Angela Chang: It’s only human to have moments of weakness

Photos: Teo Sijia
Video: Tan Shiqi

It’s been some years since Angela Chang last popped by Singapore for a concert, and she’s intending to make sure her fans have an experience that’s worth the wait. Stopping by Singapore for a press conference ahead of her concert on November 18, Angela shared snippets of what to expect at her gig without revealing too many details. Colour us intrigued.

The 34-year-old shared that each concert experience is tailor-made for every stop - her set list is based on the local audience’s favourite picks, and she changes up the outfit for the finale as well, ensuring that fans get a one-of-a-kind experience at every of her concerts.

Angela released her ninth studio album, Head Over Heels, earlier this year after a two-year hiatus and had a hand in both pre and post production for her latest offering. Admitting that she used to think that a singer’s responsibility was merely to ensure that they sang well, she mused that after 15 years in the business that playing a bigger role in her music is important to her because she wants to be able to show everyone how much she’s grown since then.

“Everyone is familiar with the Angela Zhang that sings love songs, but as the years go by, I’ve changed in terms of my state of mind and maturity and I now have different ways to express my songs,” the songbird explained. “My new album has a lot of trendy elements in it and I’ve also included some Western influences; I want to let everyone see and listen to a whole new Angela.”

In the past 15 years, Angela has been in the headlines for a number of wrong reasons, including rumours of discord with her parents, a falling out with BFF Christine Fan and ending her contract with Linfair Records, which signed her on when she just started out in showbiz.

Opening up to Toggle during an interview afterwards, Angela mused that the hard times weren’t the easiest to get through. “It’s only human to have your moments of weakness, but my personality is that I put things behind me quickly; perhaps this is the gift that the heavens have given me (...) I always look to the future and continue on my path or look at things from a different perspective,” she explained.

(Continued on next page: When does Angela plan to marry her boyfriend Sky?)

A close friend of Sodagreen’s Wu Tsing Fong, Angela shared that she talks to him when she’s feeling down and the pair will joke around to loosen up the atmosphere. She let on, “We don’t necessarily tell each other everything, but we’re the sort of friends who understand each other and will be there when we need each other (...) Telling your good friend about the negative things that happened really makes you feel a lot better and it helps me become more open-minded too.”

Angela shared that despite the rocky road that she has journeyed on, that she has never thought of giving singing up as it has been her dream since she was a child.

With the singer hitting her mid-thirties recently, Angela was asked if she has any plans of walking down the aisle with her mysterious boyfriend, only known to the media as Sky. The pair has reportedly dated for eight years but she has maintained a veil of secrecy over her love life, with some speculating that her boyfriend is only make-believe.

Chuckling when asked about marriage, Angela quipped, “I feel that women need to establish themselves career-wise before you can think about happiness that stems from other aspects. I’m in my golden years right now and I should take the chance to do the things that I want to do and make time for love in the future.”

With the number of celebrity marriages this year increasing by the month - Tavia Yeung and Him Law became the latest to say ‘I do’ with their wedding ceremony in Hong Kong earlier this week - Angela has maintained that she is not one to rush into becoming anyone’s missus.

“Having a flash marriage shouldn’t be something that’s trendy, because if it is, it’s easy to have blind spots and it’s difficult for (those getting married) to make an informed decision. I’m someone who’s more reasonable and will consider marriage seriously before I make my choice.”

100% Angela Zhang World Tour Singapore 2016 takes place Nov 18, Friday, 8pm at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 601-604. Tickets are priced at S$168, S$148, S$128, S$88 and are available through APACTix.

This story first appeared on toggle.sg/ch.
Story by Teo Sijia.