Why I joined the talent contest
As many of you might have already known, I taught music at a primary school before joining the contest, but what most of you don’t know is that I had once been a trainee under a record label for five years. I spent most of my 20s stuck at a place with big dreams in my head but too little progress to ever come close to them. Eventually I was notified by the company that my debut was cancelled and they said and I quote, “Your skills in singing cannot make up for your flaws in body shape and appearance”. In devastation and anger, I left and departed from the road to become a singer, the road that I have been walking on for twenty years. I picked up my shattered confidence and passion teaching teenagers as I witnessed their growth in music and as a person.
One day I overheard a boy, who has an angelic voice, telling his friends that he would never make it as an artist solely because of his being overweight. As a washed-up trainee, there was no room for me to pitch in and encourage him, so the best I could do was to show him that talent and diligence outweigh pathological beauty standards. Just like that, my interest in singing was rekindled and my dream was refueled, urging me to join the contest.
How my personality and mental state were affected
I don’t have a flair for being under the spotlight, so even if I had prepared myself for the cynical taunts and attacks online in advance, I was still taken aback by how mean people can be to an absolute stranger. Attack and mockery of my figure are expected but haters will go as far as commenting on my families and friends, causing inconvenience in our lives. On the one hand, fame has caused me immense pain as I received hard hits every second on the internet. On the other hand, my character was toughened up by this experience. I’ve come to realise that I have to back up for a larger community that I represent. Whenever I felt stressed, I closed my eyes and that boy’s voice would echo in my head, reminding me that nothing can sink my determination.
How my life has changed since I won the contest
On the bright side, labels including the one that ditched me years ago offer me opportunities for new songs release and currently I dedicate myself fully to my music career. I receive proper training for both singing and producing. I enjoy keeping myself hectic. In some rare occasions when I walk on the streets, the two things that tend to catch my eyes are fans and paparazzi. It is always lovely to meet fans but I always have to be conscious of the make-up and outfit I put on, so I am not so down-to-earth that I am deemed sloppy. I avoid going out at all as I hate the notion of dressing up for strangers to take my photos as a result. Many people are also curious about how much I make. I am not much of a spender so I saved up my revenue from brand deals and endorsement to buy a nice flat. I apologize for the fact that my goals financially is as plain and practical as it can be but I do occasionally treat myself to a nice meal like Wagyu.
My plans for the future
With many songs and collaborations coming, my future is clearly working solely on music. I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder and in order to sustain my career, I am not yet at a point where I can start a business in other areas. However, I picture myself starting a clothing and beauty brand with inclusiveness as its goal to promote body positivity. Once I build up my reputation as a singer, I would also like to raise awareness and encourage people to break stereotypies and abandon obsolete beauty standards through music. I have a lot on my plate right now but if I am to conclude my vision for the future in one sentence, it would be that I want to be more than just a singer.