SINGAPORE — Those heading to the cinema to catch the film anthology 7 Letters can get another memento of the film. To coincide with the theatrical release, the theme song of Kelvin Tong’s short film contribution, Grandma Positioning System — GPS, can be downloaded for free. Presented by GoodGirlMusic, the song, Precious, was composed, performed and produced by homegrown singer-songwriter Serene Koong, and is available for download from the musician’s website (www.serenekoong.com) until Aug 26.

“Precious is a tribute to love and to our home, Singapore. When Kelvin approached me to write the theme song for GPS, the script moved me. It made me reflect on life growing up in Singapore, and how we have journeyed as a country,” said Koong. “This (song) is about that special place in our hearts for our loved ones and our country, which grows fonder each day, and which transcends the changing of time and seasons.”

The reason for this free download, said Koong, was because people had been asking after it. “We had been talking about releasing the song for a while and we have received nice comments about the song and the film, so we thought, why not? 7 Letters is also being screened at this time, so I thought it would be nice to share the song with those who like it.

“It is definitely heartwarming to receive messages from audiences about how the film and the theme song have connected with them,” she added.

“Audiences who loved the short film have been asking us in person as well as over social media about paying to download the song,” said Tong. “When Serene found out, she said she wanted to do her part for SG50. Since 7 Letters and GPS were a gift to Singapore, she wanted audiences who liked the song to have it for free as well.”

Koong said working on the song for the film was “an enjoyable experience” and she is open to more such collaborations. “Previously, when I wrote the theme song for The Dream Makers, it was very well-received,” she said. “Writing for drama series or films has its own challenges. You don’t just express what you want to express but take the script of the film or TV show into consideration and cater for that too. I definitely enjoy this part of it and I hope I can write for more.”

The musician also said Precious is a harbinger of sorts for the new material she is working on, which she hopes to released by the end of the year. “I’m working on new material, this is just the start,” she said. “(The album’s music) will be a mixture of genres. People do know me for my ballads and this emotional side of me; but there’s also another side that’s more R&B. So, I think the album will have a good mix of these elements.”