SINGAPORE – You’ve heard her perform the theme songs for local television series like The Little Nyonya and Sudden. But come later this year, Singaporean singer Olivia Ong will make her debut television role in MediaCorp Channel 8’s Crescendo, a drama about the local music scene.

“We start filming in a month’s time,” said Ong, who will play a xinyao singer in the show. “I’ve just been handed a 10-episode script. I haven’t read it yet, but next week we are going to a production meeting to discuss the role.”

Ong declined to give details on her co-stars, but said she believes her colleagues will help her with her role. “I told the producer and the director that I don’t know if I can act, but I am interested in the role. They are willing to help me, so I know I will be in good hands,” she said.

Despite her foray into acting - she previously had a role in Kelvin Tong’s movie, It’s A Great, Great World - music will remain Ong’s first priority. The 29-year-old confessed she felt a “sense of urgency” to release her new album, which she said was still in the works.

“Fans have been asking me for the past year or so when my new album will be coming out. This year, I definitely feel like we have to do something new, apart from doing music for local dramas – something that is more me,” she said.

Although details haven’t been finalised, the singer is looking forward to writing original bossa nova songs for the album. “One of the things I would really like to do is to produce an album of bossa nova songs. I think it’s been a long time since fans of my older music have had something new from me with bossa nova,” said Ong, whose last studio album was Waiting (2013).

But before that, Ong will be taking on the role of judge and campaign ambassador for the singing competition, The Right Note, organised by Strepsils (prizes include cash prizes of up to S$7,000, packages from K Box Entertainment group worth S$3,000, as well as a three-month residency stint at Switch by Timbre). All finalists will also be given the opportunity to perform with Ong at a special showcase at Timbre. But if given the opportunity to take part in a singing competition herself, Ong would most likely decline.

“It’s funny, I have fans in China asking me to join (reality singing competition) The Voice Of China,” she said. “Maybe I would, if I had the time to focus on a singing competition show. But right now, I would rather use the time to work on writing my songs, my original material and improving my craft.”

She added: “To me, the moment you choose to do this as a career, you’re already in competition with people around the world.”

For more about The Right Note singing competition, Visit www.strepsils.com.sg/therightnote.