FOR two years, local singer Kelvin Tan, who took a break after the release of his last album i-Weilian in 2007, has been living as an ordinary person.

That includes frequently using public transport.
During a recent interview with U-Weekly, the 27-year old laughed and said: 'Since I had so much time on my hands, I started taking buses and MRT trains again. It helped me save up quite a lot.'

Kelvin, who was born visually-impaired, didn't mind being recognised by fellow commuters, but professed to not liking cameras one bit.
'I'm very sensitive to the clicking sound of cameras, and I am instantly aware when someone takes a snapshot of me,' he said.

'Actually, not only do I hear the sound, I can sense the sudden bright flash light. It's really unpleasant.'

He added that he gets angry at times because unlike others who can spot the camera and evade it in time, he cannot.

'I just hope that people understand that I'm not a piece of scenery that you can photograph as and when you like,' he said.
'If you want to photograph me, at least have the courtesy to ask first.'
Kelvin enjoyed his career peak in 2006, after emerging champion of the inaugural Mandarin singing competition Project SuperStar.

He has sung in big arenas such as the Singapore Indoor Stadium, MAX Pavilion and Suntec Convention Hall and dreams of performing at the Esplande next. 'The concert halls in Esplanade are smaller but much cosier, and I've heard that the sound system there is great.'

His soon-to-be-released third album, Walk, Sing, Chen Weilian, will feature several self-penned songs.'I didn't deliberately set out to transform into a singer-songwriter, it just kind of hit me one day that I wanted to be myself,' he said.He admitted to 'slightly losing his real personality', especially over the last few years, when he ventured into Taiwan.

'When people started making remarks that I've become more PR-savvy, I realised how important it is to stay true to oneself.'
The songs he wrote for his upcoming album are 'easy-listening and soothing', said Kelvin.

'Basically, they are simple songs, a reflection of my current state of mind.'
When quizzed about his declining popularity, Kelvin was surprisingly candid.

'Facts don't lie. It's true I'm not in the hot zone right now,' he said.
'However, I don't think it's that people have forgotten me completely. It's just that I've been out of sight for a while.

'It's time to tell everyone that Kelvin Tan is back!'

Masseuse
He has always believed that everyone has to have a back-up plan to fall back on and he once told the local media that should the music industry not work out for him, he will either return to busking on the streets - Kelvin started out as a busker - or become a masseuse.

'If that really happens, I don't see anything shameful about it. It's not a 'downgrade' of jobs at all,' he said matter-of-factly.

'It's a real world out there and it's always good to be prepared for the worst.'
Kelvin has been appointed to sing the Mandarin version of this year's National Day theme song, What Do You See.

The song, written by local rock band Electrico, had critics and fans divided, as there were some who liked it for being unique and others who panned it for not being catchy enough.

'The Chinese version is pretty similar to the English one,' said Kelvin.
'Just that compared to Electrico's, mine is not so rock-flavoured.'

This article was translated from the latest issue of U-Weekly. For more news on Asian entertainment, get a copy of U-Weekly, out on news-stands today. U-Weekly now gives you double the value. For only $2, you get your regular dose of celebrity news, as well as a free special pullout focusing on real life people and their stories. Remember to ask for your special pullout when you buy the magazine.


http://tnp.sg/show/story/0,4136,209549,00.html

Pat's Thoughts

If music be the food of love, play on. This is a blog where I share with people about myself and my favourite Singaporean Singer Kelvin Tan Wei Lian. All who are my friends, colleagues and family are welcome to come to my blog and get update here. I am part of Kelvin Tan's FC who is named the Blue Angels since he won PSS1 in 2005

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