SINGAPORE: Sandy Lam is probably the bubbliest singer we’ve met in a long time. But it could be because the Chinese singer has just spent a good part of the week in Singapore doing what she likes to do best in Singapore: Shopping and stuffing her face.

“The food here is delicious!” said the 42-year-old singer when she sat down for the interview at Marina Mandarin. “I like Singapore. I’ve been here countless times, you know? The city is very pleasant and comfortable to be in. People are very friendly and I have so many wonderful friends in Singapore.”

Some of her friends here include musicians whom she’s worked with, including singer-songwriter Dick Lee and music arranger Case Woo. But she also considers her fans as “friends”, she said.

“I really have a lot of wonderful, special fans and they’ve become sort of like friends to me,” said Sandy. “Some of them … When you first meet them, they were in their school uniforms, and next thing you know, they’re grown up with kids. It’s like meeting an old friend again. They’re all very nice.”

It’s been a long road for the Hong Kong-born singer, who started when she was 19 with her first single, “I Don’t Know What Love Is”. She rose to fame in the mid ’80s with a slew of Cantopop hits, before branching into Mandopop in 1991 with her album, “Home Again Without You”. Her 1995 album, “Scars”, is considered to be one of her top-selling albums.

In 2001, she appeared in the Andrew Lloyd Webber concert “Masterpiece”, performing on the same bill with Elaine Page and China’s all-time best-selling recording artiste, American-Chinese Kris Phillips - better known to us as Fei Xiang. Earlier this year, she released “Come as U Are”, a live recording of her series of concerts she did last year.

But even after all these years, Sandy said she’s still learning about herself. “You go through high tides and low tides,” she mused. “There are things that you keep learning about yourself and working with people around you. It’s a constant learning process. But you know, you’re just a human being.”

Channel News Asia

SINGAPORE: These two men need no introduction. One wrote about a fried rice paradise, the other runs a clubbing paradise. Now, two of Singapore’s biggest names in the entertainment industry have come together to help further the cause of nightlife in Singapore.

With the public listing of St James Holdings, Dick Lee has joined Dennis Foo in the company as one of the non-executive directors on the board.

“What does that mean? I’m not sure, actually,” laughed Dick as he sat down for our interview at The Living Room at the Marriott hotel.

“Er, from what I understand, non-executive directors cannot work for the company, and the criterion is that they must contribute in some way.”

Corrected Dennis: “Actually, it means you must not have a stake in the company, or shares in the company.”

What’s more interesting though, is how Dick and the board of directors are going to play a part in the development of St James’ future.

The company recently got itself listed on the stock exchange, acquired Bar None and The Living Room at the Marriott Hotel and it bought over the site vacated bythe former Crazy Horse club at Clarke Quay, which will become Bellini Grande, a plush, classier version of the Bellini Room at St James.

It’s scheduled to open its doors sometime next month.

The old Bellini Room, meanwhile, will be transformed into Cantopop club Firefly, a sister outlet to the popular Chinese club Dragonfly.

But just how did these two men from seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum get together? We got Dick and Dennis to dish the dirt on each other.

Channel News Asia

SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee hosted a Gala Dinner for ASEAN delegates on Tuesday evening.

Among the guests at Raffles City Convention Centre was United Nations Special envoy Dr Ibrahim Gambari, who exchanged greetings with Myanmar’s Prime Minister Thein Sein and Foreign Minister U Nyan Win.

Dr Gambari met several ASEAN leaders earlier on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the Asean Summit.

Prime Minister Lee and Mrs Lee’s guest list included heads of states, ministers and their spouses.

The theme for the Gala Dinner was “Rice: The Spirit of ASEAN”.

This was reflected in the three main elements of the evening - the ASEAN Shirt and Blouse, the Gala Dinner Show and the Menu.

The designs for the shirt or blouse with skirt for dinner were conceived by Singaporean fashion designer Wykidd Song in collaboration with Mr Percy Vatsaloo, who designed the fabric.

The fabric of the ASEAN Shirt and Blouse was woven by master weavers in a village in the Korat Plateau of North-Eastern Thailand.

The entertainment for the Gala Dinner was put together by Dick Lee, the artistic director for the Gala Dinner.

Dick integrated Western with Asian music, performed by the Singapore Pop Orchestra.

The show also featured performances by Taufik Batisah, Vocaluptuous and the People’s Association Talents. - CNA/ms

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