Text by Kien M. Lee | Photos by Amanda Wong | Makeup by Parichat Naidu

Singer-songwriter and ex-938Live Radio DJ Sarah Cheng-De Winne was caught in a devastating car accident in a collision with a lorry in July 2012, and was fortunate to escape relatively unscathed, save for superficial wounds. 

The experience could have been fatal and psychologically-jarring but the artiste then found the strength to complete the recording of her album Brand New in September that year.

It was almost exactly a year after the fateful incident that Sarah won the Best Contemporary Christian/Gospel Song award at the 12th Annual Independent Music Awards in 2013 with the track Love-Shape Void from the same album.

Best known for her “delightfully soulful” voice, dynamic performances and signature blend of pop, soul and jazz, Sarah performed the theme song for Starworld’s The Apartment Style Edition, where her voice is now heard in 18 countries worldwide. She has also featured on local and international platforms such as LIVE! Singapore 2010, Mosaic Music Festival 2011, Singapore Wine & Jazz Festival 2010, Esplanade’s Celebrate December (2009 & 2010) and Timbre's LIVE (2010).

Fresh from her foray into MandoPop, we speak to her as she looks to crowdfund via IndieGogo her new album, CANDLE, a bilingual EP that continues her path towards creating positive, soulful pop music, creating an uplifting experience for both English and Mandarin listeners.

So when we first connected, it was you interviewing me for a 938Live segment while you were a Radio DJ. But you’ve always been a singer, haven’t you?
The funniest thing about being a DJ was that after I released my first album Let's Pretend in the last semester of university (in 2010), it happened that because I was promoting that new release, I got an interview on 938LIVE. When my interview was over, I asked about the opening I had applied for but had yet to receive a response. I passed the voice test which I did on that same day, and was offered the position after an interview and current affairs test.

The irony of it was that I wouldn’t have gotten through (to become a DJ) if I wasn’t being interviewed as an artiste!

But after doing that for just over a year, I was inspired to return to music full-time. I really loved that period of my life, and got to meet many interesting people but I felt it wasn’t my true calling, my true passion.

So what is your true calling?
I wanted to use my music in a way to share positive messages, and in a much more intentional way. So I left to start work on my (then) new album Brand New with L.A.-based producer Kavin Hoo, the husband of Singaporean singer-songwriter Corinne May.

At the time, Corinne was promoting her fifth album in 2012 and I was blessed with the opportunity to perform backing vocals for her concerts when she launched her album.

It was 3 days after her last concert at Gardens by the Bay, that I went through a major car accident in which a huge white lorry collided with mine. I was literally flung out of my vehicle - thankfully onto the pedestrian footpath - upon the impact but miraculously I had only a gum injury, a laceration on my leg and surface bruises and scratches.

The doctors were amazed that I did not sustain any other major injuries like broken bones, fractures, blood clots... nothing!

And how did that affect you?
I think the near-death experience really shook my entire world. My perspective on life really changed.

At the time, we had none of the recordings done (yet)... and I was in no state to record for the entire month after the accident. But that experience led me to write a bunch of new songs, for my second album Brand New, including 'Just Me' and 'Love Shape-Void' which went on to win an award at the US-based Independent Music Awards.

I can honestly say that I've seen many struggles and many difficulties, and I'm learning how to overcome them with joy. I want to distill the truths I've learnt in the last couple of years, through the times of darkness that I’ve had to walk through. I hope my songs can inspire my listeners to keep focusing on what’s important and what vision inspired you in the first place, so that vision can be a guiding light for your path.

So what happened next?
I've realised that in the last 2 years there is a need for positive, soulful music in the Chinese music industry. Now I don’t come from a strong Chinese background. I went to schools with English-speaking environments. But last year, Jack Neo heard my music and recommended me to one of his production partners who was looking for singers to represent Singapore in The Voice of China Season 2.

They decided to select me... on the merit of the only two Chinese tracks that I happened to have recorded, of which one was a Mandarin version of 'Happy Ever After' that used to promote a Mediacorp telemovie, Love & Other Bad Habits (2013), starring Zoe Tay and Chen Hanwei.

That’s almost one year after your accident. This must have been quite different from what you expected.
I didn't know what to expect, but that experience really opened my eyes to China, and the Chinese speaking market. The stage was huge, and I had the chance to interact with the judges in person. I was part of the international segment, and somehow ended up having breakfast the day after the recording with parents whose children were representing Australia, Europe, U.S. in the competition.

While chatting with them, they really encouraged me, saying they thought my voice was unique in Chinese and that I should sing more Chinese songs!

I was so humbled by their comments. It really got me thinking. I reflected that my main takeaway (from The Voice China) was that I had to look into the Chinese market more seriously. And so I started to create Chinese versions of my existing songs, to create a Chinese EP called 要你的愛 Yao Ni De Ai (2014). I worked with a Chinese lyricist, from August to December (2013) and by the time I was done it was Chinese New Year earlier this year.

After finishing this album, what did you do to make your Chinese songs more widely known?
I knew I had to go to Taiwan to expand my connections — and so far I have been blessed to know some of the industry professionals who have been giving me plenty of guidance. The last few months of my journey has been focused on going to Taiwan every month, organising my own shows, inviting my own guest artists and ministering at churches there. The amazing thing about Taiwan is that they’re so receptive to new and original music.

I've been really touched by the hospitality of the Taiwanese people. The first show I did was at Spring Scream 2013, the biggest indie music festival in Taiwan. When I returned to Taipei in February this year, I had the chance to perform at 河岸流言 (Riverside Music Cafe) - an established chain of music venues - because of the kindness of the owner. I had met almost a year before but he still remembered me. The people who heard me there for the first time became my advocates and really helped to open other doors for me. I’m so blessed by their generosity!

And so what are your plans now for your new project CANDLE?
This new project is another pivot for me, because I hope to impact the youths and young people I've been meeting in Taiwan, Singapore - and eventually China. It's going to be a bilingual album with 6 songs but in a mix of English, Chinese and dual-language songs. I hope to create a listening experience that can appeal to a broad audience but at the same time make a true impact with the messages in the songs.

A lot of Chinese songs are sad ballads, and I think I can make a difference with the lyrical themes of my songs. I really want to create Chinese music that's both soulful and positive, and I believe my music can make a difference to many listeners by being uplifting and inspiring. 

Recently, I launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise awareness and contributions to complete the project, and also invite people to be part of it. I'll be holding an Appreciation Concert on the 23rd of September at KEEPERS: Singapore Designers Collective.

What's the significance of going down the route of crowdfunding?
The Indiegogo campaign is to tap on the collective power of the group, but the behind the scenes, I really hope to be connected to individuals and angel investors — people who understand my vision to create uniquely Singapore music, and raise a new generation of artistes. In this day and age, we can’t rely on being signed by a major label.

This fundraising exercise is a test of how we can build networks and resources from Singapore. I hope more people will catch this vision, that we need to support our own talents first in order for us to make a difference internationally. Beyond this project, my dream is to pave the way for more Singaporean artists to rise up in the regional and international scene.

Find out more about Sarah's campaign at //igg.me/at/sarahchengdewinne