Even though Stefanie Sun may not be in the news recently, she has been keeping herself busy. Recently, she concluded an eight-day trip to Congo under World Vision Taiwan, and her efforts were recognized — she has been nominated for the Outstanding Young Person Award, which is presented to exemplary characters who have done good for society.

“I’m very pleased that they noticed my efforts of course. For me, I feel charity is a selfish thing. When you do a lot of entertainment stuff, it starts to get meaningless. So it’s more like finding meaning in my job, for me lah.”

And she found meaning in helping the poor people of Congo. Summing up her trip as “touching,” Stefanie even adopted a 7-year-old girl as her “daughter,” and hopes that the girl would grow up healthy. “I don’t do charity to get awards. You do charity because you feel like there are people who need it.”

Stefanie’s popularity has garnered her a nomination in this year’s MTV Asia Awards under Favorite Artist Singapore. When asked how she felt and if she was nervous about the nomination, having won it every time for the past four years, Stefanie exclaimed, “Do not break the trend!” before bursting out in laughter.

“I think it’s more like a pride thing. I mean, I’ve won it for four years so I want to have it lah!”

But what if her own friends were to win instead, as JJ Lin, Huang Yi Da, A-Do, and Taufik Batisah are all nominated in the same category. How would she feel if she were to be ousted by the newer artists? “If I don’t win, it’s fine also. It means that there is this other person that everyone also looks up to.”

She doesn’t hide the fact that the award means a lot to her though, especially an award like this which depends on fans’ voting. “You don’t get to see them [the fans] but you feel like it’s a very big invisible type of support that really helps. Over time they get to know you and you get to know them, and they’re very supportive of you.”

Supportive fans are very important in such a fickle music industry, and Stefanie is all too clear of that. When speaking about the qualities necessary to succeed, she firmly states, “I think vocals are important. Looks are important, I cannot deny. It’s not about being pretty, it’s about not being detestable. The person has to draw you somewhat.”

With the recent deluge of reality programs focused on sourcing new talent, she only has this to say. “I think it’s important to like music if you want to be an artist. But sometimes it really takes more than that. I feel you can’t want to be ‘like’ somebody in this business. Because being unoriginal doesn’t get you anywhere.”

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Posted in: Yanzi News