Stefanie Sun

In this indie-centric day and age, how has a homegrown pop diva managed to maintain music-royalty status when the genre has elsewhere degraded into a prefab formula that’s more trashy than tuneful?

Stefanie Sun embodies the essence of the teen idol as modelled by Britney on the cover of Rolling Stone a decade ago: the photogenic singer with catchy tunes and girl-next-door appeal. But while America’s ‘Toxic’ pop princess has fallen from grace, you’ve got to hand it to Sun – she’s become a multiplatinum- selling artist, recording no fewer than ten albums and at the same time helping to pin Chinese pop on the musical map. Now Singapore proudly welcomes home its Mandopop princess, née Sun Yan Zi.

If you’re wondering whether all this rollercoaster success at such a young age (she turns 31 on 23 July) might have withered her stamina, then witnessing Sun live leaves no doubt as to her powers of endurance. Her trademark voice is an alluring instrument – singing mostly in Mandarin, she throws in the occasional English cover or Hokkien lyric. Those melodious talents aside, in an increasingly manufactured era of pop, critics have praised this songbird for writing her own lyrics. Fans are already waiting expectantly for a soon-to-drop new album that’s been shrouded in mystery, and she’s sure to preview a few songs in tonight’s setlist.

As if those super-cute looks weren’t enough (she’s been dubbed ‘the Kate Moss of Asia’), Sun’s shows make for one impressive spectacle, too. This performance promises holograms in place of two-dimensional screens, as well as an imaginative use of stage space – all of which should create an intimate atmosphere for those enthusiastically anticipating her return at the Indoor Stadium, a relatively small venue considering her huge fanbase.

Stefanie Sun performs at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 11 July

Photo credits: Unusual Entertainment