How a laptop & piano lessons led her to music

How The Cutest Pair made her a top SG artist

The pros and cons of social media for a singer

Revealing personal details in her song lyrics

Singapore's lack of system for new artists

Goals: Big festivals & helping musicians

Hear from home-grown singer Regina Song, one of the most streamed Singapore artistes in the past year.

Synopsis: Synopsis (headphones recommended): The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In this special episode of Music Lab, ST’s music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts Regina Song, one of the most streamed Singapore artistes in the past year.

The 21-year-old first encountered fame when her 2024 song, The Cutest Pair, went viral on TikTok.

A song from her debut album Fangirl, it has since garnered 54 million streams on Spotify alone.

But as she discusses in the podcast interview, the singer wants to be more than just a one-hit wonder. She has been working on new songs and performed two of her newest tunes, Before I Leave and Midsummer Mansion, live on the podcast.

In the interview, Song talks about her relationship with social media and how it plays a huge role in how she operates as an artiste.

She also discusses the challenges of being a full-time music musician in Singapore, including the lack of a structured system for rising artistes.

This episode was recorded and filmed in front of a live audience of some 90 ST readers on October 7 at Esplanade Annexe Studio, as part of the ST Podcast Live! Sessions celebrating 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025.

Highlights (click/tap above):

10:23 How an old laptop and piano lessons set her on the path to music

17:30 On how The Cutest Pair made her one of the most streamed Singaporean artistes

23:13 The pros and cons of social media for a singer

28:46 Revealing personal details in confessional lyrics

33:03 The lack of a structured system for rising artistes in Singapore

38:04 A desire to headline bigger festivals and help other musicians pursue their dreams

Watch the full performance and podcast on YouTube: https://str.sg/JdzuV

Listen to Regina Song’s live performance of Before I Leave & Midsummer Mansion here: https://str.sg/MbDc

Discover home-grown artiste Regina Song at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/ieaZ

Spotify: https://str.sg/o2WPs

Instagram: https://str.sg/9PLo

Read Eddino Hadi's articles: https://str.sg/wFVa

Host: Eddino Abdul Hadi (dinohadi@sph.com.sg)

Produced by: ST Podcast Team & ST Outreach & Engagement Team

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Discover previous artistes' live performances featured on Music Lab Podcast:

Channel: https://str.sg/7m92

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

--

#musiclab

Hear from home-grown singer Regina Song, one of the most streamed Singapore artistes in the past year.
Synopsis: Synopsis (headphones recommended): The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.
In this special episode of Music Lab, ST&rsquo;s music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts Regina Song, one of the most streamed Singapore artistes in the past year.
The 21-year-old first encountered fame when her 2024 song, The Cutest Pair, went viral on TikTok.
A song from her debut album Fangirl, it has since garnered 54 million streams on Spotify alone.
But as she discusses in the podcast interview, the singer wants to be more than just a one-hit wonder. She has been working on new songs and performed two of her newest tunes, Before I Leave and Midsummer Mansion, live on the podcast.
In the interview, Song talks about her relationship with social media and how it plays a huge role in how she operates as an artiste.
She also discusses the challenges of being a full-time music musician in Singapore, including the lack of a structured system for rising artistes.
This episode was recorded and filmed in front of a live audience of some 90 ST readers on October 7 at Esplanade Annexe Studio, as part of the ST Podcast Live! Sessions celebrating 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025.
Highlights (click/tap above):
10:23 How an old laptop and piano lessons set her on the path to music
17:30 On how The Cutest Pair made her one of the most streamed Singaporean artistes
23:13 The pros and cons of social media for a singer
28:46 Revealing personal details in confessional lyrics
33:03 The lack of a structured system for rising artistes in Singapore
38:04 A desire to headline bigger festivals and help other musicians pursue their dreams
Watch the full performance and podcast on YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/JdzuV">https://str.sg/JdzuV</a>
Listen to Regina Song&rsquo;s live performance of Before I Leave &amp; Midsummer Mansion here: <a href="https://str.sg/MbDc">https://str.sg/MbDc</a>
Discover home-grown artiste Regina Song at:
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/ieaZ">https://str.sg/ieaZ</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/o2WPs">https://str.sg/o2WPs</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://str.sg/9PLo">https://str.sg/9PLo</a>
Read Eddino Hadi's articles:<a href="https://str.sg/wFVa"> https://str.sg/wFVa</a>
Host: Eddino Abdul Hadi (<a href="mailto:dinohadi@sph.com.sg">dinohadi@sph.com.sg</a>)
Produced by: ST Podcast Team &amp; ST Outreach &amp; Engagement Team
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
Discover previous artistes' live performances featured on Music Lab Podcast:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/7m92">https://str.sg/7m92</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/w9TB"> https://str.sg/w9TB</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/w9T6"> https://str.sg/w9T6</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#musiclab

A new musical act comes to the ST podcast studio every week. Headphones recommended!

Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

Podcaster: Eddino Abdul Hadi

Produced and recorded by: ST Podcasts & Studio+65

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.
Podcaster: Eddino Abdul Hadi
Produced and recorded by: ST Podcasts &amp; Studio+65
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Music Lab

Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.
Podcaster: Eddino Abdul Hadi
Produced and recorded by: ST Podcasts &amp; Studio+65
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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