Singapore’s ‘I Can See Your Voice’ casts top stars as detectives

Singapore’s adaptation of the South Korean hit game show ‘I Can See Your Voice’ invites viewers to join some of the country’s most beloved entertainers to solve a musical mystery.

The show enlists famed detectives Benjamin Kheng, Gurmit Singh, Najip Ali and Xixi Lim to help – or mislead – the contestants in their decisions.

The series is the latest addition to the global franchise, which originated in South Korea and has been adapted in more than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Thailand and the Philippines. The format’s combination of deduction and performance has resonated with audiences around the world, with each country adapting the concept to reflect local sensibilities.

The show is hosted by Joakim Gomez and Munah Bagharib, both seasoned performers in Singapore’s entertainment scene. Gomez, a radio personality from Mediacorp 987, rose to fame as a finalist on Singapore Idol in 2006. Bagharib, known for her acting and presenting roles, also advocates for mental health awareness and dementia education.

Kheng, known for his music with The Sam Willows and his solo career, says: “We’ll get clues, a lip sync challenge, interrogation opportunities and more. My job is to give quality or misleading advice to the celebrity contestants as to whether I think these mystery singers are good or bad singers.

Singh, beloved for his iconic role as Phua Chu Kang in the sitcom ‘Phu Chu Kang Pte Ltd’, brings with him decades of experience in comedy and hosting. “I liken it to playing a musical version of ‘Cluedo,’ where sometimes the clues are helpful, but sometimes they’re absolutely ridiculously useless,” he explains. Reflecting on his chemistry with Ali, Singh adds, “Najip and I have known each other for a long time, but we only recently performed together. The English feature drama ‘Sunny Side Up’ was our first collaboration and we really enjoyed the collaboration. So in ‘I Can See Your Voice’ we really let loose and had a great time. So much so that the producers made sure we didn’t sit next to each other because we were having too much fun and causing a commotion, constantly making jokes and swearing at each other.”​

Ali, a regional entertainment pioneer with a career spanning four decades, takes a more analytical approach. “As a celebrity detective, my job is to separate the good singers from the bad singers. I will have to comment on each performance and try to help the celebrity contestants decide who are the good singers and who are the bad singers. While I try to help them, sometimes my comments can confuse them even more because they think differently,” he says. Najip’s legacy includes hosting and producing award-winning shows like ‘Asia Bagus’ and ‘Berani Nyanyi?’

Completing the panel is Xixi Lim, an actress, model and singer celebrated for her comedic timing and advocacy for body positivity.

“I Can See Your Voice” premieres on January 13 and airs every Monday on Channel 5, with episodes available to stream on mewatch and YouTube. The final mystery singer of each episode will win SG$10,000 ($7,300), with all winners eligible to win a Nissan Leaf car.