SINGAPORE — 2015 may have been a particularly good year for Kit Chan, but there’s still more to come.

Now that the Singaporean singer has signed a two-year contract with major Chinese record label Taihe, she is working on releasing her next album — her first full-length record since 2011 — in the first half of 2016, with another concert tour also in the works.
Speaking to reporters at a lunch event today (Dec 23), which was also attended by Taihe Music Group's chief product officer Janis Chang, Chan said she felt energised by what the future holds for her.
"I am very excited now," said the singer, who experienced a surge in popularity in China after her highly-publicised appearance on reality singing competition I Am A Singer.

"I have been singing for twenty years now, and it's so easy to be jaded, but now I think I feel more excited than I did in my twenties. I was excited about my work then, but there were too many limitations. I needed those limitations as a newcomer, or I wouldn't have known what to do or where to go. But after so many years in the industry, I know the map, so just let me go where I want to go."

Chan also explained why she decided to work with Taihe, which recently announced plans to merge with Baidu Music, the world's largest Chinese-language music search platform.


"Firstly, they came to listen to my concert. They flew over to watch my charity show in Shanghai. I felt their sincerity, and that they weren't just looking at numbers and data. There are so many ways to do market research, but they wanted to see me in person," she said.

"During our conversations, I also felt that the company respects our opinions as artistes, and how much they love music. In addition, they have many resources, and their greatest strength is my biggest weakness — the Internet."


Chan added that the label has given her the artistic freedom to make the music she wants, although she has agreed to put out a new single by March, and release her new album by June.
"Sometimes, I appreciate deadlines, otherwise I would be sitting on my a** for two years; I have been sitting on my a** for many years" she quipped.

"Actually, not many things have changed after I joined Taihe. I still make music the same way. But now it is one step further, in terms of distribution. I won't change the way I work, but now I have the means to convey my work to a larger group of people. That is the only difference."


Chan will start recording her new songs very soon — but not before she organises a Christmas party for her family. The singer also says she will need to make sure she finds enough time to rest in the coming year, so she doesn't burn out too quickly from her work.


"I believe that I can be as motivated as I am today, at 43 years old, because I didn't use up all my resources (as a younger singer)," Chan said. "If I had spent everything I had, I don't think I would feel the same way I do."