Olivia Ong: The most romantic thing is…
By Fann Sim
Before leaving Singapore to make it big in Taiwan a few years ago, local singer Olivia Ong was given 30 folded paper stars by her boyfriend then.
Ong was to open a star each day to unveil a message from him while she was away. She calls his gesture the "most romantic thing" that someone has ever done for her.
The relationship eventually gave way from the pressure to keep in touch over the long distance, but Ong still believes in romance.
"To me, what's most romantic is when both parties don't have to say a word. You can just feel it," says Ong.
Such feelings inspired songs in her latest album titled "Romance". The songs were based on her own experiences and the love stories of people close to her.
One of the songs "Let It Rain" describes a person who is feeling jaded and exhausted but who is also reminded of happy moments and the need to move beyond the negative feelings.
Ong says it is the most personal song in her album.
"I wrote this song when I was in China last July. After a day of promotional activities, I laid (myself) in bed alone and thought about stuff. This song came to me unknowingly," recalls Ong.
"It reflected my state of mind then," she adds.
See a video of her performing the song:
Ong, who knew she wanted to be a singer since she was young, admits that there have been many challenges in her line of work. She feels the stress and pressure of being a public figure.
"For me, this has always been a dream. I don't see this as a job. It's really fun and I'm learning a lot of things. Of course, to be a successful singer is not without its challenges and there will be pressure but I think it's best to stay focused," said Ong.
In August, Yahoo! Singapore awarded Ong a Singapore 9 award in the Youth category beating four other nominees.
"It's really cool that people think that I am inspiring enough," she says.
She thanks her supporters for voting for her and feels surprised and honoured to win.
When asked if she was aware of local musician Inch Chua's Facebook note about the lack of support for local music, Olivia said she knew about it and had sent Inch an email to encourage her to continue making music.
She supports Chua's decision to leave Singapore to further her music career. "I think there's nothing wrong with her going into an environment where she can learn and grow because that's what everyone wants to do," Ong said.
With regards to the note Chua posted about Singaporeans being unsupportive of local music, Ong said, "I can only speak for myself, and I'm very, very fortunate to have a label here for me."
Ong attributes her success in singing to her music label, HIM, as well as to great music and the right timing. She plans to continue to sing and produce albums.
"For me, my life motto is I never want to stop learning and I never want to stop improving," Ong said.
