Like her differently-spelt name (Stefanie instead of the usual Stephanie) which makes people sit up and take notice, Singapore’s latest discovery, 23-year-old Stefanie Sun is taking the music industry by storm with her phenomenal success. Eastciti steals a moment with her during her gig on the first night at the Concert By The Bay to find out what she’s been up to.
By Angelene Wong
You cannot imagine how small Stefanie is in real person. Oh well, maybe you can. TV and photos magnify a person and since she’s petite from the goggle box and on print, you can picture how she’ll be if you come face to face with her.
Fresh out of university, the 23-year-old lass (who bears a slight resemblance to Hong Kong singer/actress Gigi Leung) is already a megastar in Taiwan with her debut self-titled album topping the Taiwan charts for 5 weeks and selling 300,000 copies. In Singapore, her album enjoyed similar success, selling 7,500 copies on the very first day of release. Some cynics may attribute her increased popularity to the much-publicised fiasco in Taiwan where a crazy fan held her at gunpoint. But at the recent Concert By The Bay, Stefanie wowed the crowd with her strong and emotive vocals. In an industry where there are more good lookers and good singers. She stands out by having the best of both worlds.
The NTU biz grad is self-assured and articulate, sharing her views about Singaporeans becoming more globalised and how being too conservative becomes a stranglehold when we caught up with her backstage before her performance at the Concert By The Bay. But that’s not all we talked about…
What’s Up Gal?
Stefanie is still in the midst of her promotional tour for her debut album. She says, “After Singapore and Malaysia, I’ll be going to Hong Kong and Taiwan. So, from August 20 to 25, I’ll be in Hong Kong. And then on September 1, I’ll be going to China. After which, I’ll be taking a short break.” The break is a well-deserved one as the singer had a very hectic schedule while she was in Taiwan, clocking only 8 hours of sleep for 16 hours of work.
No J-pop
Her pop numbers are infused with a hip-hop, R&B feel. Well, not surprising, as the sweet-looking singer loves listening to R&B and Latin music. So, who are her favourite singers or bands? “I usually listen to English songs…mmm…favourite singers?” She pauses for a while but quickly lists American singer Alanis Morisette, Catatonia (the Welsh band that gave us radio-friendly hits like Mulder & Scully & Dead From The Waist Down) and Irish band, The Cardigans as her favourites. The reason: “Their songs have very real lyrics that are close to the heart,” gesturing to make her point. She adds, “I seldom listen to J-pop because I don’t understand the language and they all seem to sound alike.”
No stranger to singing, the NTU biz grad was a singer in the band while she was in school. Ahh… one of those campus bands which plays during lunch-hours and jam-&-hops? Says Stefanie, “We usually play for fun and sometimes we have gigs outside. One gig which we had was at the Suntec Fountain area.” So, what songs do they play during those jamming sessions together? “Oh, we usually play pop songs, Sugar Ray (she starts singing ‘Every morning…)
Since we’re on the topic of songs, I asked if she had free rein in her songs, what songs would she sing? “I like songs where I don’t have to ‘la…'(her elfin face crunching up in a mock grimace) I prefer songs that are simple. Commercial songs are not a bad thing. Alanis Morisette, for example, blurs the line between what’s commercial and what’s not with her popularity.”
Look Of The Millennium
Noticing that she’s quite commonly seen in silver outfits, we wondered aloud whether silver is her fetish. Giving us a look of bemusement, she says, “It’s an image created by the company. But for me, I think it’s been quite fun. As a singer, I get to try clothes that I won’t normally wear. Before I became an artiste, I’m always in T-shirt and jeans.”
So, if she were not a singer, what would she be? “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll take any job that comes my way.” Before you dismiss her as young and laidback, her thoughtful self comes to the fore. “I think I’ll do something that involves marketing (a course which she majored in when she was in NTU). In my line now, I get to experience what I studied in school. A lot of marketing goes into the record business especially in Taiwan which is very complicated.”
Leisure & Keeping Fit
Stefanie is a typical Singaporean who enjoys shopping and going to the movies. Has life changed after she became a singer? “Well, I do get more stares now. I can cope with occasional stares. But one thing I notice between Singaporeans and Taiwanese is that Singaporeans tend to stare and point but the Taiwanese would come up to you and say “Hi, Yan Zhi!” I think that’s nicer than being gawked at like an exhibit.”
To keep fit, she does kick-boxing, aerobics and the occasional swim. Her thin frame may be the cause of concern and the talking point of many but Stefanie is not bothered. I’ve never been more than 49 kg no matter how much I eat. I think it’s more important to be healthy than be obsessed about my size. I cannot help it if I look thin. There’s nothing I can do about it. ‘Healthy can already,’ I tell myself.”
Yanziology 
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