Shirley Tay
Since winning the latest installment of Campus SuperStar, Bonnie Loo has been on an uphill climb to success and recognition in the local music and acting industry. The Malaysia-born and Singapore-based singer put her studies on hold after her win and has never looked back since, and for good reasons too.
“I’ve been telling myself that these times can actually be used to motivate me to strive for the better!” shares Loo, in an email interview with UrbanWire.
Besides making her mark on the music charts with her eponymous debut album, which featured a wide range of genres from ballads to dance, Loo has also ventured into the acting scene with roles in local TV dramas Against The Tide and C.L.I.F 3. Capitalizing on her singing talent, Loo starred in Toy Factory’s local musical Innamorati as well as performed with mandopop singer Ding Dang in Glass Anatomy The Musical.
With 2 more local TV productions in the pipeline for 2015, Loo shares with UrbanWire how she aims to not just be a singer, but a well-rounded artist.
UrbanWire (UW): How has your life changed ever since winning Campus SuperStar (CSS) and being the first winner to be signed to a record label?
Bonnie Loo (BL): Life has definitely been busier, with more events to attend and more work commitments as an actress and singer. Now that I’m considered a public figure, people would have higher expectations of me and it resulted in a higher stress level. Unlike in school, interpersonal skills in working society is of higher importance and this is something that I’m still trying to learn and pick up along the way.
UW: Given that almost all your songs performed on CSS were ballads and your first single was a ballad as well, what was your reaction when you found out you were going to sing “YOLO”, which is an upbeat dance track?
BL: The general impression that people have of me is “the girl from Campus SuperStar who loves to sing ballads”, so when I knew I was going to sing “YOLO”, I was actually looking forward to it. Having a strong interest in dancing, I’ve always wanted to incorporate dance elements in my singing performances, and “YOLO” was the best opportunity to show those elements.
UW: How was the process of producing “YOLO”? Any challenges?
BL: “YOLO” was the second hit single of my album, which we recorded a couple of times. The harmonies of the song are pretty complicated and I had to sing all of them, so it took us quite a while to finish recording the song.
As this was my first time in a recording studio, everything was very unfamiliar. At the start, the unfamiliarity affected my interpretation of the songs, but slowly, I managed to grasp the right emotions and everything went back on track.
UW: What has been your biggest YOLO moment so far?
BL: Signing a contract deal is probably my biggest YOLO moment so far. It felt like a big challenge. Moreover I didn’t sign just 1 contract but 2 – 1 with MediaCorp as an actress and another with S2S Pte Ltd as a singer. I couldn’t believe that I had these opportunities, so I’m working extra hard to show my appreciation.
UW: You also have a track called “Heartache”. What does the song mean to you?
BL: This was the song I sang during my finals in Campus Superstar 2013. I’d call this song a commemorative one. People who didn’t support me or looked down on me are probably those who made my heart ache.
UW: How do you convey such emotions through your songs?
BL: “Don’t Want to Admit” is a love ballad. When we first started recording, the lack of real-life experience made it difficult for me to convey the emotions. Thankfully, my recording producer explained each lyric to me, word for word, and then I was able to immerse myself into the character and fully express the emotions of the song.
https://youtu.be/LLth21tTUaQ
UW: Having competed in over 300 singing competitions in the region since you were 10, would you say that you are a veteran in this area?
BL: The experiences from the competitions have helped me to feel less nervous on stage and improved my stage demeanor, but I wouldn’t say I am a veteran. Despite participating in over 300 singing competitions, I still feel that I’ve plenty to learn and improve on.
UW: What keeps you going then?
BL: It’s the determination and the continuous support from my parents. They have been accompanying me through my journey and have strengthened my beliefs that I’ll be able to achieve my dreams and shine on stage one day. There were times I felt like giving up, especially when the judges gave demoralizing remarks or when the results were not up to expectations.
UW: In the 2 years after you won CSS, you’ve dabbled in acting for local dramas and the stage. How’s the transition been like from singing to acting?
BL: Singing is something very personal, and since I’m a soloist, I can have full control of how I want to interpret the songs. However, acting – both stage and screen – involves working with actors, directors and staff, where you might have to forgo some of your wants or ideas to suit the rest. This is the main difficulty that I’m still trying to adapt to. The transition isn’t easy, as I’m still considered a novice in acting. I’ve a lot to learn and I’ve to adapt fast to different working environments and conditions. Of course, things are much better now as compared to when I took up my first acting role.
(Loo starts singing at 00:37)
UW: What were the challenges in transitioning and portraying your roles in a believable manner?
BL: Sometimes I’d confuse myself with the roles, or even letting them affect my own personality and characteristics. I’d say I need to watch more dramas for references.
UW: Did you have any mentors to guide you in acting?
BL: Usually the director would guide me on set, or if I had the chance to co-act with veteran actors, they would give me comments as well.
Previously, when I was acting with seniors Terence Cao and Li Nanxing, they would give me comments on how to interpret the character and senior Sora Ma would remind me to have more confidence when I act. I also received advice from acting with seniors Huang Bi Ren, Yao Wenlong, Rebecca Lim and Desmond Tan.
UW: What’s next for you now that you have completed your secondary school education? Any plans for your studies?
BL: I want to focus on my showbiz career – I’ve no plans for studies yet. At the same time, I want to work harder to improve on what I’m lacking in. As there’s only 1 chance, I’d want to leave more time for myself to develop myself in this industry.
UW: The local music industry has seen more recognition and successes in the past few years. How do you set yourself apart from the rest of the bands and singers?
BL: I don’t just sing, but dance and act – perhaps I am an all-rounder? I’ll continue to work harder to show that Bonnie is not only a lyrical ballad singer but she’s also a singer-dancer and actress.
UW: You’ve done ballads and dance tracks so far. Is there anything specific that you would like to explore next in your music style?
BL: I’d like to try out more dance tracks and songs that are more explosive and challenging, especially if they enable me to show my prowess in high notes.
Photography courtesy of S2S Pte Ltd