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Page 1 of 2 Unless you're a bona fide fan of the Chinese music scene, chances are you might have forgotten who Kelly Poon a.k.a Pan Jia Li is by now.
If you vaguely recollect a perky, perpetually cheerful and energetic saccharine songstress who wowed audiences with her daring hairstyles and fashion sense in Channel U's hit, Project Superstar back in 2005 - then (a) you've got the right person and (b) yup, you're definitely a true fan.
The 24 year old ex SIA-stewardess is no stranger to the limelight.
Born to an architect father and a housewife mother, Kelly took to the stage at an early age, performing Chinese folk dances for her secondary school that sparked her passion for singing.
While accompanying her friend to a singing competition, the caliber of the contestants bowled her over so much that Kelly found determination to enroll herself in the Lee Wei Song School of Music to pursue a formal course in singing.
Amidst her hectic schedule of polytechnic studies and music lessons, Kelly found time to hone her song-writing skills.
A note of interest to all you aspiring song-writers out there: Kelly took part in NUS' Chinese song-writing competition, where she came in third! Now, that's something to motivate you guys!
Her versatility and stage presence were put to the test when she took part in Project Superstar, and after many rigorous competition rounds, Kelly looked set to blaze her way to the top.
However, due to a sudden fall in votes despite the high esteem that the competition's judges held her in, Kelly was booted out midway during the competition.
Of course, things didn't end there!
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Kelly made her way back with aplomb during the revival round and took Project Superstar by storm - fighting her way to be crowned the female champion of the competition and runner-up overall.
After a rousing success with her previous 2006 debut album titled "Love Me, Kelly", Kelly's back in 2007 with not only a new album but a whole new look.
Held at the Lunar Asia Fusion Bar at The Cannery, the press conference for Kelly's latest album "In the Center of the World" (《在世界中心》) was crammed with both the media and fans alike.
While Y.E.S. 93.3FM DJ Cruz Teng (Teng Zhi Yong) warmed up the crowd with the basic information on Kelly, he candidly whispered over the microphone about a secret present they had prepared for the young starlet. Thumbs up to Cruz Teng for effectively maintaining the high energy level throughout the whole press conference.
Kelly's new image was immediately apparent when she took to the stage. Surrounded by her fans who volunteered to join her in her first performance, Kelly launched into the fast-paced and high energy song "Shakalaka Baby" complete with sexy dance moves and complex choreography.
Her once sweet voice now has an edge to it, adding a much appreciated dimension to her vocals as she belted out the lyrics to her first single.
Kelly's rapport with her fans was also discernible, as she danced enthusiastically with her loyal fans (all clad in the exclusive "Shakalaka Baby Kelly" t-shirt that comes with every pre-ordered CD), each and every one of them showing a great deal of hard work and effort.
With a quick bow and exit, Kelly left for a costume change and returned to a rousing applause.
 Seemingly unaffected by her newfound stardom, Kelly politely thanked the various Asian media for gracing the press conference and modestly nodded in acquiescent when described (by Cruz Teng) as having improved in stage presence and becoming more "womanly".
When questioned on her experience, being based in Taiwan (as opposed to being in Singapore for her first album), as well as the challenges she faced, Kelly mentioned that despite not facing any major language barriers, having to remember road names in Chinese was a problem initially.
"At first, I just remembered all the places that I often frequent, like the shopping centre, the offices, where I stay..."
Her youthful naivety - a quality that endears her to the masses - peeks out when Cruz Teng abruptly noted how Taiwan's night markets are infamously known for the bountiful array of fattening food on sale.
Kelly's quizzical look and "Really?" exclamation aroused affectionate laughter from her fans.
Again, the close rapport between her fans and herself was on display when a representative from her fan club presented a Mashimaro soft-toy (which is twice the width of Kelly and probably equal in weight to the slender songstress) to Kelly, along with well-wishes for her future success.
Cruz Teng then asked her about her promotional efforts in Taiwan - to which Kelly emitted a sheepish and nervous laugh. It's nice to know that despite Kelly's image make-over into a sultry singer, she still has an unpolished element in her character, which makes her a lot more personable.
"I'm really excited and happy when I see so many people standing below the stage! I'm really thankful for everyone's support," she quipped.
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