Alfred Sim to represent Singapore in Voice of China

Alfred Sim to represent Singapore in Voice of China

Project Superstar winner Alfred Sim will be representing Singapore in the new season of popular Chinese TV singing contest The Voice Of China, which will see Taiwanese megastar Jay Chou joining the judging panel for the first time.

Sim, 33, won the right to fly the Singapore flag at a closed-door competition on Sunday when he beat nine other finalists including singer-actress Bonnie Loo and fellow Project Superstar contestant Abigail Yeo.

The selection contest was organised by The Voice Of China's production team, together with MediaCorp.

"I couldn't believe it. I was one of the last ones to be called forward when they were announcing the results. I thought I didn't have a chance," says Sim, who emerged victorious on local singing contest Project Superstar last October.

The new season of The Voice Of China, which will be its fourth, will air in July. The show will be streamed live from China on Toggle, MediaCorp's online video platform. It will be aired within the same week on Channel U.

Sim was invited to take part in the Singapore auditions along with about 60 others last month. The panel of judges at Sunday's Singapore audition finals included past Voice Of China contestants Huang Yi and Yu Feng.

Sim is Singapore's second official representative on the show. Last year, 20-year-old Jeremy Teng, winner of Japanese singing contest Nodojiman The World, represented Singapore in Voice Of China Season 3.

As the reigning Project Superstar champion, Sim felt pressure during the auditions and in the finals on Sunday.

He was also afraid of the negative repercussions on his upcoming EP if he did not win the selection contest to take part in The Voice Of China.

"That was my worry. The ideal case is that if I win this competition and represent Singapore, people will know me better," says Sim, whose as-yet-untitled EP is expected to be released in July.

He hopes his wife, singer Tay Kewei, 31, can accompany him during the contest in China. There is no official confirmation, but he is likely to fly to China next month.

"I want her to come along. We can have a holiday at the same time and having her by my side is always better."


This article was first published on May 05, 2015.
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