SINGAPORE - Crescent Girls' School student Amritha Devaraj has been an avid fan of xinyao singer-songwriter Jimmy Ye for years, so when her Higher Chinese teacher encouraged her to sign up with friends for a national xinyao competition last year, she seized the opportunity.

Amritha, now 16, performed at the National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition this year - this time on her own - and emerged champion of the singing (solo) category.