SUN Ho has scored a No 1 US dance single and expects her star to rise further in months to come.
What she did not expect, however, is a baby to derail her route to megastardom.
The Singaporean singer, who is married to City Harvest Church founder Reverend Kong Hee, is now three months pregnant.
But it has been a difficult time for her.
Since discovering her pregnancy in May, when she was hospitalised upon the completion of her 80-concert world tour in Perth due to a recurring stomach ailment, she has been worrying about her baby.
The foetus was apparently unstable, and Sun, who has two miscarriages before, was confined to bed for nearly two months and constantly injected with hormones.
BLEEDING IN UTERUS
'I was bleeding in the uterus and it lasted from May until last week,' the 32-year-old singer confided over the phone on Thursday.
'The baby was unexpected. It was a pleasant surprise and I'm really happy. But I was also very worried.
'What if I endangered the baby?'
For two months, she could barely sit up in bed. She kept vomiting and even the smell of freshly cooked rice put her off.
She has since recovered enough to record the theme song for the President's Challenge fund-raising project this year in a music studio last week.
'The doctor says (the foetus) looks good. Its heartbeat is strong and we're very positive about it,' she said.
But, given Sun's pregnancy, many Hollywood plans have to be shelved. (See report below.)
For one thing, she missed out on performing alongside Janet Jackson at a major dance party in June.
She also had to cancel many appearances and press interviews lined up after her current single, One With You, hit No 1 both on the US Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart and British Music Week's commercial dance chart.
Luckily for her, her American managers from Tonos Entertainment, which is founded by David Foster and Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, have been supportive.
'They were like, 'You go, girl! Show your tummy and wear sexy clothes!'
'They said the 'in' thing in Hollywood is pregnancy, like Julia Roberts and Claudia Schiffer, and I'm glad I'm in the 'in' group!'
Sun said her managers even asked her to show off her pregnancy at an upcoming New York beach event organised by WKTU radio station.
'But I was like, 'You want me to do belly dance ah?' My tummy will be so big!' she added with a laugh.
Come September, Sun's third US single, Without Love, will be released on schedule, not only in the US and Europe, but also Australia. She had recorded it in March.
But she's worried about the promotional activities and the recording of her fourth single next month.
This time, Sun is slated to work with renowned producer Jud Friedman, who has collaborated with Barbra Streisand and Tina Turner, and wrote Whitney Houston's Run To You.
Incidentally, he also flew to Singapore to help her record the President's Challenge song, Reach Out With Love, last week.
Sun said pregnancy has made it harder for her to project her vocals.
Her caring minders had prepared a high chair for her, but she realised she could not sing well sitting down.
'I recorded for two days standing up, and it was very strenous, because I had to exert my diaphragm,' she said.
If Sun cannot withstand the long-haul flight to Los Angeles in next month, Friedman and his crew will fly over again to record for her, she said.
Her management agency may also fly in a few reporters from the US to interview her, she added.
Sun's hubby, Rev Kong, summed it up best: 'Things are certainly rowing along but instead of going at 120km per hour, Sun will be doing it at a more leisurely and manageable pace of 50km per hour.'
Regional activities have been put on hold, including 10 concerts in China and her fourth Mandarin album slated for release late this month.
'Now I just want to rest for the baby's sake,' she said.
Judging by the snug outfits she still wears, it is obvious that Sun is proud to flaunt her bulging tummy.
'I look like I'm five months pregnant!' she said.
'It's so huge and pointed that everyone says it's a boy.'
When the timing is right, she will be going for an ultrasound because 'I don't like surprises and I need to know what to buy!'
Her hubby has been doing his part.
Said Rev Kong: 'I am reading a lot of books on pregnancy and babies... I put my mouth on Sun's tummy and talk to the baby as often as I can every day.'
How the West was won
IT'S no easy feat, but breaking into Hollywood is all a matter of strategy. Do the right thing, appear at the right event, impress the right people.
'We want everyone to know who Sun is and enjoy her music,' said her manager Justin Herz.
'Her song has hit No 1, but that is just Step One. We expect to take Sun to every single chart across the world and have her known everywhere.'
Here's how he and a dedicated team of professionals strategised to break her into the competitive US market:
Have a tailor-made song
Sun's No 1 single, One With You, was written specially with her voice and vocal range in mind. Her songs were also remixed by famous deejays, including Mike Rizzo from WKTU radio station.
Get airplay in clubs
Sun's songs were introduced anonymously in dance clubs first, because her managers wanted people to dance to her music first and get curious enough to ask about her.
Her first single, Where Did Love Go?, received overwhelming response and rose to No 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play breakout chart.
Show up at major glitzy events
From prestigious events like the Hollywood Film Festival and Grammys to glitzy movie premieres, like for Scary Movie III, Sun has been there, done that.
She has met and chatted with the Who's Who of Hollywood, not only singers but also film directors like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
Get to know the deejays
Sun attended a major deejay conference in Miami and interacted with dozens of deejays.
Rizzo raved about her: 'She's branding a great name here. Her music is very uplifting and emotional.
'She's doing the same genre as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake and she just needs more exposure.'
Get airplay on radio
Having achieved success in clubs, the next step was to introduce Sun to radio listeners.
Said Rizzo: 'I play her record on my radio show and the reaction has been great. People call and ask who is she?
'Now, after her third single, they're like, 'Is that the new Sun single? Where can I buy it?'.'
Get press and magazine exposure
A series of media interviews has been lined up for Sun, including one with Billboard magazine.
Launch in retail outlets
So far Sun's singles have been circulated only to deejays, but once she hits all the major pop charts, 'we'll take her to retail outlets', said Herz.
He added that many major labels have indicated interest in distributing Sun's CDs.
It helps that Sun is the 'the hardest working girl in Hollywood', said her producer, Mr Peter Rafelson, who has written songs for the likes of Madonna, Elton John and The Corrs.
He told The New Paper in a recent phone interview: 'Some stars are more famous but nobody works this hard.'
While stars like Madonna 'work only when required to be in the studio', Sun was always around to be as involved as she could in music production.
Sun laughed at being called a worker bee.
'We're Singaporeans. We're used to working hard,' she said.
'It's not easy to have a chance like that, so I want to do my best.
Source: NP
hw cum she can go popular at us? r they sure ?