Singapore Street Festival Wow!- Singing Competition 2007 (SFF 2007) winner Tay Sia Yeun, 32, won the hearts of the judges as well as members of the audience with her powerful vocals, a sincere performance and humble personality.

Singing “Hero” by Mariah Carey as well as “Ku Bu Chu Lai” by Zhang Hui Mei, this jovial and loveable lady tells UrbanWire why she regards herself as the biggest hero.

UrbanWire: Congratulations on being the winner! How do you feel to have been one of the judges’ favourites in this competition right from the beginning?

Sia Yeun: I’m very happy and surprised. I feel all the other participants are very good. It was shocking to hear Elim Chew and Tama Goh mentioning my name when (the host) Genie asked them for some feedback. I’m really glad my hard work has finally paid off.

UrbanWire: Did you at any point of time feel you were going to be the champion?

Sia Yeun: Oh, not at all. After every performance I always felt I could have done so much better. I felt so fortunate to be given a second and third chance after the preliminaries and then the semi-finals.

In fact, I really didn’t think I was going to be in the top 3. While waiting for the results I even went to grab a bite in Cineleisure. It was only when 2 of the organisers called my hand phone and said, “Sia Yeun, you won! Come back to the stage now!” did I rush back outside. It was really unexpected.

UrbanWire: Do you have any background in singing or was it purely passion that spurred you on to come this far?

Sia Yeun: When I was young I played the piano and er-hu [2-stringed Chinese violin]. I always loved to sing but my parents were not supportive of this passion. When I turned 30 I told myself I needed to start living my life to the fullest. I am not young anymore! (laughs)

UrbanWire: During the preliminaries your choice of song was ‘Hero’ by Mariah Carey. You also ended the competition dedicating this song to the audience. So could you tell us who your biggest hero is?

Sia Yeun: A few years ago I suffered from some health problems. It was a really difficult time for me. My friend introduced this song to me and I was immediately drawn to the lyrics. You could say the song pulled me through my most difficult period because whenever I felt like giving up I would listen to the song and feel much better after that. I think I am my biggest hero. I survived all the illnesses and recovered from it all on my own. I’m really proud of myself for that.

UrbanWire: All 3 singing competitions you participated in were organised by the Singapore Street Festival. Any reasons why?

Sia Yeun: The Singapore Street Festival’s singing competition is the only open category I still qualify for under the age limit. It is not easy for a 32 year-old auntie [middle-aged woman] like me to find a suitable competition.

The Singapore Street Festival is also a very good platform for normal Singaporeans like me to express our love for singing and perform to the audience. It’s a really comfortable environment to be performing under. I’m really glad the Singapore Street Festival gives people like me an outlet to sing and compete with the younger generation.

UrbanWire: What’s next for you in pursuing this lifelong dream?

Sia Yeun: I’m going to compete in as many competitions as I can. Honestly, there aren’t many more of such competitions still open for adults over 30. Hopefully Singapore can come up with more singing competitions like Singapore Idol and Live the Dream. And they have to do it quick or they might have to extend the age limit to 60!

UrbanWire: Any words of advice for other aspiring singers like you who feels they’re too old to compete?

Sia Yeun: What are you waiting for? Faster join! You only get to be 32 once and once you hit 40 or 50 you’ll feel even older to do what you really want anymore.

We still stand a chance; don’t let anything stop you from living your dream. It’s never too late to start. Believe in yourself and enjoy the beauty in this world!

For more information about SFF 2007, log on to their official website at http://www.singaporestreetfestival.com