Pets Tseng’s seven-year wait

SINGAPORE — When Pets Tseng went on popular Taiwanese variety show Here Comes Kang Xi last December, the show’s host Dee Hsu jokingly threatened to throw her out of the studio. Hsu had found out that Tseng’s debut album I’m Pets had beaten her new work (Elephant Dee) to the top spot in pre-sales numbers.

But just who is Tseng? How did she gain such clout for her debut album? How did she manage to sell out her mini-concert in Singapore in only eight hours? And why on earth is her name Pets?

“My name is Pets because of my Chinese name, Zeng Pei Ci. Don’t you think Zeng Pets sounds like my Chinese name?” the affable singer explained during our recent interview at St Regis Hotel in Singapore, where she was promoting her new work. “This goes back to my time in university. My friends and I were so bored, we looked for names that sounded like our Chinese names. I love changing my English name! Even when I was a student, I’d call myself Gina, Claire and Grace. I was even Mary at one point!” Her latest, however, does beg a few questions, and particularly from “foreigners”, she sighed.

Like her, unusual name, Tseng’s career in the music business has been fairly unconventional. After she was placed sixth in the second season of reality singing competition One Million Star, she went on to star in several dramas, including the popular KO drama series in Taiwan, before being given the chance to realise her dream of releasing her own album — seven long years after she entered the entertainment industry.

“Before making I’m Pets, I was worried about whether it was too late to debut as a singer at this age. How many more years would I have as one?” said Tseng, who turned 30 in October last year. “But I was pleasantly surprised after releasing this album. It was hard work, but I enjoyed the process because I really like singing and it was something I really, really wanted to do.

“After all, I’ve been waiting for so long! So I truly appreciate this opportunity. And now that I have been promoting my album for two to three months, I have been worrying a lot less (about my age). I now believe I should just continue working until I cannot work anymore.”

The Mandopop singer also said releasing the album has taught her to dream, something she had rarely dared to before. “I waited for seven years to release this album and the wait has brought out more of my hopes and expectations,” she said. “I didn’t really dare to have any expectations before. But now, I want to be bold and aim for more!” HON JING YI

Tseng’s I’m Pets is now on sale.