If Chinese New Year in Singapore had a soundtrack for 2026, this would be it. After more than a decade, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is welcoming the festive season with a brand-new Chinese New Year album — one that feels both comfortingly familiar and unmistakably local. Titled 《春乐满狮城》(Spring Melodies of the Lion City), the digital release reimagines traditional New Year tunes through a Singapore lens, blending original homegrown compositions with refreshed arrangements of festive favourites.

Available worldwide for free from 30 January 2026 on major platforms such as Spotify and YouTube Music, the album is designed to soundtrack everything from reunion dinners and house visits to shopping mall strolls and office celebrations.

While Chinese New Year music often leans on nostalgia, Spring Melodies of the Lion City takes a confident step forward. It is SCO’s first Chinese New Year album since 2015 — and its first album overall since Charms of Nanyang III (2023) — marking a renewed commitment to innovation grounded in tradition.

“We have given timeless Chinese New Year tunes a uniquely Singaporean sound,” shares SCO Principal Conductor Quek Ling Kiong. “Our hope is that this becomes a go-to album for many Singaporeans during the festive period.”

That Singaporean sound is most evident in the album’s three original commissioned works by local composers, each offering a different take on spring, renewal and celebration.

Spring in the Lion City by Phang Kok Jun blooms with imagery familiar to anyone who has decorated a home for the New Year. Kumquats, orchids and lucky bamboo are translated into musical motifs, unfolding in a lively theme-and-variations structure that mirrors the bustle of the season. The piece first premiered at SCO’s Rhapsodies of Spring 2025 concert and now finds a wider audience in album form.

In contrast, Spring Returns SG by Dayn Ng Chee Yao bursts with multicultural energy. Drawing from the well-known tune 《大地回春》(The Earth Rejuvenates in Spring), the piece boldly reshapes the melody using a Malay minor scale, weaving in Chinese, Malay, Indian and contemporary funk influences.

“I was inspired by the sounds of different cultures that I grew up with,” says Ng. “In a rojak style, I incorporated percussion such as the Malay rebana, South Indian mridangam and modern drums. After all, the whole country celebrates during Chinese New Year.”

For a gentler mood, Spring Love by Sulwyn Lok offers a lighthearted, bossa nova-inspired reinterpretation of the classic 《金蛇狂舞》(Dance of the Golden Snake). Softer and more reflective, it’s a reminder that the festive season can be as much about quiet moments as it is about loud celebrations.

Alongside the new works, listeners will find reimagined versions of beloved Chinese New Year staples. 《恭喜恭喜》(Gongxi Gongxi) — originally written in a minor key to commemorate the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War — gets a contemporary update featuring vocals by DJs from Mediacorp Capital 958. Other festive favourites such as 《喜洋洋》(Full of Joy) and 《当春风遇上甜蜜蜜》(Romantic Encounter) round out the album with warmth and familiarity.

Beyond the home, Spring Melodies of the Lion City is set to travel far and wide. With tracks also available on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok’s music libraries, the album is poised to reach corporate spaces, radio stations and social media feeds around the world — extending SCO’s cultural presence beyond the concert hall.

Whether you’re hosting relatives, navigating festive crowds or simply easing into the New Year, this album offers a soundtrack that feels proudly Singaporean — one that celebrates tradition, diversity and renewal in equal measure.

Spring Melodies of the Lion City is available for free from 30 January 2026 on 18 streaming platforms, including Spotify and YouTube. Just search for “Spring Melodies of the Lion City”, “春乐满狮城”, or individual track titles to press play and let the festivities begin. More information available here