and the agency decided to engage the audience in a crowdsourcing exercise where it co-created ideas through Gov.sg's Instagram Story in 24 hours.

Last month, Gov.sg also released another video titled "Together, We Can". The video aimed to thank all unsung heroes who have been working day and night to battle the outbreak, as well as those who volunteered their time to spread kindness and compassion. The spot featured NS servicemen volunteering, hospital staff taking protective measures, companies implementing business continuity plans, food delivered to those quarantined or on leave of absence, janitors and taxi drivers adding more frequency into cleaning public spaces and car seats, among others.

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