COVER STORY PAGE 2

miss fashionista

MAKING A COMEBACK WITH A NEW ALBUM, THIS MONTH'S COVER GIRL RACHEL LIANG SHOWS OFF A A CHIC SENSE OF STYLE. BY RAINE KOH.

about two years ago, I met Rachel Liang for the first time. she emitted a cute, girlish charm while decoratingg christmas cookies. last month, I met Rachel at a fashion shoot. this is the second year the singer is the brand ambassador for Casio and she's looking, as Tyra Banks would say, " Fierce!'' teens got up close and personal with the singer for an exclusive interview and discovered that she is just as sweet as ever.

Personal taste

During the photoshoot, Rachel displayed different styles and looked good in everything. So how does she define her own personal style? "It really depends on where I'm going. I am usually quite causual if I am just chilling out. I am not band conscious but when it comes to clothes, I think quality is really what counts.'' ''Whatever I go swimming, I would wear my Baby-G and boast to my friends that my watch can go underwater perfectly fine. If I'm out partying, sometimes I wear a few Baby-G watches in different colours on one hand, because they are so colourful and eye-catching. During more formal events like award ceremonies I'll don the Casio Sheen Ladies Chronograph dress watch; it's so sophisticated and classy.'' How does she feel being Casio's brand ambassador for the second

year running? " I am very happy and thankful that they asked me on board for the second year. The people behind the brand takes good care of me and are very concerned about my needs. I find working with them to always be a happy experience. when I was a student, I always wore Casio watches, so to be able to be their representative now is really a great opportunity.'' Speaking of school, how was the singer like as a student? " My school days were very fun and carefree. Even though exams can be a little stressful at times, I remember always being surrounded by good friends and we help each other out. My school also gave me a lot of opportunities to perform on stage. I believe a lot of my confidence on stage really came from my school days and I am very thankful for that,'' she replied with a smile.

Road to stardom

Rachel's claim to fame came about after she became the runner-up in the second season of the popular talent show One Millon Star. Even though she did not clinch the top spot, her flawless vocals and sweet demeanour earned her plenty of fans. she said, ''Even though I was the runner-up in the show, aspring singers should just try out for such talent competitions. Such shows are great opportunities to help you gain recognition from the public. However the real battle starts after the competition.'' Besides releasing three albums to date, she has also ventured into acting and has flaunted her talent in both movies (Cape No. 7 and Stars) and dramas (Roseate Love). Since the star is always travelling, we probed what is the one item she has to have in her bag. " I would say perfume. I am very concerned with the way I smell and I love to smell good, although I do change my fragrance according to my mood.'' So does that mean her partner needs to smell good as well? She laughed and replied, "For men, I don't think their scent is that important to me. Of course, If he smells nice, it'll be great but more importantly, he needs to be clean!'' She confessed that she likes kinds guys with a big heart and who are not arrogant. Bad boys, stay clear!

Alluring artiste

On the musical front, Rachel has recently released her new album, Soulmate. It includes 10 brand new tracks and features two different versions, "Friend" and "Lover" , each with a different cover art. "I hope my new album will

be well-received by my fans and the public. It has been one and a half years since the previous one and I hope more people will like Soulmate, and will like it for a long time.'' The album, which is her third offering, shows how she has matured as a singer. "I think my previous albums had natural and pure conecepts. however, you will notice that my style for the least album is colourful and there are more experimental looks. Also, the way I sing has changed over the years. After working with so many talented producers and artistes, I think I've eastablished my own personal sound. You'll notice it in this third album.'' Having starred in movies and dramas, the singer is also known for her acting chops. "Maybe it's due to my image and appearance but I'm usually given more bubbly, girl-next-door kind of roles. But I hope to try something completely different than my image. Isn't that the appeal of acting-to try something completely different? Hopefully, you will see a different side of me.''