House of soul

Tan stays with her parents and her brother in a cluster house in Adda Heights, Johor Baru. -The Star/ANN
Melisa Ng

Thu, Jun 21, 2012
The Star/Asia News Network

Pop singer and recording artiste Desiree Tan never dreamt that she would be in the music industry.

The marketing graduate from INTI International College broke into Malaysia's entertainment industry seven years ago when she joined Project Superstar, a talent search competition.

House of Soul Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: The Star/ANN)

Tan recalled joining the contest after much persuasion from her friends.

"My friends forced me to join the contest," said the soulful singer.

"In my heart, I was telling myself that it will be just for fun and for the experience. However, to my surprise I emerged the female champion of that season."

Since then, Tan knew this was what she wanted to do for a career.

Her powerful vocals and passion for music has earned her many compliments from renowned musicians and producers in Singapore.

Signed under Tiny Box Music, a Singapore recording company, Tan released her debut solo album entitled Let the World Hear in April, 2008, followed by a road show in Malaysia.

"I consider myself very lucky as my music caught the attention of two famous producers from Taiwan - Adam Hsu and Neo Wu.

I am now working with the duo and other famous producers for my upcoming album this year," said Tan who travels frequently to Taiwan.

RM 300,000 ($122,820) home

Tan stays with her parents and her brother in a cluster house in Adda Heights, Johor Baru.

"My mom and I bought this house because we love the location and the fact that it is built on higher ground so the air is cooler. The price was affordable and we love the environment too!" said Tan of her 204sq m (2,200sq ft) double-storey house.

The mother and daughter bought the house about four years ago from the developer for RM300,000 (S$122,820).

"Recently, when I checked online, the value for a similar property in this area has gone up to more than RM500,000. So, it was a pretty good buy," said Tan.

"With four-plus-one rooms, it's spacious enough for all of us," said the Johor-born lass.

The ground floor consists of the living room, dining area, kitchen, maid's room and music room.

To muffle the sound from the music room, a sound-proof door was installed.

In the music room, there is a keyboard and more than five guitars belonging to Tan, her dad and brother.

"You can say we are a musically-inclined family. Since young, my dad would play the guitar and my brother and I would sing along with him," said Tan, who turns 30 this year.

Pool attraction

As her recording schedule takes up most of her time, Tan said that whenever she has free time, she would spend it at home.

"As a singer, I need to be calm and maintain control whenever I perform. Sometimes, I use my free time to get inspiration for my songs. Thus, home is where I seek peace and tranquillity," said Tan.

When asked about her favourite area, she replied, "My family and I spend most of our time in the dining area, especially during breakfast.

It's quite relaxing to hang out here because we can hear the sound of water from the koi pool which is located just beside it."

"Every night, when my family members come home from work, we would gather by the pool and catch up on each other's day. I would spend a lot of my quiet time here, too," added Tan.

"We spent about RM15,000 for the construction and filtration system of the three-foot deep pool," said Tan. "And that's excluding the nine Koi fish!" exclaimed Tan.

The total cost of renovating and furnishing the house, came up to almost RM250,000.

The garden seems well maintained. "My mum is totally crazy about plants and flowers. She has green fingers and she really takes pride in her plants," pointed out Tan.

As for the interior design of the house, Tan hired her designer friend to help out.

"Honestly, I wanted a Zen concept but my parents preferred something more classic yet contemporary. Since I'm always not at home, I went with their preference. They are happy with the result, so to me, that's what matters most.

"Also, my parents are the ones who decorate the house. My mom loves to collect vases and ornaments. She collects whenever she travels - therefore, we have collectibles from China, Holland, Vietnam, England, Australia and many more," pointed out Tan.

Sound investment Tan recently bought a serviced apartment in Permas Jaya, Johor Baru, in a development called D'Ambience, a project by IJM Land.

"The main reason why I invested in this apartment is because of its location. It's also within my budget. Also, with the new Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) expressway which just opened to the public recently, Permas Jaya has become one of the best locations by being near a variety of amenities. Best of all, it is close to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex - which means it's just a short drive away to Singapore," quipped Tan.

The professional singer has planned to move into her apartment once it's completed in 2015 and hopes to have her own home studio.

So, what else is in store for this talented singer?

Tan is in the midst of recording her new album which will be launched in Taiwan. This is certainly something her fans will appreciate.