Stefanie Sun’s April concerts: 5 reasons why she is still Singapore’s darling after 25 years

SINGAPORE – Some 28,000 fans are expected to attend Stefanie Sun’s four sold-out performances at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on April 5, 6, 12 and 13, which will kick off her new Aut Nihilo tour.

The Singaporean singer’s fifth concert tour, whose English title means “or nothing at all” in Latin, comes more than a decade after her Kepler world tour, which stopped here at the National Stadium in 2014.

Since then, she has released one studio album, No. 13 – A Dancing Van Gogh (2017), featuring tracks such as the contemplative Windbreaker and melancholic A State Of Bliss. Her most recent singles were sentimental ballad Appearance (2024) and the optimistic track Afterwards (2025).

Although Sun, 46, has not put out much new material in recent years, her popularity has not waned. When tickets to the Aut Nihilo Sun Yanzi In Concert – Singapore shows went on sale in October and November 2024, they sold out within minutes.

After she performs in the Lion City, the tour is set to travel to China, including Shanghai on April 26 and 28, Shenzhen on May 16 and 18, Beijing on June 13 and 15, as well as Chongqing on Sept 19 and 21.

So far, only dates in Singapore and China have been released. She has also kept mum on what fans can expect from the upcoming concerts.

In an October press statement, she said: “I can’t wait to be happy with everyone, cry with everyone, and feel liberated with everyone.”

In an Instagram post on Dec 31, Sun said preparing for the concerts has been very stressful, but ended on a positive note.

She wrote: “I have faith that one day, all the good and the bad will only become good as it makes its way through our lives. Relief that it wasn’t worse, and gratitude for wisdom gained. I can’t wait to celebrate all these moments that crossed our paths, that eventually become part of who we are. Stay fearless and proud. See you all very very soon.”    

In another post on March 20, she wrote: “Rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing. Thank you and I will continue to work hard.”

The Aut Nihilo tour marks her 25th year in show business. She has put out 13 studio albums, starting with Yan Zi (2000), and has sold more than 30 million records worldwide. 

While most of her hits were from the 2000s, many have remained popular, with 30 charting on 2024’s U1000 Music Countdown, an annual event by local radio station UFM100.3. Of Sun’s songs, What I Miss (2007) placed the highest at No. 65.

Some have become part of famed soundtracks, such as Encounter for Hong Kong romantic drama film Turn Left, Turn Right (2003) and Appearance for Chinese series Love Endures (2024).

While the Mandopop queen was scheduled to go on tour in 2020 to celebrate her 20th anniversary, the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to those plans, and she held an online gig in June that year to mark the occasion instead.

After restrictions were eased, she took the stage as a headliner, alongside Taiwan’s Show Lo, Yoga Lin and Weibird Wei at One Love Asia Festival 2022, where she performed numbers such as Against The Light (2007) and I Am Fine (2003) during her 40-minute set.

Here are five reasons Sun remains such an enduring figure in the local music industry.

1. Her unique voice

When Sun burst onto the scene with her self-titled debut album, fans were wowed by her distinctive, slightly raspy pipes. She was able to convey a sense of wistfulness on ballads Cloudy Day and Love Document, as well as carefree abandon on uptempo numbers like Turbo.

This peppy lightness would continue to permeate her later works, such as crowd favourites Magical (2003) and First Day (2005). But it is her reflective love songs which have proven most successful, with What I Miss and Encounter (2003) being her most-played songs on Spotify.

2. Her relatability

Part of Sun’s appeal stems from her down-to-earth, girl-next-door persona, which has turned into chill-mum vibes after two decades. She married Mr Nadim van der Ros, an Indonesia-born founder of a consulting firm, in 2011, and they have a 12-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter.

In 2014, she was photographed queueing at a McDonald’s outlet dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops and spectacles. When the image went viral online, she reposted it, but not before adding a digital tiara over her head and the caption: “So beautiful ok”.

And in September 2024, she was spotted helping out as a parent volunteer at her son’s school during an annual Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.

3. Her spunky style

On and off stage, Sun has often pulled off a range of eye-catching looks.

In 2021, she graced the triple-cover anniversary issue of Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, donning outfits by Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Chanel, in celebration of the fashion magazine’s 20th anniversary.

In publicity photos for her upcoming concerts, she dons a frilly, ethereal tulle gown adorned with pink and blue flowers.

In addition, few would dare rock the billowy black nylon and mesh get-up she wore when making a guest appearance at Taiwanese rock band Mayday’s Singapore concert at the National Stadium on Jan 12.

Adventurous apparel aside, Sun’s signature short hairstyles have been an object of fascination for some, as she experimented with pixie cuts and textured layered bobs.

4. She flies the Singapore flag

You can always count on her to appear at national events of import.

Sun has sung two National Day Parade theme songs – We Will Get There (2002) and One United People (2003) – and performed Our Singapore (2019) with other Singaporean singers, including JJ Lin, Charlie Lim, Taufik Batisah, Yung Raja and Jacintha Abisheganaden.

During the Sing50 concert at the National Stadium in 2015, organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times, Sun performed four numbers – Cloudy Day, My Desired Happiness (2000), Green Light (2001) and Kepler (2014).

She also had links to Singapore’s founding prime minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. She performed at a gala dinner for his 80th birthday in 2003, and contributed an essay to his 2011 book, My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore’s Bilingual Journey.

In addition, she sang his wife Kwa Geok Choo’s favourite song – Que Sera, Sera – at the Business China Awards in 2011 shortly after her death in 2010. When she was told there were tears in Mr Lee’s eyes, Sun reportedly said: “That was probably one of my proudest moments as a singer.” 

She even has a wax figure at local attraction Madame Tussauds Singapore, displayed since 2014, and an orchid was named after her in 2006.

The Dendrobium Stefanie Sun is a white orchid hybrid, whose flowers are about 7cm in diameter. Sun was quoted as saying in The Sunday Times that she felt the blooms were “very simple and elegant”.

And while she may not have won as many Golden Melody Awards as fellow home-grown singer Tanya Chua, Sun was the first Singaporean to clinch the Golden Melody Award for Best Mandarin Female Singer in 2005, beating Taiwan’s A-mei and Malaysia’s Fish Leong. In 2001, she won Best New Artist, besting the likes of Taiwan’s Jay Chou and Penny Tai.

5. She never forgets her roots

Sun made a surprise appearance at her mentors Lee Wei Song and Lee Si Song’s 40th anniversary concert at Sands Grand Ballroom on Dec 31.

The twin brothers are co-founders of the Lee Wei Song Music Academy (formerly known as Lee Wei Song School of Music), where the NTU marketing undergraduate enrolled before hitting the big time, attending classes in pop vocals and songwriting.

Prior to the show, it was thought that she was unlikely to turn up as she was busy preparing for her Aut Nihilo concerts. But as Sun’s song My Desired Happiness was being performed, she walked onstage and joined in.

After the song, she said: “I told (Wei Song and Si Song) that I might not be able to come because my concert preparation was getting more intense. But how can I not come?”

Comparing her journey to that of a kite, she added: “When I started out, they were like a gust of wind which made me fly. Later on, they allowed me to wander freely. But I can still fly back.”

Addressing her mentors, she said: “I just wanted to let you know how important you are to me.”