'It's not about me': Linying on writing The Road Ahead and finding purpose beyond herself

New Paper

3 days ago

At just 13 years old, Linying won her very first singing competition - and as they say, the rest is history.
Years later, during the Covid-19 lockdown, she found herself entrusted with the responsibility of writing a National Day song - a daunting task that would change her career.
That song became The Road Ahead, the anthem of the 2021 National Day Parade (NDP). Its hopeful lyrics and catchy tune resonated with Singaporeans in a time of uncertainty, inspiring not just national pride but an iconic TikTok dance as well.
Looking back, the 30-year-old singer-songwriter still finds it surreal.
SCREENGRAB: LINYING/YOUTUBE
"This song has taken a life of its own in a way that's beyond what I could have imagined," she told The New Paper.
From writing for herself to speaking for a nation
Approached by her producer friend to come on board as a writer, Linying felt "apprehensive" about writing for the entire country.
"All my life, I'd only ever been confident writing from my own experience. Because as an artist, that's the only truth that you're able to confidently convey," she said.
Her turning point came when she thought about her friends working on the frontlines.
"I thought of everything that they were going through and at that moment I remember thinking, okay - it's not about me," she said.
That shift reframed her approach to songwriting, teaching her that music can go beyond personal truth and resonate with collective experience.
"At the end of the day, a song only means as much as the people who hear it."
Still, the process wasn't easy. Linying admitted that artists often wrestle with the fear that their work feels inconsequential - especially in times of crisis.
"And it's not untrue, you know what I mean?" she added.
"Art is a luxury, it's a privilege. But in these moments, when you feel helpless, when you see so much uncertainty and pain around you, it helps to make something like this," she said.
Writing The Road Ahead gave Linying a sense of purpose beyond herself. Once that meaning was crystallised, the song came together naturally, almost intuitively.
SCREENGRAB: NDPEEPS/YOUTUBE
'I would have given up': Finding her passion and the people who helped her keep it
"I was one of those kids who would put music online while I was in school to destress," said Linying, reflecting on how her musical journey began.
As a teen, she filmed and uploaded YouTube videos for fun - a fantasy escape, never something she thought would become her career.
Though aware of how tough the music industry could be, she eventually decided to give it a real shot simply because it made her happy.
"I got quite lucky," she said, recalling how she stumbled into the world of electronic dance music and ended up touring with a group of European DJs.
From there, she started releasing her own music online, gradually building a loyal following.
"It all just kind of snowballed," she said, adding that she's now been in music for a decade.
It's an unconventional path, and Linying is quick to credit her parents for letting her walk it. She's "eternally grateful" for the freedom they gave her to pursue her passion, even though they had doubts at first.
"When you have people encourage you in that way, it's so important to hold on to those moments," said Linying. "If I had a family who didn't encourage me, then I would have probably given up."
A moment that stood out: watching her parents see her perform for the first time at the recent NDP rehearsal.
"They were so proud," she said with a smile. "It's nice to have your parents be able to witness that."
'I still have trouble processing it': After The Road Ahead
Linying was initially warned that reactions to National Day songs could be "brutal".
"I was prepared for that," she said, adding that she initially avoided reading any of the comments.
But slowly, feedback made its way to her in more personal, meaningful ways.
"I remember hearing from so many people and even the hawker stall owners where I regularly buy my food, and they're telling me: 'Oh, we love that song. It's a beautiful one,'" she recalled.
Then came the viral moment. The Road Ahead was turned into a TikTok dance by ActiveSG - and kids across the country were performing it.
"Wasn't that crazy?" Linying laughed. "It really took me by surprise. I think that dance took the song to a whole other level."
To this day, children still come up to her, saying they remember the dance.
"I think especially with the kids - that's when I feel the most acutely the kind of impact that this song has made, and it's crazy to me. I still have trouble processing it," she said.
"There's this whole new demographic that I did not know I would ever be making music for, but that's what has happened."
Looking back, The Road Ahead also changed how she approaches her craft. Linying described herself as someone who typically had an "uncompromising" approach to making art. But with this song, she had to let go.
"I often want control over the narrative," she admitted, adding that songwriting is essentially storytelling - a form of control.
Attending this year's NDP rehearsal for the first time, she finally saw what her song had become - a shared experience.
The military band was playing, and a sea of 30,000 people were singing The Road Ahead at the top of their lungs.
"Who gets to experience something like that?" she said, still in awe.
"When I think of The Road Ahead, I see the impact of the song and what it means to people. I'm so glad that I managed to be a part of it."
'I'll continue to evolve as life happens': Her own path forward
For SG60, Linying returned with another original song - I Will Walk With You - which she performed at this year's NDP rehearsals.
SCREENGRAB: NDPEEPS/YOUTUBE
Unlike the soaring hopefulness of The Road Ahead, this new track is gentler, more intimate, and more introspective in tone.
"They were both difficult in their own way," she said, reflecting on the writing process for both songs.
With The Road Ahead, there was a "clear crisis" that everyone was facing together - the uncertainty and upheaval of the pandemic. But now, she noted, the challenges people go through feel more invisible.
"I think there are a lot of silent struggles that aren't often publicised," said Linying, and it's these that she hoped to honour in I Will Walk With You.
"Sometimes, what makes a good and altruistic life is just taking on the task of walking with someone," she said.
Though it may not have the reach of its predecessor, she believes this song speaks to Singapore's hopes for a more inclusive and empathetic society.
"It's a crazy thing - the way the landscape has evolved," she said, and so have the kind of struggles people carry.
The new song, with its quiet grace, gently reflects that shift.
Linying herself is learning to make peace with change and instability.
She hopes to write more in the future, continuing to evolve, "as life happens".
This National Day, if there's one thing Linying hopes to leave us with, it's this: "You don't need to be very much. You just need to be there."