Alfred Sun Shines In Denise Chong, Bottega Veneta, FBMT & More For 'Vampire' Music Video
The local singer talks about the concept of rebirth and what it means to him
Alfred Sun is no stranger to fans of Chinese reality television show We Are Young 2020. The 31-year-old singer was one of the two Singaporean contestants in the Youku programme, where some 84 contestants vied for a spot to be part of a seven-member male idol group. Despite not winning the competition, Sun hasn’t given up his dream of becoming a performing artist.
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He just released his debut single and music video Vampire. Sun devoted the past 10 months to the preparation of his new song – from songwriting and choreography to the video shoot and post-production editing –which centres around the concept of rebirth.
To highlight that, Sun's wardrobe was carefully chosen to represent “the main character [who] is unafraid and eager in his process of gaining a new life,” explained Wong Xueli, co-founder of local creative studio Fakedcandid and stylist for the music video. “Bold shapes, textures and colours were used to reflect that attitude.”
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In addition, elements that are commonly associated with resurrection can be spotted on the pieces worn by Sun. “We can find ‘fire’ on the FBMT Hot Flame trousers and ‘flowers’ on the Bottega Veneta motif top,” Wong shared. “To showcase the rawness of this rebirth process, we catch glimpses of the ‘skin’ through the Bottega Veneta and Valentino cut-out tops.”
Ahead, we speak to Sun and Fakedcandid to find out what’s special about Vampire, whether the singer feels the pressure from releasing a single after a hiatus, and more.
Why did you name your song Vampire?
Alfred Sun (AS): "My good friend felt that I was pretty much like a vampire because I have fair skin, stay up until the wee hours and don’t seem to age. So when I was conceptualising my debut single, I felt the urge to express the idea of rebirth; it’s just like a vampire who’s been kept away in a coffin for a long time. When he manages to escape, he can finally do as he wishes. At the same time, it marks a new beginning for him."
You said that your new song is about rebirth. How is the “new” you different from before?
AS: "I’ve always felt quite a bit of baggage as an idol. As a result, I get distracted by a lot of my own thoughts as well as the opinions surrounding me. The new me feels a lot more confident and I feel more motivated to chase after my dreams too."
Sun wears top and pants from Bottega Veneta and jewellery from Tiffany & Co.
This song is being released after a hiatus from your competition days. Do you feel the pressure?
AS: "I think it’s inevitable but it’s also a good thing because it motivates me to work harder. In fact, since it’s been so many years, I felt that I mustn’t let myself or my supportive fans down. That’s why I decided that I needed to present my best self to everyone. I hope that everyone will like my new music video after watching it!"
We heard that it wasn’t an easy journey releasing this single and music video.
AS: "I felt that the biggest challenge was to overcome myself. That’s why it took 10 months to complete this single. I was involved in every aspect of it — from songwriting and choreography to finding a team, music video shoot and post-production editing. I wanted to ensure that the work that I put out there meets my expectations and that it would be something that I am proud of. On top of that, as an independent singer, there are a lot of things to take care of, and I feel lost when I don’t know how to handle everything."
Sun wears coat from Tibi, pants from FBMT, bag from Eastpak x Raf Simons, shoes from Jimmy Choo, and jewellery from Tiffany & Co.
Your looks in the video are very cool! What do you wish to convey through your clothes?
AS: "Thanks! I really have to thank my team of stylists Donson and Xueli from Fakedcandid, hairstylist Christvian and makeup artist Zoel for making me look great. I always felt that as a performer, you have to be everchanging instead of pinning yourself to just one style. That’s why during the planning of my music video, I wanted to also showcase my own different styles. And since I have quite a small build as compared to the regular guys in Singapore, I wanted to work this to my advantage.”
Fakedcandid: Gender fluidity was the binding theme across the six different sets in the MV. We wanted to portray confidence, playfulness and vivacity which are qualities that we imagine the main character to possess as an old ‘vampire’ is being reborn.
Which is your favourite look in ‘Vampire’?
AS: "It’s really hard to choose a favourite look! The top two looks that I like would probably be the red suit by Versace and black top by Bottega Veneta."
Fakedcandid: "In terms of styling, the biggest challenge was to find stylish designs that can accentuate dance moves at the same time for this dance music video. Local designer Denise Chong’s beaded headpiece was a perfect choice as it embodies a fighting spirit and it has long strands of beads that fly beautifully with every moment.
Sun wears top and pants from Valentino and cap by Denise Chong
How has Covid-19 affected your career?
AS: "For many years, I’ve always ventured overseas to look for opportunities to perform. However, because of Covid-19, it’s quite hard to have such plans for the moment. That’s why I’m eager to release more of my work in Singapore. This has made me realise that although the entertainment scene here isn’t big, it feels like a big family. I’m glad to have met many good people, and we understand one another well so it feels heartening."
Share with us your upcoming plans.
AS: "I hope that after ‘Vampire’, I’ll be able to release more songs and nail different dance styles. I also hope to produce even better MVs, and try out acting more!"
Sun wears jewellery from Tiffany & Co.
This article first appeared in Nuyou and was translated by Hayden Ng