SINGAPORE – What would a traditional Singapore school song sound like if it were performed by a Mandopop star, an indie rocker or a K-pop idol? A local TikTok account is answering that question, creating buzz online with generative artificial intelligence (AI) remixes of local school anthems.

The viral account, Recess Remix, has captured the attention of thousands of netizens. A Mandopop reimagining of Dunman High School’s song has racked up over 192,400 views, while a rock rendition of the Raffles Institution anthem has surpassed 113,600 views.

Since launching in March, the account has posted over 90 remixed tracks from schools ranging from Hwa Chong Institution and St Andrew’s School (Secondary) to Bartley Secondary School and New Town Secondary School. Its goal is to remix anthems for all schools, estimated at over 300, in Singapore.

Behind Recess Remix is a trio of friends with expertise in AI and creative media: Matthew Lee, 48; Yap Wei Zi, 35; and Yap’s sister Sobbina Yap, 33.

Lee and the older Yap met through a mutual friend over two decades ago and run their own businesses. Wei Zi is the founder of an AI builders’ community called Pasanga, while Lee runs QLabs, a tech company that focuses on agentic AI and custom-built the AI prompt engine they used for Recess Remix.