As alarms go off on yet another day of the week for our 9 to 5s, perhaps some of us may feel a little jaded and (in our dazed, hazy morning minds) wonder how many more hours till the weekend comes. While we wait for our coffees to brew or our showers to get warm, perhaps a little music might be the key to brightening up our day. Or should I say, the key to making us ‘Feel Alive’ for the day?
Best known for her single ‘Bodies’, this emerging pop sensation has recently dropped her latest hot, groovy disco single - Feel Alive featuring Asyraf Nasir and Irwinandfire.
You might be wondering, who is she?
Hailing from Kuching, Sarawak, this 23-year-old Sagittarius creative is none other than Claudia Tan! From romance writer to songwriter to a musician herself, Claudia is a force to be reckoned with. She submerges herself into an endless ocean of artistic wonderment, leaving her to be a multi-talented gem dazzling in our midst.
“It was smooth-sailing all the way. We came up with the beat in like 15 minutes, and I’ve never written lyrics that fast in my life. When Irwin and I listened back at the song, we figured that we wanted a rapper to change it up. So, we approached the Malaysian rapper, Asyraf Nasir. He was immediately on board and brought an awesome rhythm to the song.”
After falling in love with young adult (YA) romance novels back in her high school days, Claudia took it upon herself to create her very own YA romance series. Namely, the ‘Perfect’ series. Beginning with Perfect Illusions followed by Perfect Addiction to Perfect Redemption and finally Perfect Ruin.
With over 85.5 mil reads and 2.9 mil votes as of date on Wattpad, Perfect Addiction is set to start production this coming April together with Constantin Films! Fans all over the world are immensely proud and excited to finally watch Sienna’s story come to life. If you’re curious what this is about, don’t worry, I got you.
The plot centres on a successful boxing trainer, Sienna Lane, who has everything she could ever ask for: A loving relationship, a wonderful roommate who happens to be her sister, and a steady career. However, life decides otherwise when Sienna discovers her reigning boxing champion of a boyfriend, Jax, cheating behind her back with her sister. Humiliated and utterly betrayed, Sienna sets out to get revenge by training the one person who has the power to take him down in the ring: his arch-nemesis, Kayden.
As an avid Wattpad reader myself back in high school, this is taking me down memory lane. Wattpad was a place of solace for both storytellers and readers alike; a platform to explore and read to our heart’s content. Between fanfiction and fantasy-romance YA novels written by hundreds and thousands of incredibly talented writers, Claudia has managed to capture our hearts with her romance novels.
Apart from being an artist and writer, Claudia has too delved herself into the world of upcycling fashion through Revive alongside her friend, Anne Lim. Inspired by some of our favourite shows and celebrities, Revive curates and rework one-of-a-kind and stylish clothing that can be worn for any occasion. From beaded accessories to funky, retro tops, it’s hard not to find something to wear from their shop.
“I don’t run the store anymore! I used to, but with music and writing, it’s all I have time for now, unfortunately. But I love upcycling clothing when I can and bring uniqueness to my wardrobe!” And sure she does as she was recently spotted at Fifth’s Fools Market last week decked out in Upsygals’ gorgeous upcycled fits."
As I got to know Claudia even further, I can’t help but wonder how she keeps up with all her projects. Between juggling to hit writing deadlines, filming for music videos and studio recordings, admiration and respect for Claudia’s perseverance and determination knows no boundaries.
“The fact that I get to inspire people every day through my art! It gives me a sense of purpose when I get DMs telling me to keep going and that my music is great and deserves to be heard around the world. I’m truly grateful for my fans.”
Undeniably, there are moments where days seem a bit slower and opportunities don’t seem to be knocking as loudly as one would think. As a creative myself, I dread for days as such but they have also taught me a lesson that Claudia perfectly encapsulates:
“Don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities! It’s through putting myself out there constantly and connecting with different people that I’m able to be blessed with these opportunities.”
If you’re looking forward to more of her works, you’re in for a surprise or two! After releasing ‘Feel Alive’ just last month, there's already a new single coming your way featuring Singaporean artist, Ffion, on April 15th. Make sure to get this pre-saved on your streaming platforms! And to all our bookworm friends out there, ‘Perfect Addiction’ is now open for pre-orders to get your hands on a paperback version.
As we approached the end of our interview, Claudia picked up some of her favourite local shops, “Upsygals, Luvvfits, and of course, gotta plug my girl’s business, Revive!”
