Singaporean singer-songwriter Charlie Lim is set to release his third full-length album, “Daydream,” at the end of 2026, with its lead single “Nobody’s Home” premiering on April 3 alongside a music video directed by longtime collaborator Jonathan Choo.
The track introduces the tone of the forthcoming record, described as sparse and introspective, with an emphasis on restraint in both sound and arrangement.
“Daydream” marks a return to Lim’s signature melancholic style, shaped by his experience as a songwriter and producer over the past decade. The eight-track album explores themes of loss, longing and redemption, balancing moments of emotional weight with quieter passages.
“It’s a delicate equilibrium,” Lim said, referring to both love and art. “This album taught me that clarity often comes from taking things away and trusting silence, space, and vulnerability to do the heavy lifting.”
The album features collaborations with Scottish singer-songwriter Tamzene, pianist and organist Chok Kerong and Australian cellist Ng Pei-Sian. It was produced with UK artist sugi.wa, also known as Will Goldsmith, with additional production from Aneirin Wee, Ian Lee and Kin Leonn.
Lim also expressed interest in returning to Manila, where he previously performed and collaborated with Filipino artists.
“More than a decade ago, a friend helped me and my bassist organize a whole bunch of shows out of the kindness of his heart,” he said. “He somehow managed to get me to open for Side A at 19 East, which was pretty crazy, and I guess even crazier realizing in retrospect that Joey Benin, their bass player, is Clara’s dad.”
He recalled performing with singer-songwriter Clara Benin during a 2018 show in Manila and contributing to her song “Wine,” which he described as “one of my favorite features to this day.”
Lim also cited his appearance at Wanderland Festival, where he shared the lineup with artists such as Honne, Masego, Clairo, The Kooks and Mac Ayres, as among his memorable experiences in the Philippines.
“It’s been such a long time, so I’m sure it’ll feel very different,” he said. “I’d love to get to meet and jam with more artists and songwriters, and it’ll be great to see what’s been going on since the last.”
Lim has been active in Singapore’s contemporary pop music scene for over 15 years. He released his debut EP in 2011 and has since amassed more than 20 million streams across digital platforms. His albums “Time/Space” (2015) and “Check-Hook” (2018) both reached No. 1 on the iTunes Singapore album charts.
His awards include the Compass Young Songwriter of the Year in 2017, Indie/Alternative Artist of the Year at the Youth Music Awards in 2021 and the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award in the same year.
As a performer, he has appeared at regional music festivals including Summer Sonic in Tokyo, Bigsound in Brisbane, Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Wanderland Festival in Manila, Clockenflap in Hong Kong, Hozo Festival in Vietnam and Urbanscapes in Kuala Lumpur. He has also collaborated with artists such as Khalil Fong, Kimbra, Kan Sano, Miho Fukuhara, BIBI, Taku Takahashi and Clara Benin.
Beyond his solo work, Lim has contributed to national projects in Singapore. He co-produced a reimagined version of the 1987 song “We Are Singapore” for National Day 2018, which later led to “Room at the Table” (2020), the opening item for the 2020 National Day Parade.
He also co-wrote and produced “Breathing City” for National Day 2021 and the 2025 National Day theme song “Here We Are,” which he performed live at the National Day Parade with Kit Chan. He served as assistant music director for the event.
Earlier in his career, he co-wrote two theme songs for the 2015 Southeast Asian Games and performed the closing song “Still” at the National Stadium.
