It's the Golden Jubilee, the big 5-0, the milestone marking half a century of independence.

Whatever pent-up cynicism you have about our country, there's time for that later on but for now, it's a day of celebration, a day of facepaint, a day of free public transport rides, a day of funpacks and most importantly, a day of remembrance.

And it looks like Singaporean musicians definitely feel the same way. Just like how generations of Singaporeans witnessed our country grow from a former British colony into the Asian stronghold it is today, we've also been able to watch our music scene blossom — a process that, while will still take a while to grow, has been nothing but amazing.

Some local musicians have taken the SG50 festivities into their own hands and produced original songs or notable covers to truly usher national sensibilities forward into the future. Here are some of the best ones.

MICHELLE SGP

Sentimentality is a trademark of many SG50 songs but Michelle SgP turns in a touching tribute to not only the nation but to the late John Herbert, aka the "godfather in Singapore audio" who was an audio engineer involved heavily in many Singaporean records over the decades.

GARETH FERNANDEZ

Forgoing the saccharine strings and resonant choir of the unforgettable original, Gareth Fernandez & the Momma Shop employ what they do best: luxuriously smooth jazz that's wonderfully joyous, with some impressive instrumentation by the talented band. 

DAPHNE KHOO

This original song by singer-songwriter Daphne Khoo is not so much a straightforward tribute to the nation, rather, she sings about the thing that makes Singapore what it is: the people.

THE SAM WILLOWS x JOSH WEI

This was released last year but it's a reminder that whenever there's a cover to be made of the most maudlin and endearing National Day songs, The Sam Willows are a great fit. Added points for Josh Wei's violins.

JOSHUA SIMON

Two big thumbs up to ONE FM 91.3 and Bandwagon Bus host Joshua Simon for creating his own cover/original hybrid with Sun Ho's infamous 'China Wine'. Definitely one of the funniest homages to our country.