In 1986, Clement Chow recorded and performed Count on Me, Singapore for National Day. The patriotic ballad was an instant hit, turning him into a household name overnight while paving the way for a successful career in the island’s fledgling music industry.
But today, close to 40 years after what many say was the veteran musician’s big break, Clement attributes an altogether different reason for his success story.
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"People remember how you treat them, and work will come to you if you treat people right."
Still counting on Clement Chow
And work, indeed, has come to Clement over the decades, even as he transitioned from singer to producer, composer and events planner.
In 2019, he released the song None of This Came Easy for Singapore’s Bicentennial. The year after that, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, he worked on a remake of his most famous song with other local musicians to get people to Stay at Home, Singapore.
Nowadays though, most of his efforts are focused on projects that come to his company, Vertex Integrated Entertainment, where he is commissioned by clients like the National Neuroscience Institute, Marine and Port Authority of Singapore and the National Healthcare Group to craft musicals and shoot tributes for special occasions like anniversaries.
"There's a certain magic that comes with such a long process, and that really comes out on stage."
In some cases, he says that the rigour of training has even led to the forming of relationships and eventual marriages.
Clement Chow: "You should leave the world a better place than when you came"
Of course, it’s not all work and no play for the silver musician. In between projects, Clement heads overseas for short stints to rest and recharge.
In the older days, before he started dealing with health issues he’d rather not discuss, he’d venture abroad for “two months minimum”.
One of his fondest travel memories came several years ago, when he stayed at the Inuit hamlet of Pangnirtung on Baffin Island, Canada.
"It's just amazing there – it's an entirely different world from what we’re used to. I would’ve liked to stay there forever, but I had commitments back in Singapore (laughs)."
These profound travel experiences – throat-singing with the Inuit, jamming with a Chinese musician in Shangri-La (originally called Zhongdian), China and riding on the Trans-Siberian Railway – partially contributed to Clement’s desire to give back.
That’s also why he carves out time from the corporate gigs to work with charitable organisations in the way he knows best – music.
He is currently working with Temasek Shophouse (a social impact hub operated by the philanthropic arm of investment company Temasek) to co-organise and curate the Let’s Jam Music Fellowship.
The weekly community gathering saw an intergenerational crowd of musicians and revellers assembled at the space for the universal appreciation of music.
According to the musician, the crowd swelled to upwards of “a couple of hundred people” on some evenings with attendees of “all ages and all abilities”.
"People would dress up and dance to the music – it just felt so light-hearted and joyful that even the younger generation could enjoy the movers and shakers from the '60s and '70s."
While the Temasek Shophouse is currently closed for renovation, the Let’s Jam sessions have moved to other locations, switching every month. Clement enjoys his work with this initiative.
Temasek Shophouse Let's Jam: November Edition will be happening on 12 November 2024, 5:30pm - 8pm. More information here.
