“Clair de lune reimagined” is a musical film which tells the story of a protagonist at odds with their truth, ultimately finding the courage and might to face reality and accept consequences. Centered on Claude Debussy’s Clair de lune from Fêtes galantes, the music is reimagined in two seemingly distinct elements: the first, a traditional western classical performance of the song with some electronic modifications; the second, a translated rewrite of Paul Verlaine’s text in the style of synthwave, a 1980s synthpop revival genre. With this unique synthesis of French melodié and synthwave, coupled with visual elements, we aim to reimagine the possibilities of western classical music, not just in terms of performative conventions, but also in terms of stylistic interpretations. “Clair de lune reimagined” also aims to fuel further investigation into the ways in which we think about music in the present day, and the evolution and restructuring of musicians’  identities. At its core, this project is an experiment designed to reimagine the possibilities of music using the lens of the 21st-century present-day musician.

This project is based on predominantly Singaporean perspectives and contexts, which could be viewed as a limitation. The members of the project and the plot of the film depend on a “Singaporean” vision of reality. However, with Singapore being a subset of Southeast Asia, the project can nonetheless affect contemporary aesthetics and spur progress in music making within the region. This project is in no way a definitive representation of the 21st-century musician, be it in Singapore, Southeast Asia or the world at large, but is rather a demonstration of one new approach to music making. It is our hope that this work will serve to inspire further thought and introspection on the development of the music scene within Southeast Asia.