By Soh Yuanting
Apr. 7, 2007

A Singaporean Chinese girl is making waves in Japan with her samba-evolved brand of bossa nova songs that are sung in English.

Olivia Ong, who goes by the moniker Olivia, left for Tokyo after her ‘O’ level examinations in 2002 to try her luck in the Japanese music industry. Now, the 21-year-old, who had been scouted by Japanese music label S2S and was part of now-defunct Japanese girl band, Mirai, is back.

She performed at the University Cultural Centre on March 14 as part of the NUS Arts Festival.

Prior to her concert, she told The Observer that she wanted to use her show as an avenue to share her love for bossa nova with locals.

“I have a great band with me and we want to show Singaporeans what bossa nova music is about,” she said.

Olivia added that she envisioned making bossa nova appeal to the Singaporean audience “in a younger fashion.”

However, despite releasing two bossa nova albums – “A Girl Meets Bossa Nova” (2005) and “A Girl Meets Bossa Nova 2” (2006) - Olivia admits to being no expert on the genre of music, which was popularized by Brazilian guitarist-cum-singer Joao Gilberto in the late 1950s.

“I don’t know the genre very much, but while preparing for my songs during my first recording, I began to appreciate bossa nova. So I just went to do it,” said the singer.

“You don’t have to get to technicalities when it comes to music,” she added.

This is apparent in the free-flowing nature of Olivia’s singing, which creates tempo tensions by being ahead or behind the music.

It might also explain the ease with which the singer switches from singing bossa nova to dance music. Apart from her bossa nova albums, Olivia has two dance albums – “Precious Stones” (2005) and “Tamarillo” (2006) - under her belt.

While her music career might seem to have taken off in the right direction, Olivia revealed that her decision to start her career in Japan, where she is based, was not without concerns.

“My parents were hesitant at first, and so was I,” she said, adding that she had no idea that she wanted to go to Japan in the first place.

However, personal connections in Japan and the fact that her boss is Japanese helped make going to the land of the rising sun an “easier” decision.

 “There was also saturation, an influx of new artistes, in the Chinese market. So I wanted to try some place new,” Olivia explained.

Despite initial hesitations, Olivia said she looks back and treasures her three years of experience in Japan.

“It was not so much of a culture shock for me,” said Olivia, on adapting to the Japanese way of life.

She described the Japanese she met as “welcoming, open and outgoing” people who made it “all easy” for her to settle down.

“I got used to the lifestyle and the friends I met are really great,” she said. “They spice up my days and really touch me with their friendship.”

Nonetheless, the Singaporean singer misses her hometown.

When asked what she misses most about Singapore, Olivia said, among many things, she missed her mum’s cooking in particular.

“Missing Singapore, for me, is something more general,” she said. “I miss the presence of where all the things are, like where my house bus stop is, which is opposite Bedok Reservoir.”

It might perhaps then be good news for the singer to be returning to Singapore to record her new album over the coming month.

“It will be a simple production,” she said of her next venture.

 In the meanwhile, fans can look forward to the release of the new album, which Olivia revealed would be in May this year.