Will they repeat Hartono’s stellar run last year?
Just last year, we were all glued to our screens while following Nathan Hartono’s journey on the popular Chinese talent show Sing! China. Week after week, we sat at the edge of our seats as he belted his way to the finals (only to lose the title in a controversial results show).
Looking to emulate his success on this season of the singing competition are – not one, not two, but – four Singaporeans who have made it past the first round. Is it just us, or is Sing! China beginning to look a lot more like a Sing! Singapore?
ZYRUP takes a closer look at the four contestants vying to be the next Nathan Hartono.
Joanna Dong
The local theatre artist and jazz singer was the first contestant to successfully slide into the next leg of the competition, leaving audiences excited to see yet another Singapore representative on the show. Naming Hartono’s success as a source of motivation, she joined the competition hoping to bring more exposure to the local jazz scene. She too, like Hartono, chose Jay Chou as her mentor.
Curley Gao
The 18-year-old is a third-year student at Dunman High School, and is one of the youngest contestants in the competition. Don’t let her youth fool you – she boasts powerhouse vocals that left judges Eason Chan and Na Ying in awe. The Xinjiang native says she was constantly surrounded by music since young, which ignited her passion for music. She also cites her mother’s love for Na Ying as the main influence for choosing the singer as her mentor.
Olinda Cho
The 37-year-old is no stranger to singing competitions – local audiences will recognise her as the third-place finalist of the inaugural season of Singapore Idol. Despite not making it through the auditions of Sing! China last season, taking bigger risks in her second try paid off – her ballsy performance of judge Jay Chou’s song Secret earned her a 100-point score from Na Ying, and a nod of approval from the singer himself. Olinda, like Joanna, joined Jay Chou’s team, which is no surprise considering her song choice. We wonder if “steady pom-pi-pi” will still be her go-to catchphrase on the show.
Stella Seah
This chirpy 24-year-old already boasts multiple notches on her belt – not only is she a seasoned wedding singer, but she even released a Mandopop EP in 2014. She delivered a cheerful and upbeat rendition of ‘I Am A Fish’ by Richie Jen, and, like Curley, impressed judges Eason Chan and Na Ying as they raced to pick her for their teams. Seah eventually went with the latter, hoping to learn a thing or two from the reigning Queen of Ballads.
Watch Sing! China on Jia Le Channel (Singtel TV Channel 502) every Friday at 9pm.