![\"Music](\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/MDC-ArtisteDominic-2-MainPix-option.jpg\")
As a teenager, Dominic sang regularly at his church. There, he received formal singing training to build healthy vocal techniques and help him cope with his voice change as he transitioned to puberty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic\u2019s favourite singer-songwriter is Christina Aguilera and he considers her album <\/span>Stripped<\/span><\/i> one of the best pop albums ever written because of the \u201cdeep topics\u201d it addressed, such as gender inequality and self-acceptance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
He\u2019s currently obsessed with Billie Eilish\u2019s new album, <\/span>Hit Me Hard & Soft<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe writing style, music production, instrumentation and vocal recording, and every beat and breath had an intention behind them,\u201d he says. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic admits that singing and songwriting come easily to him. As someone with ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactive disorder), the only thing he could stay focused on was music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Through a music production class in secondary school, he learnt about various Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) and figured out how to record instruments and make different tracks using a MIDI keyboard. Soon, he was applying what he learnt to songwriting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Life as an MDC artiste<\/h3>\n![\"Music](\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/MDC-ArtisteDominic-4.jpg\")
Photo: Sumardy Abdullah<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIt was only natural that Dominic ended up as a singer-songwriter. Prior to joining MDC, he performed at weddings and in restaurants. This gave him a taste of what a full-time music career might look like, and he loved it, he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoyed taking songs that people had heard a million times and performing them my way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I joined MDC as an NSF, I was initially asked to write original songs for the company. I ended up writing the NS50 theme song, <\/span>We\u2019ll Carry On<\/span><\/i>. Soon, I was doing more than just writing. I sang in a boy band called Camokakis and started dancing as well. By the time I completed my National Service, I had fallen in love with performing with MDC. The culture of rehearsing, recording, dancing, and writing together was something I\u2019d never experienced before.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Creating meaningful music<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nsman.safra.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/MDC-ArtisteDominic-1.jpg\")
Photos: FrameTheFolks & ThisProjective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMost of Dominic\u2019s songs are about real-life events and feelings that he finds difficult to verbalise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cTopics like grief, for example, aren\u2019t easy to bring up over dinner,\u201d he adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI struggled to process some of the pain I felt when I was younger; writing music and performing made it easier for me to express myself. The late <\/span>Star Wars<\/span><\/i> actress, Carrie Fisher, once said, \u2018Take your broken heart and make it into art\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe songwriting process is therefore cathartic for me. I wrote my latest single, <\/span>Meant to Be<\/span><\/i>, as a form of closure for my last relationship. It\u2019s about letting go of what is not meant to be and living in the present. The song was written in collaboration with one of the NSFs in MDC, Lamin, who is also a music producer, and local singer-songwriter Oatmylk (Angela Hoten). It\u2019s streaming now on all platforms, and I\u2019ll be performing it at the upcoming HOMEGROWN event, presented and produced by Music & Drama Company in September.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic wrote and recorded another song, <\/span>You First Believed<\/span><\/i>, as a tribute to Singapore\u2019s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, a year before the latter passed away in 2015. Dominic wanted to thank Mr Lee for everything he had done for Singapore. Mr Lee enjoyed the video recording and sent Dominic a letter, in which he credited Singapore\u2019s success to others who served alongside him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI never got to perform the song for Mr Lee while he was alive, but I later had the chance to sing it as a tribute to him at a Racial Harmony event, where his son and our Senior Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, was the Guest of Honour,\u201d Dominic says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe performance meant a lot to me. The younger Mr Lee had tears in his eyes as he watched the video montage made for the song, and I wanted to cry, too. I will remember that moment for the rest of my career.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic also wrote <\/span>We\u2019ll Carry On<\/span><\/i> to commemorate 50 years of National Service (NS50).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe theme of NS50 was \u2018From My Generation to Yours\u2019, so I wanted to write something alluding to the passing of the torch, handing down the legacy of being Sons of Singapore,\u201d Dominic adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe song is about how my generation can only carry on and move forward in service to our nation because of the generations before us. To me, this song goes beyond just being an NS song. It represents a sense of responsibility and a duty to uphold all that I believe in life, family, and my country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Of all his songs, Dominic says that his favourite one to perform is <\/span>Better<\/span><\/i>, which was streamed over a million times and is from his album, <\/span>License to Cry<\/span><\/i>. He describes it as a \u201csilly love song about how it feels to be in love\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cA particular rendition of the song that I love performing is the one I did for MDC\u2019s original video series, HOMEGROWN, which is up on our MDC socials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
If you\u2019d like to catch Dominic perform <\/span>Better <\/span><\/i>in person, head to the HOMEGROWN event, produced by MDC, in September.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe event will feature special guests and some of my new songs \u2013 check out the MDC social media pages for more details,\u201d Dominic says.<\/span><\/p>\n
HOMEGROWN 2024<\/h4>\n
Don\u2019t miss Dominic at the HOMEGROWN 2024 music festival on 4 and 5 September at OCBC Square. Follow MDC socials for the latest updates on the event: Instagram @musicanddramacompany<\/span><\/a>, TikTok @musicandramacomp<\/span><\/a>, and Facebook @musicanddramacompany<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
Main photo: FrameTheFolks<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWant more articles like this, and other lifestyle content right in your inbox? Download the new SAFRA mobile app<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and opt in for the eNSman Newsletter \u2013 you don\u2019t need to be a SAFRA member to subscribe \u2013 and never miss another story!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It was only natural that Dominic ended up as a singer-songwriter. Prior to joining MDC, he performed at weddings and in restaurants. This gave him a taste of what a full-time music career might look like, and he loved it, he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoyed taking songs that people had heard a million times and performing them my way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I joined MDC as an NSF, I was initially asked to write original songs for the company. I ended up writing the NS50 theme song, <\/span>We\u2019ll Carry On<\/span><\/i>. Soon, I was doing more than just writing. I sang in a boy band called Camokakis and started dancing as well. By the time I completed my National Service, I had fallen in love with performing with MDC. The culture of rehearsing, recording, dancing, and writing together was something I\u2019d never experienced before.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Creating meaningful music<\/h3>\nPhotos: FrameTheFolks & ThisProjective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMost of Dominic\u2019s songs are about real-life events and feelings that he finds difficult to verbalise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cTopics like grief, for example, aren\u2019t easy to bring up over dinner,\u201d he adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI struggled to process some of the pain I felt when I was younger; writing music and performing made it easier for me to express myself. The late <\/span>Star Wars<\/span><\/i> actress, Carrie Fisher, once said, \u2018Take your broken heart and make it into art\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe songwriting process is therefore cathartic for me. I wrote my latest single, <\/span>Meant to Be<\/span><\/i>, as a form of closure for my last relationship. It\u2019s about letting go of what is not meant to be and living in the present. The song was written in collaboration with one of the NSFs in MDC, Lamin, who is also a music producer, and local singer-songwriter Oatmylk (Angela Hoten). It\u2019s streaming now on all platforms, and I\u2019ll be performing it at the upcoming HOMEGROWN event, presented and produced by Music & Drama Company in September.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic wrote and recorded another song, <\/span>You First Believed<\/span><\/i>, as a tribute to Singapore\u2019s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, a year before the latter passed away in 2015. Dominic wanted to thank Mr Lee for everything he had done for Singapore. Mr Lee enjoyed the video recording and sent Dominic a letter, in which he credited Singapore\u2019s success to others who served alongside him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI never got to perform the song for Mr Lee while he was alive, but I later had the chance to sing it as a tribute to him at a Racial Harmony event, where his son and our Senior Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, was the Guest of Honour,\u201d Dominic says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe performance meant a lot to me. The younger Mr Lee had tears in his eyes as he watched the video montage made for the song, and I wanted to cry, too. I will remember that moment for the rest of my career.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic also wrote <\/span>We\u2019ll Carry On<\/span><\/i> to commemorate 50 years of National Service (NS50).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe theme of NS50 was \u2018From My Generation to Yours\u2019, so I wanted to write something alluding to the passing of the torch, handing down the legacy of being Sons of Singapore,\u201d Dominic adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe song is about how my generation can only carry on and move forward in service to our nation because of the generations before us. To me, this song goes beyond just being an NS song. It represents a sense of responsibility and a duty to uphold all that I believe in life, family, and my country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Of all his songs, Dominic says that his favourite one to perform is <\/span>Better<\/span><\/i>, which was streamed over a million times and is from his album, <\/span>License to Cry<\/span><\/i>. He describes it as a \u201csilly love song about how it feels to be in love\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cA particular rendition of the song that I love performing is the one I did for MDC\u2019s original video series, HOMEGROWN, which is up on our MDC socials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
If you\u2019d like to catch Dominic perform <\/span>Better <\/span><\/i>in person, head to the HOMEGROWN event, produced by MDC, in September.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe event will feature special guests and some of my new songs \u2013 check out the MDC social media pages for more details,\u201d Dominic says.<\/span><\/p>\n
HOMEGROWN 2024<\/h4>\n
Don\u2019t miss Dominic at the HOMEGROWN 2024 music festival on 4 and 5 September at OCBC Square. Follow MDC socials for the latest updates on the event: Instagram @musicanddramacompany<\/span><\/a>, TikTok @musicandramacomp<\/span><\/a>, and Facebook @musicanddramacompany<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
Main photo: FrameTheFolks<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWant more articles like this, and other lifestyle content right in your inbox? Download the new SAFRA mobile app<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and opt in for the eNSman Newsletter \u2013 you don\u2019t need to be a SAFRA member to subscribe \u2013 and never miss another story!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Most of Dominic\u2019s songs are about real-life events and feelings that he finds difficult to verbalise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cTopics like grief, for example, aren\u2019t easy to bring up over dinner,\u201d he adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI struggled to process some of the pain I felt when I was younger; writing music and performing made it easier for me to express myself. The late <\/span>Star Wars<\/span><\/i> actress, Carrie Fisher, once said, \u2018Take your broken heart and make it into art\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe songwriting process is therefore cathartic for me. I wrote my latest single, <\/span>Meant to Be<\/span><\/i>, as a form of closure for my last relationship. It\u2019s about letting go of what is not meant to be and living in the present. The song was written in collaboration with one of the NSFs in MDC, Lamin, who is also a music producer, and local singer-songwriter Oatmylk (Angela Hoten). It\u2019s streaming now on all platforms, and I\u2019ll be performing it at the upcoming HOMEGROWN event, presented and produced by Music & Drama Company in September.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic wrote and recorded another song, <\/span>You First Believed<\/span><\/i>, as a tribute to Singapore\u2019s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, a year before the latter passed away in 2015. Dominic wanted to thank Mr Lee for everything he had done for Singapore. Mr Lee enjoyed the video recording and sent Dominic a letter, in which he credited Singapore\u2019s success to others who served alongside him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cI never got to perform the song for Mr Lee while he was alive, but I later had the chance to sing it as a tribute to him at a Racial Harmony event, where his son and our Senior Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, was the Guest of Honour,\u201d Dominic says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe performance meant a lot to me. The younger Mr Lee had tears in his eyes as he watched the video montage made for the song, and I wanted to cry, too. I will remember that moment for the rest of my career.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Dominic also wrote <\/span>We\u2019ll Carry On<\/span><\/i> to commemorate 50 years of National Service (NS50).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe theme of NS50 was \u2018From My Generation to Yours\u2019, so I wanted to write something alluding to the passing of the torch, handing down the legacy of being Sons of Singapore,\u201d Dominic adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe song is about how my generation can only carry on and move forward in service to our nation because of the generations before us. To me, this song goes beyond just being an NS song. It represents a sense of responsibility and a duty to uphold all that I believe in life, family, and my country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Of all his songs, Dominic says that his favourite one to perform is <\/span>Better<\/span><\/i>, which was streamed over a million times and is from his album, <\/span>License to Cry<\/span><\/i>. He describes it as a \u201csilly love song about how it feels to be in love\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cA particular rendition of the song that I love performing is the one I did for MDC\u2019s original video series, HOMEGROWN, which is up on our MDC socials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
If you\u2019d like to catch Dominic perform <\/span>Better <\/span><\/i>in person, head to the HOMEGROWN event, produced by MDC, in September.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe event will feature special guests and some of my new songs \u2013 check out the MDC social media pages for more details,\u201d Dominic says.<\/span><\/p>\n
HOMEGROWN 2024<\/h4>\n
Don\u2019t miss Dominic at the HOMEGROWN 2024 music festival on 4 and 5 September at OCBC Square. Follow MDC socials for the latest updates on the event: Instagram @musicanddramacompany<\/span><\/a>, TikTok @musicandramacomp<\/span><\/a>, and Facebook @musicanddramacompany<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
Main photo: FrameTheFolks<\/em><\/p>\n
\n
Want more articles like this, and other lifestyle content right in your inbox? Download the new SAFRA mobile app<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and opt in for the eNSman Newsletter \u2013 you don\u2019t need to be a SAFRA member to subscribe \u2013 and never miss another story!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"