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Remember it?
In the early 2000s, two young Singaporean singers made their way to Taiwan, then the capital of Chinese pop music, to try to build their careers. One was Stefanie Sun and the other was Stella Ng, who was called Huang Xiangyi in Chinese.
So, at just 19 years old, the beautiful baby-faced singer nicknamed Music’s Sweetheart released three albums, starred in various Taiwanese and local TV dramas and movies, and also headlined more than 10 commercials. Karaoke fans of Harlem Yu’s classic hit Qing Fei De Yi might also recognize her as the star in the music video.
After four years as a popular celebrity (more on that later), a stint as a chocolate entrepreneur, and about 19 years outside of Singapore — 16 years in Taiwan and two and a half years in Vancouver, Canada — Stella is now back in Singapore for the next few years.
With her is her adorable eight-year-old son Ashton, her son with Canadian businessman Armstrong Yeh, whom she married in 2011. Stella and Ashton completed their Stay-Home Notice (SHN) here in late August.
In an interview with AsiaOne, Stella, who will turn 40 in December this year, said that she planned her big move three months ago when she realized that Covid-19 was going to be around for a while.
Return to Singapore and convert your child’s nationality
“This unprecedented pandemic has made it extremely difficult for me and my family to fly as often as we would like to visit. My parents are older and I want to be by their side again during this pandemic,” he said.
Before this global health crisis, Stella used to return to Singapore at least once a year to visit her family. She added that she and Ashton will be staying here for at least two years and she doesn’t know if they will return to Canada.
He applied to the Ministry of Education (MOE) for a place at a local school for Ashton, but received word that there is currently no place available for the remainder of the 2020 school year. He intends to homeschool the child for the next several months. , while waiting for placement for the third year of Primary next year.
She said Ashton is excited to start school and make new friends here, and is also learning how to shed his Canadian accent to speak to a Singaporean. Stella called the boy on the phone during our conversation, where he aptly demonstrated a very local pronunciation of ‘grand-mar-dur’ (grandmother).
It will also convert Ashton’s nationality from Canadian to Singaporean. When asked if Ashton had to do his national service, she replied, “We don’t care at all about national service, we think it’s good. I think national service has done wonders for my male friends and my brother.”
Living in a less exciting Singapore after 19 years away
Stella left Singapore shortly after graduating from the National University of Singapore and spent most of her adult life abroad.
“A lot of people judge me by how I look and can be misleading,” he laughed.
“I am not soft or fragile. On the contrary, I am a very tough cookie and an entrepreneur. I believe in women who are independent, enterprising and live life to the fullest! I am always pushing my limits and stepping out of my comfort zone so much at work as well as personal experiences, taking on new adventures, simply because that’s the only way to deeper self-discovery and to create a meaningful life. “
Compared to bustling Taipei and picturesque Vancouver, little Singapore must seem a lot less exciting, we said. But she is optimistic.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEOz5nyH57V/
“I love Singapore! It will always be my home. Familiar HDB blocks, delicious street food and our iconic Singlish phrases are always close to my heart wherever I go,” said Stella, who mentioned that they have mee and kopi O siew dai. and take Ashton on a double-decker bus like what to do.
“I’m excited to move here again after 19 years of being away, meeting friends and family. Sure, Singapore is fast-paced compared to the Vancouver lifestyle, but I hope to bring back here valuable insights into what that I have learned living abroad. “
Why did you leave the show business of Taiwan
When Stella left her burgeoning show business career in 2004 to dive into business, it would be reasonable to assume that she wanted to be an entrepreneur.
But the reasons were actually much more sinister. Two years ago, she gave an interview to 8 Days where she first admitted that she had left the Taiwanese entertainment industry in part due to sexual harassment.
She told the local publication that there were people who tried to pressure her into sleeping with “people of power and reputation” in order for her to be successful in the industry.
“That wasn’t weird at all … I’m glad I didn’t go down that path. And I’m glad I stuck to my principles. And maybe back then, when people said, ‘Oh, Stella so lost. [for you to stop singing]! ‘But I never said anything. And it may have cost me my career advancement and my continuity in show business, but I’m glad how it all turned out. “
Stella also told 8 Days: “It’s not that I was weak to face it, I felt like I did it in my own sense. I said no when I could say no. And I tried to postpone whatever kind of advances they made me. But it still is. very scary for a very young woman to be in this situation and have no one to turn to. “
He added that he spoke to some lawyers, but it was always his word against someone else’s.
When asked by AsiaOne about it, Stella explained, “It was horrible for me and I wished #MeToo would start sooner. Women who experience sexual harassment in the workplace have been around for far too long.
“However, with the global media attention that the #MeToo movement has gained, I believe that women are now more likely to oppose such acts. They are empowered with knowledge, tools and platforms to help them if they face such problems. It is hope that change is here to stay. “
Although he is no longer a pop star, he never left music. He’s in a band called Bossa Baby, where they reinvent bossa nova-style nursery rhymes. His debut album Bossa Zoo was released in Taiwan in March and is available on iTunes.
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