Despacito, the dance hit, which became last summer’s sensation globally, will have a remixed Mandarin-Spanish version through the collaboration of Luis Fonsi and Singaporean singer-songwriter JJ Lin.
Released on Jan 26, the song was jointly produced by Lin, Fonsi and the production-writing duo The Swaggernautz. It was composed by Los Angeles-based Singaporean record producer and songwriter Tat Tong, and Cuban-American singer-songwriter Jovany Javier.
Songwriter Harry Chang wrote the Mandarin lyrics for the remixed version of Despacito.
In the new version, the Puerto Rican singer Fonsi, the original singer of the song, performs in Mandarin and Lin sings in Spanish, both for the very first time.
“I had immense fun working with Fonsi and The Swaggernautz on this project. Music breaks all boundaries in a most pleasant way. I see this collaboration as a cultural bridge, as well as a tribute to a generation of free people,” said Lin in an earlier interview with Billboard.
“The song has become a worldwide phenomenon and singing it in Mandarin is an honour,” said Fonsi, who will tour Asia in 2018.
Despacito was released in January 2017 and it received Latin Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Urban Fusion/Performance, and Best Short Form Music Video at the 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
The song’s international influence grew after Canadian singer Justin Bieber released an English version of the song in April 2017.
NEW YORK – Rapper Kendrick Lamar and pop superstar Lady Gaga opened the Grammy Awards (Jan 29 morning, Singapore) with immediate if understated political touches.
With a US flag in the backdrop, Lamar launched into a fierce rap at New York’s Madison Square Garden, on a stage full of dancers clad in camouflage.
The number then transformed into a frenetic, gongfu-inspired routine in which his troupe fell to the ground as if hit by bullets.
U2 frontman Bono emerged from behind him to join in their collaboration XXX., whose lyrics include: “America, God bless you if it’s good to you.”
Lady Gaga quickly followed Lamar by performing her songs Joanne and Million Reasons.
In a nod to the growing women’s movement against sexual abuse, the singer – who has spoken of being raped – whispered from the piano: “Time’s up.”
After the “blackout” on the Golden Globes red carpet to draw attention to sexual harassment in showbiz, the music industry’s hottest stars wore white roses to the Grammy Awards on Sunday in support of gender equality.
From Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson to Sting and Khalid, the women and men sported or carried the flowers.
“A white rose symbolizes respect, pays homage to new beginnings and expresses hope for the future,” tweeted the Time’s Up movement, launched by hundreds of prominent women in Tinseltown to shine a light on sexual misconduct.
“We like the sound of that. #TIMESUP at the #GRAMMYS.”
Gaga, who will perform during the gala event, wore white rosebuds on her shoulder along with a Time’s Up pin.
Her look? A dramatic black Armani ensemble with a lace bodice and tights that was visible through a massive slit in her sweeping skirt with a huge train. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a fishtail braid decorated with corset-like black laces.
Clarkson – who was carrying her white rose – turned fan girl on the red carpet, swooning over multiple nominee Khalid and reminiscing about meeting three-time Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep at the Golden Globes.
But the pop powerhouse turned serious when talking about the symbolism of the flower, saying that to her, it reflects “hope and peace and sympathy and resistance.”
“It’s amazing to be a mother and to have a mother run my label,” she told E! television.
For pop icon Cyndi Lauper, the white rose movement was about equal pay.
“Women make up 51 per cent of the workforce, and it’s about time we’re paid equal,” she said.
Songwriter Diane Warren showed up with white gloves, one word on each hand: “Girl” and “Power.”
‘EQUALITY FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE’
The music men were not left out.
Multiple nominee Khalid, Sam Smith, Sting, host James Corden and Ne-Yo were among the many men who sported roses on their lapels.
And the men turned up in bright colors: mustard yellow, pink, maroon and deep red stood out from the basic black.
Elton John took it to the next level in a glittering jacket in red, gold and blue – and a sparkling multicolored full-hand ring that spelled out ELTON.
Smith, the British soul singer who rocketed to stardom in 2014 with his searing ballad “Stay With Me,” wore a striking double-breasted grass green suit with a burgundy shirt underneath.
“I hope we keep striving forward for equality for absolutely everyone,” said Smith, a performer at Sunday’s gala.
English radio station Money FM 89.3 has officially launched today. The talk-format station by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) is the nation’s first and only radio station that focuses on business and money-related topics.
It aims to entertain listeners with relevant news and information from Singapore and beyond, with business news and information from The Straits Times, The Business Times, and Business Insider Singapore and Malaysia.
SPH said Money FM 89.3 is targeted at those who are interested in every day personal finance matters such as retirement planning, investing and savings.
DJs Elliot Danker and Yasmin Jonkers will helm the morning drive time from 6am to 10am with discussions on top business stories and latest market updates.
From 10am to 2pm, Howie Lim will take over and share the latest trends in property investments and small & medium enterprises. From 2pm to 4pm, Clarissa Monteiro will talk about the trendiest establishments in town and how to stay savvy in the world of fashion.
Desmond Wong will be on the evening drive time from 4pm to 8pm, rounding up the day’s news and trading activities around Asia and Europe, as well as discussions with thought leaders on issues behind headlines.
SPH Radio’s general manager Sim Hong Huat said that the idea of Money FM 89.3 came about while researching for new radio formats.
“We felt it was the right time to introduce such a unique format to Singaporeans as the nation gets more affluent.
“MONEY FM 89.3 is truly a unique format that stands out from all other radio stations, with a clearly defined focus on understanding money on a personal and business front. We are confident that we have gotten the best team on board to deliver such information to our listeners.
“I am sure you will gain a lot of useful insights from this new station.”
SINGAPORE: Private operators who provide both emergency ambulance services and medical transport services could be caught in the middle with a classification under a new Bill that will separate these services.
Under the Healthcare Services Bill that will be tabled later this year, emergency ambulance services which cater to patients with acute or sudden medical conditions requiring emergency care will have to fulfill different requirements from medical transport services which cater to more stable patients.
Emergency ambulance services, for example, will need to employ a clinical director who will be accountable for the maintenance of high standards in providing comprehensive emergency care. The clinical director will be expected to conduct an audit, as well as training and protocol development.
Vehicles used for medical transport services will not be allowed to be fitted with blinkers and sirens.
And this, the private ambulance operators said could potentially pose a problem for them.
File photo of an ambulance parked outside the accident and emergency department of a hospital. (Photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
Operations supervisor at First Ambulance Khai Mazlan said that patients’ conditions could deteriorate en-route and may need immediate medical attention at the nearest hospital, although under the new classification, her ambulances would be grouped under medical transport services.
She said: “Once there was a patient who was bleeding in the ambulance, his blood pressure started to drop and we needed to rush him to the nearest hospital.”
The firm serves more than 30 patients a day and works with the National Kidney Foundation.
Director of Comfort Ambulance & Services Eugene Yang, who has been in the industry for 15 years echoed this view.
“Sometimes, the cases we take could be non-emergency in nature. But patients’ conditions could deteriorate, and they could be upgraded to (an) emergency,” he said, adding that not being able to use sirens or lights in such situations would pose a problem.
His firm serves more than 50 patients a day and has tie-ups with five hospitals.
In order to solve the predicament, the firms have decided to invest to convert their medical transport service vehicles into emergency ambulances, which are able to provide both services.
Mr Yang said he will be investing at least S$200,000 to convert his 26 vehicles into emergency ambulances. He will also upgrade the GPS systems in the ambulances, he said, adding that the cost will inevitably reflect in fees.
“We private ambulance operators are sandwiched. I think medical transport services would be a suitable classification for those ambulances in nursing homes. We are a hybrid,” he said.
Dr Charles Johnson, who manages Hope Ambulance, and plans to register his fleet of 42 ambulances for emergency services, however, has no issues with the classification. His firm conveys about 100 patients a day.
“It’s a logical move. The needs are different for each category of patients. Patient safety could be compromised if medical transport services attend to emergency cases,” he said.
OPERATORS WELCOME REGULATION DESPITE CONCERNS
While he considered the classification problematic, Mr Yang acknowledged it would have its merits.
“This will up the level of competition. The public can be assured that there will be high standards, with a medically-trained professional being accountable,” he said.
It will also weed out mushrooming small companies who may not provide proper training, he added.
Major operators who spoke to Channel NewsAsia said that regulation of the industry has been a long time coming.
Currently, the operators are governed by guidelines provided by the Health Ministry (MOH) almost 20 years ago, which are not enforceable.
“I think it’s (the regulation) long overdue. Ambulances are an extension of healthcare, and we need to ensure that standards are in place, that ambulances are properly equipped. Prior to this, the standards have been too basic, there was no policing,” said Dr Johnson.
He added that standards will rise as operators risk their licence if they do not comply.
An SCDF emergency ambulance. (File Photo: TODAY)
MOH said it recognises that providers may require support to ramp up capabilities, and will help to facilitate the ramp-up process by introducing a Voluntary Accreditation Scheme.
The Scheme will encourage ambulance operators to comply with requirements early and work with educational providers to develop ambulance crew training programmes in order to upgrade their personnel, a spokesperson said.
Dr Johnson said that the legislation could be tightened, by including details on how the ambulance should be built, as several ambulances are modified cargo vans.
“When that happens, walls are not reinforced, floor is not reinforced. Ambulances are in harm’s way every single time. We need to build safe vehicles that will protect their occupants,” he said.
MOH said based on 2017 data, the existing Singapore Civil Defence Force fleet of 60 ambulances service an estimated 90 per cent of the emergency cases conveyed to public sector hospitals.
SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) is reaching out to a Bangladeshi national who has been issued a notice of offence for plucking leaves off a tree at the Singapore Botanic Gardens earlier this month.
NParks told Channel NewsAsia on Sunday (Jan 28) that it “may consider an appeal” for the case.
Photos have been circulating on social media showing a notice of offence issued by NParks to a Bangladeshi man for plucking the leaves off a tree. An accompanying photo appears to show an AXS station fines payment screen asking for a fine of S$2,000 to be paid for the offence.
In a statement, NParks confirmed that a visitor to the Singapore Botanic Gardens was issued with a notice of offence for plucking the leaves of a Syzygium myrtifolium tree (also known as a Kelat Oil or Red Lip tree).
“NParks may consider an appeal for this case following the issuance of the notice of offence,” said the statement. “We will take mitigating circumstances into consideration when deciding on the composition amount, and will contact the visitor to look further into the case.”
Under the Parks and Trees Act it is an offence to cut, collect or displace any plant within a public park, the NParks statement said, adding that the offence carries a maximum fine of S$5,000.
Channel NewsAsia understands that such notices of offence will state that no action needs to be taken until a composition notice is issued, stating the amount that needs to be paid.
If someone were to try to pay a fine at an AXS machine based on a notice of offence, the machine is programmed to automatically generate an amount based on the type of offence that is keyed in.
In a case like that of the Bangladeshi national’s, the machine is programmed to automatically generate a fine of S$2,000.
The Syzygium myrtifolium tree is listed as native to Singapore and presumed nationally extinct on NParks’ Flora and Fauna Web.
Photos circulating online appear to show a notice of offence and an AXS payment screen.
