What do pop lyrics, kaya toast, and kampung kitchens have in common?

They’re all portals into the Merdeka Generation.In this episode of Read with Michelle, host Michelle Martin sits down with award-winning author Josephine Chia to explore her latest short story collection Merdeka Generation Groovers and Other Stories.

Through whimsical characters and soulful kampung scenes, Chia honours Singapore’s Merdeka Generation—those born in a time of struggle, now aging in a rapidly modernising nation.

What does it mean to grow old in a young country?

How do humour and heartbreak mix in tales of resilience?

Tune in as Michelle and Josephine discuss the legacy, music, and meaning woven into these richly local stories.