.Tuesday, July 11, 2006 ' 7/11/2006 01:17:00 AM Y
Apple Bites into a singing career
Apple Hong is going to be a singer. The 28-year-old MediaCorp actress released her debut EP, The Colour Of Apple, in Malaysia last Friend. It contains six songs and boasts contributions from some of Malaysia's finest musicians. Her good friend and reputed songwriter Li Zhiqing, who has penned hits for the likes of a-do and Wakin Chau, supervised Apple's project.
Apple told The New Paper that she got the idea for an album while having a casual chat with her music industry friends years ago, before she entered showbiz.
But she only took the offer seriously 18 month ago.
Even then, Apple kept silent over her recording project. She only let her managers know about her upcoming EP after she had recorded two of the tracks.
The Malaysia-born Apple said: "I didn't think my contract with the company would allow me to cut an album at first. But our contracts have become more flexible."
While Apple insisted that she never thought of becoming a singer, she has always loved singing.
In a secondary school singing contest, she won a consolation prize for her rendition of the theme song MU Yang Qu from the hit movie Shaolin Temple.
She started taking singing lessons from a teacher whom her friend recommended when she joined MediaWorks five years ago.
"My teacher say that I have quite a unique voice, because my singing voice and talking voice are quite different."
While actresses like Fann Wong, Phyllis Quek and Ann Kok have released albums to limited success, Apple is trying not to let that get her down.
This is another reason why she chose Malaysia over Singapore to launch her album.
It will only be out in Singapore later this year when she can take time off her acting schedule to promote the EP.
"The audience in Singapore might think, 'Another actress trying to sing this time?' and may not be so receptive."
"Whereas in Malaysia, I've never appeared on TV there...so it will be easier for me to establish myself as a singer there."
"Maybe my EP will bomb or maybe it will be a success, I really can't say. What matters is that I did my best, and this EP is a milestone in my life."
thx to The New Paper,by Wendy Teo
