Sun keeps on shining

SINGAPORE - After months of frenzied anticipation, homegrown Mandopop queen Stefanie Sun's ninth stop of her comeback world tour - on home turf, no less - was a resounding success.

Her concert last night attracted a crowd of 20,000 under the iconic dome of the new National Stadium.

The 35-year-old mother of one - arguably Singapore's biggest superstar - is the first pop act to perform at the spanking new venue. Yet Sun was not at full strength.

She was clearly still battling some throat problems, a remnant of the bout of flu two weeks ago that saw her being rushed to hospital after her show in Chongqing, China.

But she still put on a slick performance that was accompanied by a visual spectacle that some fans described as "mind-blowing".

From the get-go, she took her fans into a futuristic dimension, with an impressive computer-generated stage backdrop consisting of roving planets and mysterious-looking passage ways.

It was apt, as her world tour is titled Kepler. The theme, conceptualised by Sun, is inspired by Johannes Kepler, the 17th-century German astronomer.

As she delivered chart-topping tunes such as Unforgettable, First Day and Green Light, the mood in the arena was vibrant.

Sun was in a jovial mood and chatted with the mostly local audience in a mixture of Singlish, English and Mandarin.

At one point, she asked her fans: "Where are your orange wigs?"

She was referring to the orange hairdo she kicked off the tour with.

When they shouted back, "Here!", Sun spotted a Caucasian man in the audience and joked in Mandarin: "Oh, ang moh's. Blond hair not counted."

Her concert was surely a winner for the $1.3 billion Sports Hub, which includes the 55,000-seater National Stadium. The Sports Hub opened its doors to Singaporeans on June 28.

It was a pity that Sun's concert utilised only half the stadium's capacity.

Fans The New Paper on Sunday spoke to said their idol was hands down the perfect candidate to debut at the venue.

She certainly had big shoes to fill. After all, the old National Stadium was where the nation had greeted Pope John Paul II, experienced the Malaysia Cup euphoria, cheered on Manchester United and went gaga over Michael Jackson.

Ms Sherlyn Kwan, 22, a second-year undergraduate, called Sun "a role model" for Singaporeans.

Events manager Ong Jiamin, 25, went further, saying: "I'm extremely proud of her.

"Not only is she a local artist, she is the shiniest star in Mandopop."

keeyunt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on July 06, 2014.
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