JAN 2014
One Direction continues on their quest to win over the world
Amazing relationships • Awesome clothes Top scores in schooL • Soaring confidence BIGBANG, Mnet Asian Music Awards, Takeru Sato, ONE OK ROCK, Amiaya, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Eminem, WIlber Pan, JJ Lin and more!
THE OFFICIAL YOUTH MAGAZINE OF BUGIS JUNCTION AND BUGIS+
JANUARY 2014 ISSUE 301 $3 (inc GST) www.teenage.com.sg
JANUARY 2014
20
p.
features
22
p.
12
Beauty Hot Picks
20
Theme: Bare Perfection Look beautiful even without makeup or dyed hair.
Lifestyle
22
Lookbook: Make a Splash Stay stylish even in the rain!
28
Style Closet: Looking Good for School Find the best outfit for your campus activities.
PASSPORT TO YOUR
FUTURE 2014
36
“Stop Embarassing Me!” When parents unintentionally make things weird.
Inside Scoop
“What Skill Would You Like to Learn This Year?”
8
Free!
Youths share how they accomplished their 2013 resolutions.
31
Lifestyle Hot Picks
ULTIMATE BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE
34
“We Made Our New Year’s Resolutions Come True”
95
38
Readers share their lofty goals with us.
Ed’s Note
Radar
10
Your Say
98
Astroscoop
Quiz: What’s your Hidden Talent?
42
100
Find out the skill you should develop in 2014.
Calendar
Out-takes
40
51
Quiz: Are you ready for change? Find out how well you adapt.
62
Make 2014 The Best Year Ever
ULTIMATE BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE
Improve your finances, studies, relationships and self!
65
FIND THE
STUDY PATH
Dear Kelly
THAT SUITS YOU BEST! STAY ON THE BALL EVEN WHEN
SCHOOL GETS CRAZY BE THE ONE
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE FRIENDS WITH
CAMPUS RUN!
11
p.
JANUARY 2014
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on the cover: one direction photo: sony music
Entertainment 74
One Direction On a quest to win over the world.
78
MTV Europe Music Awards A night of thrills and surprises.
80
p. 90
Takeru Sato
91
The best of Mandopop step out to celebrate their achievements.
92
K-pop’s brightest acts gather for a dazzling night.
All ready to tackle the Mandopop scene
82
Wilber Pan
84
94
Read our chats with anisong artistes.
Highlights from their power-packed shows.
Newcomers Amiaya explain how Tokyo Pop is different from J-pop.
88
Sundown Festival Asian acts put on a show to remember.
p.
The tech whiz chats about his tech habits and fame.
One Ok Rock and JJ Lin
86
84
93
Anime Festival Asia
Amiaya
p.
Singapore Hit Awards
Bii and Wei Li An
BIGBANG
94
After Rurouni Kenshin, he’s back to charm in Real.
Mnet Asian Music Awards
Check out the boys’ solo efforts.
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p.
82
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Most Creative AvatarStar Design – Month of DECEMBER Congratulations to Alicia Tan for winning the Most Creative AvatarStar Design for the month of December! You have won yourself a 1-year subscription to Teenage magazine!
You can send your avatar design to us and get featured in Teenage magazine! Featured Designs: (L-R) Leslie Chong, Alexis Ng, Chia Min Fan
publisher foo mei siah associate director (business development) kelen koh operations manager emmeline lee
editorial
deputy editor yuen yi ying writer priscilla wu contributors Angel Gwee, Edward Ho, Edel Ang, Evon Chng, Huimin Ng, Justin Loh, Kelly Chopard, Long Fei, Sasha Gonzales, Shermaine Boh, Steve Soh, Vicky Andhika interns amanda tan, chew hui ling
art
creative director aris lai associate art director angie ng designer michelle lim
advertising & marketing Follow these steps and send your designs to us now! 1. Sign up for an AvatarStar online account and download the game client from http://as.cherrycredits.com 2. Select the class of your preference 3. Design your avatar 4. Take a screenshot of your avatar design and email it together with your particulars to contest@key-editions.com Particulars: Name / Gender / NRIC Number. / Email Address / Address / Contact Number / Occupation or school Subject Title: Teenage Jan issue 301 – Avatar Star Design
Download the game from http://as.cherrycredits.com and get started now!
asst business manager lavonne lam asst managers (marketing & communications) maggie mok, darran ong executive (marketing & communications) dionna chew executive (sales & marketing support) loke pei ling coordinator (sales & marketing) audre teo
enquiries editorial matters email: t-ed@key-editions.com advertising & marketing enquiries email: enquiry@key-editions.com subscription enquiries email: subscription@key-editions.com job & internship enquiries email: hr@key-editions.com Printer & Colour Separation: KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd (Business Registration No. 197801823M) 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968. Tel: 6543 2222 Fax: 6545 3333 Published By: Key Editions Pte Ltd (Business Registration No. 200005022G) 20 Bedok South Road, Singapore 469277. Tel: 6445 3313 Fax: 6445 3373 Email: info@key-editions.com Distributor: MediaCorp Pte Ltd MICA (P) 030/05/2012. Published monthly by KEY EDITIONS Pte Ltd. Copyright © is held by the publisher. All rights reserved. The publisher will not be held responsible for any infringements of copyright material in articles submitted by contributors. The views and opinions of the writers and contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publisher.
Hello guys and girls, In a blink of an eye, 2014 is here! Hope 2013 was fabulous for you and that you managed to achieve everything you set out to do. First off, the Teenage team would like to wish you a very happy New Year! With all your support, Teenage has gone from strength to strength and 2013 was an exceptionally good year for us indeed. Thank you so much, and continue to support us!
Let the year ahead be filled with love, happiness, adventures, good food and plenty of fun!
Now that it’s time to head back to school, we hope you’ll enjoy Passport to the Future. Plenty of good reads inside on prepping for the year ahead. From choosing your educational path to acing your studies and looking good for school, we’ve got you covered! If you haven’t thought about what you’d like to do this year and would like ideas on how you can improve your friendships, love life, finances and more, flip to p. 62 (of the Teenage main magazine)! On a personal note, I haven’t set my plans for 2014 yet, but I reckon it’ll be more of the same: learn to be more disciplined (sleep earlier, exercise, be more focused), keep my room neat (uh, getting there) and learn to speak French fluently…. The last one I’ve had some progress in. I can somewhat follow interviews from watching countless MVs and reading, so I’m pretty pleased with that. I reckon if I work on ‘discipline’, I’ll finally be able to achieve all my goals. So wish me luck! And I hope you’ll achieve your goals too!
My Get-Readyfor-2014 kit
Etude House Happy Change Lip Balm, $9 each
“The messages on the tubes are perfect for a worrywart like me.”
Michael Kors Parker MK5572 watch, $293, Amazon
“This watch is pricey, but I’ve had my eye on it for a while and should get it before it sells out. To keep time… you know.”
Have a fantastic year ahead everyone,
Fetch My Keys - Key Finder, $11.70, asos
“Yeah, this would save me a lot of time. Should attach one to my phone too.”
08 JAN 2014
Fashionlookbook
Make a
Splash
Looks like the weather won’t be clearing up anytime soon. So here are some chic and cheery rain gear to help you stay dry and beat the drizzly day blues! Photographers: Long Fei @ T2 Pictures assisted by Steve Soh Fashion Stylist: Evon Chng assisted by Edel Ang Hair and makeup: Huimin Ng using KOSE Cosmetics Models: Karel S and Polina B from Mannequin
022 JAN 2014
On him: Jacket, price unavailable, H&M American Apparel t-shirt, $49, Preview by The Editor’s Market Shorts, $59, Topman, Umbrella, stylist’s own On her: Blazer, $59, Crayon, Top, $33.90, Necklace, $16.90, American Apparel skirt, $55, Preview by The Editor’s Market Umbrella, $39, Crayon Boots, $53, Joules from Not Too Big
JAN 2014
023
Lifestylefocus
“We Made Our New Year’s In January, these youths promised to change some areas of their lives by the end of the year. Sasha Gonzales finds out how they made it happen. “I wanted this overseas job opportunity so badly” – Valerie Lim, 22 “At the start of 2013, I was up for some new challenges and heard about a competition by Asian Job Express (AJE), a job agency in Japan. They were looking for graduates in Asia to work in multinational corporations in Japan and invited university students in Singapore to take part. A couple of winners from each Asian country would be selected for the finals in Japan, happening just before Christmas. I made it my goal to win. It has always been one of my dreams to work overseas, and I have always loved the idea of living in Japan. We had a series of tasks and interviews to complete over the year. To make sure I got selected, I worked hard to stand out. As a final-year university student, taking part was a huge commitment, but it was something I wanted very badly. All my hard work paid off. I was selected to represent Singapore in Japan, where I will have one final interview. My prospects look very promising and I hope to work in Japan next year, after I graduate. Working on this goal all year made me realise how much staying power I have. I feel so much more confident about my abilities. I definitely took a risk entering this competition, but when you want something badly, taking a risk is what you have to do.”
034JAN 2014
“My goal this year was to work on my friendships” – Jonathan Lee-Rappa, 22 “I lost a very close friend back in 2012. I was in the army and didn’t have much time off. Close pals since secondary school, we would always watch movies, eat, and play sports together. The death of this friendship was gradual – we just stopped hanging out and eventually stopped talking too. I didn’t give it much thought, until he told me that I was a lousy friend and that he didn’t want to spend time with me anymore. I was very upset when he turned his back on me. I was also stunned because it hadn’t occurred to me that he was that angry. He’d allowed his disappointment to build up instead of talking to me about it. For about a month afterwards, I reflected on what went wrong. I decided I didn’t want to take my other buddies for granted. Many people resolve to lose weight or study harder, but I made a resolution to check in on my friends regularly, no matter how busy I was. I initiated outings, communicated with them more, listened to them, and showed them that they were important to me. Now, if my buddies and I have issues, we talk them through right away. I have never felt closer to my friends – we hang out on weekends, study together, and share a very tight bond. It’s great being able to rely on one another. But more importantly, I feel good knowing how much my friendships have enriched me and helped me grow.”
Resolutions Come True” “I resolved to travel more this year to help the less fortunate” – Joanne Ang, 22 “As a child, I never really travelled much. My parents just weren’t the type who took overseas holidays. When I entered university a couple of years ago, I took on a part-time job and made it my goal to save money and travel to learn about other cultures. If I could help the underprivileged while I was at it, even better. I also thought it made sense to travel as much as possible before I entered the workforce. Finally, I made my first trip – to Laos. I went with a few friends and we helped build a library for a small village, as well as teach kids English and Science. I returned home feeling accomplished and this fuelled my desire to make more trips. Over the course of this year, I saved enough to visit Taiwan, Germany, France, the UK, Ireland and Korea. I also went to Laos again, this time to help build a community hall. Travelling extensively is not something many people my age get to do, so the fact that I managed to visit so many countries in a year is quite an achievement. But I was very determined to make it happen for myself. Doing more such community-building trips is definitely on the cards for me over the next few years. It’s a great way to interact with the locals and learn about different cultures. Plus, it feels so good to be able to contribute my time and skills, and to make a difference in the lives of others. I never knew how much travelling could help a person grow. I went to Europe alone and that was an awesome experience. Not only did I get to see what that part of the world is like; I felt compelled to step out of my comfort zone and learnt a lot about myself in the process.”
“I wanted a job in which I could give back to society” – Angeline Yap, 24 “For about six months prior to joining the Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA), I worked at a marketing company. Even though my job was interesting, it was hardly inspiring or challenging. I really wanted to make a difference in the lives of others, and I wasn’t exactly doing that. I also didn’t feel
that that role would take me far. At the beginning of 2013, I decided I wanted a job that would allow me to give back to the community. So I set about looking for media relations and public relations jobs in the social services sector. Not long after, I landed a position as a corporate communications executive at HWA, a non-profit organisation. On a typical day, I handle media requests, write appeal letters, work on the association’s quarterly magazine, reach out to our supporters, and share fundraising ideas with my colleagues. In my current role, I’m always learning something new, whether it’s social services issues or the difficulties faced by people with disabilities. What I love most is that I get to help our handicapped citizens put forward their point of view. In the past, people with disabilities may not have had much of a voice, but now, more initiatives are being introduced to help them live better lives. More people are aware of their rights, and there is a greater understanding and acceptance of what our disabled friends go through. I’m so thankful to be part of what I see as an important social change. I can see myself in this role for many more years to come. There is still so much more to do and learn, and I want to continue helping out in any way I can. After a hard day’s work, I often come home extremely tired, but I’m always fulfilled because I know that I am making a difference and helping change lives.”
JAN 2014
035
Lifestylequiz
What is your Hidden Talent? Unearth your innate capabilities with this quiz and see which new skill you should adopt in 2014!
Tick the statements that apply to you and see which category has the most ticks!
The Tech Whiz
You are the first person your friends go to for help when their computers break down. You can’t live a day without social networking systems. Your role model? Steve Jobs. You think that smartphones are the greatest invention ever. Construct a website from scratch? Easy as pie!
This generation is all about the Internet. To keep up with the ever-changing tech trends, you need to constantly renew your skill set to match the market needs. Some areas that are particularly sought-after by tertiary students include web design, game development and social media management.
The Science Geek
You can tell a Picasso from a Monet. You are often praised for your drawing abilities.
Working in the National Museum will be a dream come true. People tell you that you can’t make money being an artist in Singapore. You disagree. It seems you share a strong passion for the arts. Art institutions in Singapore offer a variety of courses to help you develop your skills in popular sectors like graphic design and animation art. Alternatively, you could intern with local artistes to learn more about the scene.
Music class? Best time in school!
You are deeply fascinated by how everything on Earth works.
You can’t live without music.
You think that girls/guys who knowtheirChemistryarehot.
Aficionado
You have volunteered/are thinking of volunteering for the Singapore Art Festival.
Science class is a bore? Nonsense!
Working in a laboratory is cool.
The Art
You often have unknown melodies in your head.
The Music Lover
Stage fright? Nah, you think it’s really cool to perform in front of an audience. You have your own band.
You have exceptional memory. A little Einstein, aren’t you? If you’re someone who’s fascinated by science, it’s time to take your knowledge to another level. Pick an area you are most interested in – Chemistry, Physics or Biology – and start reading! Remember: hands-on and safe experiments are the best way to test your hypotheses!
040JAN 2014
What are you waiting for? If music is your game, you’ve got to get moving. It takes time to master an instrument or polish your songwriting skills, so the earlier you start, the more wellversed you will be.
Lifestylenews
Dream
Vacation
Think a holiday in Europe is not within reach? Contiki has plenty of savvy deals for you to get the most bang for your buck. Europe has always been a perennial favourite to visit when the travel bug bites. Unfortunately for travellers on a humble budget, it is likely to burn a giant hole in their wallets. When looking for the perfect vacation, Contiki’s European Discovery tour has much to offer. For as little as US$1,925 (about S$2,416), you get to explore eight countries – Belgium (in transit), Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland and France – all within 12 days. There’re always benefits for those who plan their trips ahead of time. For one, early birds can save up to US$680 (about S$853) when they book and pay the full amount before 12 February 2014. To get the bulk of discounts, the trick is to book as early as possible. A holiday with a big group of friends is better than flying solo, and Contiki proves it with their group discounts. The more travel buddies you round up, the lesser you have to pay. And let’s say you have 10 people in the group, you can either invite an eleventh friend to travel for free or let everyone save 10 per cent off their bills. There’s no need to worry about travelling alone. The group tends to have people of similar age, so you can easily make new friends throughout the trip. If you decide to share a room with them, booking the triple-share hotel accommodation in advance also entitles you to another five per cent off. Before that, make sure you’re comfortable rooming with others. But it’s always great to fall asleep after having a cheery banter with your pals, plus there’ll be so much to talk about the trip! The package covers some of Europe’s most enchanting cities, including Amsterdam, Venice, Rome and Paris. You get to discover famous destinations like the Eiffel Tower, Austrian Alps, Trevi Fountain and many more. Not only are there sumptuous meals provided, the group will be chauffeured around in an air-conditioned coach that has power points (because no one wants to go around with a camera or phone with no battery power). Other than sightseeing, you’re also allowed to have some me-time activities such as whitewater rafting, bike rides and even partying in one of the largest nightclubs in town. Be sure to check out www.contiki.com/deals for bookings and other information.
JAN 2014
041
Lifestyleadvice
Heartbroken
– I was dumped Hi Kelly! I have been reading your column and really love it. My problem – I was in a relationship with a guy for two weeks and now he wants to break up with me. I asked him if he had any feelings for me. His response wasn’t nice. He is my first boyfriend.
My friends warned me to be careful as he has many former girlfriends. They feared he would “just use” me.
Well, now I’m heartbroken. I cannot get him out of my mind. I don’t want to think about him any more. Kelly, please help me! I just want to focus on my CCA and my studies. God bless. From: Slack Kelly: I’m delighted you “love” reading my column but am disappointed you failed to heed my advice. I regularly warn against teenagers having “a relationship”. I stress that teen romances do not last. The one who gets dumped often suffers, just like you are suffering now, my dear. By the way, what you had over a twoweek period could hardly be called a “relationship”. It’s more like two ships passing in the night and you must admit the guy is no longer even a friend. Basically, the problem is that teenagers seem to skip the friendship stage. Before they can get to know each other, they talk about going steady. These days, youngsters agree to go steady with someone they know nothing about. The guy is not even a gentleman
066JAN 2014
judging from your comment that his “response wasn’t nice”. My dear, some guys and girls play games – some may delight in “collecting hearts”, just to prove they can “get” someone to go steady, then they dump them and move on to their next ‘victim’. Your friends warned you, but you were excited about getting a “first boyfriend”. I hope you realise it wasn’t worth it. You have nothing to show for it but heartache. Don’t be in a hurry to get a boyfriend. At your age, platonic pals are the best. Platonic friendships last, sometimes into adulthood. Please make yourself a promise. No more quick boy-meets-girl-let’sgo-steady relationships. Put this episode behind you. Don’t believe what someone you just met claims. Friendship may develop into love, but the sudden, “Let’s go steady”
invitation is doomed from the start. How can strangers go steady? It’s just plain weird! If you realise this, you will not expose yourself to heartache in future.
Put this episode behind you. You’re lucky it was just two weeks. I hope you did not have sexual relations with the guy. If you did, don’t agree to have sex with guys in future because word will get around and many more will approach you, just for sex. The “Let’s go steady” invitation often means: “I want sex”. Set up a study group, get a Study Buddy and focus on your lessons. Get involved in CCAs and participate in sports and games. This is what teens your age should be doing. Hang out with your friends, they seem a sensible lot and any outings with guys should be in a group until you are at least 18. Keep on track and you’ll be happier. God bless you too.
Dazed By Love
I am 11-years-old and am in a good school. When I met a guy from a nearby secondary school, I immediately liked him. I know it would be rash to confess my feelings for him as it may affect the friendship. You see, we meet occasionally, and when we do, he pays attention to me.
I think he likes me, but I’m not sure. What should I do Kelly? From: Dazed by love Kelly: You are a smart girl who knows it isn’t wise to tell a guy you like him. Besides, you are far too young to be interested in guys romantically. Kids your age should get to know many guys and form platonic friendships involving group activities and outings with both guys and girls. At your age, you should play games, go to the library, have lunch on the weekends with your friends and invite them home with your parents’ permission. This will ensure that there will be no heartbreak, which in most cases results in school work suffering and grades plunging. You don’t want to allow anything to come between you and good grades, especially since you are in a good school. You have a bright future ahead of you. It is fine to associate with the guy you like, but please don’t make any confessions. You are only 11 and he is in secondary school. I’m sure he would be uncomfortable if he discovers you have romantic feelings for him. He is obviously a gentleman, who on the few occasions you meet, is polite and pays you attention. It carries no romantic connotations. Don’t get carried away, dear girl. ‘Lessons before all else’ should be your watchword.
“I don’t know what to do!” Hi! I have been reading your column for a long time and I like it “a lot”. I like to read Dear Kelly where people reveal their problems and the way you help them is nice. I hope you can help me as well. From: I don’t know Kelly: I’m glad you like my column “a lot”. I hope you learn from the advice I give young people. It is wise to avoid the mistakes others make. Now, let’s look at your problems.
1. I don’t seem able to study – I am so distracted because I like K-pop, J-pop and I am a Korean drama fan. Because of this, I find it difficult to make time for study. Help me! Kelly: You and many, many others are caught in this addictive trap. It’s good you admit you have a problem. I admire you for this. Seriously, these distractions are taking over your life and this obviously frightens you. Well, since you admit there is a problem, it will be easier to help you. I shall dish out my no-nonsense advice because I’m sure this is what you want. You know lessons should come first. I suggest you do your homework and study at the library. Tell your parents that you have many distractions at home. They will appreciate your desire to turn your life around and will do all they can to help you. Remember, your parents love you and want the best for you. I suggest you get a Study Buddy so you can work with someone when revising and this will make it more difficult to be distracted. Forming a study group is another option worth considering. You are ready to change. Good luck!
being taught or, in the case of history, you may find it difficult to or dislike memorising facts and dates. Worse, you may be too lazy to buckle down and concentrate. Here’s where a Study Buddy or engaging in Group Work would be helpful – you could distribute the work and the notes prepared could be put on handy palm-sized cards that you can refer to for easy revision. Good study habits are worth cultivating.
No dropping history! You definitely don’t want dad to “have a heart-attack again…” 3. A guy I like – I like a guy whom I don’t know at all. Should I reveal my feelings? Maybe I should forget about him, is that right? Kelly: Listen to yourself! How can you “like a guy” you “don’t know”? Don’t you dare reveal your feelings for a total stranger! I don’t care that some people encourage girls to be brave and reveal their feelings. The statement: “Girls have nothing to lose by ‘confessing’”, worries me. From the letters I get, I warn you, girls have a lot to lose. People who say you should go ahead are not the person girls write to bewailing their shame and heartbreak because guys rejected them, insulted them and told their friends about the bold girl who dared make the first move.
if I do, dad is going to have a heart attack again…
Many guys who have had girls “confess” their feelings have told me they are turned off by such girls whom they often describe as “hard-up” or “desperate”. I’m sure you don’t want to give this impression. Those who accepted the girl’s invitation later, when the relationship turns sour, throw this fact at the girl, and insult them for being “desperate” causing hurt.
Kelly: Often we hate a subject because we don’t understand what is
You have a crush. It will pass, I promise. In the meantime, stop looking at the guy
2. I hate history! My marks are low. Should I give up this subject? But,
and get a hobby, read and hang out with your classmates and friends. No B-G relationships until you are at least 18.
4. Competitive – There is a guy in class whom I consider my enemy because I see him as a competitor for top marks in English. I want to do better than him in the exams. Kelly: Hey, you don’t mean to use the word “enemy”. You see him as competition. You want to top the class in English – a worthy goal – but please see that you subscribe to healthy competition, not meanness and envy, which is negative. Do the best you can and accept that sometimes you will top the class, and at other times the guy you view as competition, or even someone else, will get top marks. Learn to accept healthy competition. 5. A dream – I had a strange dream about visiting a fortune-teller and he said I will never fall in love or get married. I woke up. I don’t know what to do. Can this be my future? Kelly: Don’t take a dream so seriously. You are a school child and have a lot of time to grow up, meet and fall in love in future. For now, your lessons and scoring in the exams should be your chief concern. Smile.
JAN 2014
067
Entertainment celebs
Can’t get enough of One Direction? We feel you. Priscilla Wu tells you why the world is still all wrapped up with the British boy band.
One Direction is the talk of town right now, due to the sweeping success of their latest musical effort Midnight Memories. After selling 546,000 copies in its first week, the edgier, pop-rock output debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. So, you get the idea…
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We always wonder how the boys were like before they started earning millions, and you got a glimpse of that with Harry’s return to the local bakery he worked at when he was 14 in their This Is Us movie. We love how cute he looks with that old striped apron of his!
What makes the fellas special is truly more than their chart-topping tunes and boyish good looks. In the movie, One Direction will display the special bond they share with their families. Kleenex alert: when their mums reveal how much they miss them when they were away!
Okay, we know the boys are cute. But did you know they can do funny too? ID returned to NBC’s Saturday Night Live with more hilarious antics after a successful stint with Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara in 2012.
Photos: Getty Images
We always knew Harry Styles is one of the most stylish young celebs in UK music scene, but the singer has just been elevated to icon status after bagging the British Style Award at the British Fashion Awards.
These dudes not only look good, but apparently, they smell sweet too! 1D recently launched their new perfume, Our Moment. We hear that this fruity fragrance is currently selling at least five times better than any other celebrity fragrance in the market!
It’s true that not all of us are privileged enough to go backstage at their gigs. But a newly-released behind-the-scenes footage will give fans an exclusive look at what goes on during the filming of their music video ’Story of My Life’. We admit it’s pretty moving to hear the boys reminisce their childhood!
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Entertainment celebs
10 OMG Moments of The
Most
MAMA
You know you can’t miss a show when the K-pop royalty gathers to honour the 2013 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). Priscilla Wu recaps the top scenes. Our hearts stopped when we saw Running Man’s Song Ji Hyo on the red carpet in her most glamorous self. We’d secretly wished it was pseudo-boyfriend Gary Kang she had on her arm instead. We know it’s their trademark style, but we’d hope to see Best New Female Artist Crayon Pop grace the red carpet in something other than their usual matching uniforms. The girls would have looked adorable in mini party dresses!
There might be only two of them, but SNSD angels Hyoyeon and Seohyun showed off their fun personalities when they danced spontaneously to BIGBANG’s performance.
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When EXO stepped on stage for a beyondawesome version of ‘Growl’ and ‘Wolf’… No words are needed.
We may be a little biased here, but it really didn’t take long to figure out who the real winners of the night were. Rather than entertaining the crowd with tunes from their 2012 album Alive, the BIGBANG boys chose to go with solo performances, ensuring adequate screen time for each member. And on top of that, have you counted the number of times the boys appeared on camera? Not that we are complaining…
Paris Hilton DJ-ing at the end of the show? Err…that was pretty…cool? That kiss! We were totally caught off-guard when the Trouble Maker pair started locking lips during their sizzling performance. Not since the peck Gary and Ji Hyo shared on a recent RM episode did we squeal in such excitement. And we were not the only ones – check out BIGBANG’s reaction to the kiss!
Photos: CHANNEL M
Full House’s Rain, who will be in Singapore for a New Year countdown gig at Marina Bay Sands, delivered an insane rendition of his numberone tracks ‘How to Avoid the Sun’, ‘It’s Raining’ and ‘Hip Song’.
The annual South Korean music awards ceremony saw both familiar and new faces walking away with coveted awards. Multiple-winner G-Dragon took the stage four times to accept the Best Male Artist, Best Dance Performance, Best Music Video and Artist of the Year nods.
The ceremony was filled with big moments that had everyone buzzing, but the truly Kleenex-worthy scene? Stevie Wonder taking home the Music Makes One Global Ambassador award from the BIGBANG members with a heartfelt speech.
Channel M celebrates its one-year anniversary with a variety of programmes including Reply 1994, which premieres on 17 February 2014. Catch more K-pop goodness at channel M. JAN 2014
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Entertainment celebs
Style Secrets Okay, So Who Is Amiaya?
Style Tips From The Girls
A pair of 22-year-old twin model-singers (Ami is the elder sister and Aya is the younger one) who arrived in Tokyo when they were only 15 to pursue their dream of being ‘artistes’. Tired of the typical J-pop music, they took inspiration from the trendy streets of Harajuku and created their unique brand of Tokyo Pop. During their modelling stint, they posed for popular magazines like Zipper and CUTie and their unique take on fashion made them one of the most sought-after young names in the scene. Now, the girls are the proud creators of their own label, Jouetie, with 18 stores across the country.
Number 1: Be Adventurous
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“We think that Singapore girls will look amazing if they are willing to be a little quirkier with their dressing.”
Number 2: Dress Like Your Favourite Style Icon “We have fans that dress and apply the same makeup as we do – from our eyeshadow colours to our nails. When they attend our events or when they write to us on Twitter, they will ask us what cosmetic brands we are using.”
Number 3: Go Street Style “We would recommend adopting a street
style mix. It is a combination of casual and girlie style. Something like what teenagers wear in Harajuku. Stripes are the ‘in thing’ for this season!”
Number 4: Never Say Never “Of course there are certain things we wouldn’t wear. For example, we will never go for the conservative OL (office lady) type of clothing. We believe in displaying our originality and individuality with what we wear.”
Number 5: Accessorise, Accessorise “We cannot live without our accessories. We also love punk-rock-style studs.”
main Photo: Universal music
Amiaya’s
We’ve heard of J-pop, but we’d never heard of Tokyo Pop… until we met AMIAYA. So let Priscilla Wu bring you up to date on the girls and their musical and sartorial style.
So You Wanna Dress Like Them?
Clutch, Jouetie Dress, Jouetie
And What About Their Music? These girls may be known for their innovative fashion, but they are certainly no pushovers when it comes to their music. Since their mainstream debut early this year, they have released one mini album Tokyo Pop and two singles ‘Star Line’ and ‘Magic Colour’.
2 Tone Bonded Skater Dress, $173, Topshop
Definition of Tokyo Pop “There are many musical genres in Japan and we took the good points from each to create Tokyo Pop. It’s a category of music, just like J-pop and K-pop.” Tiny Flower Dungarees, $139, Topshop Skirt, Jouetie
MOTO Dip Dye Pini Dress, $89, Topshop
Musical Beginnings “We didn’t plan on being models. We have always wanted to be musicians like Puffy since we were kids, so modelling was the first step for us. Now we are slowly working our way towards our dreams of being artistes. We hope we will be able to continue spreading Tokyo pop around the world.
Challenges
Red and Green Check Treggings, $63, Topshop
Foldover Skorts in Cobalt, $31.90, The Scarlet Room
Neoprene Lampshade Skirt in Green, $25.50, Lacepipe
“When we came to Tokyo at the age of 15, we had to overcome a lot of difficulties. We were really poor and we had no idea how to navigate the train map. We took on a number of part-time jobs in cafes, izakaya (an eatery selling grilled food), retail stores and cosmetic factories. We were really young then, so we learned a great deal about the society. Now that we think back about it, those times were really important and precious because those experiences made us stronger.” JAN 2014
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Entertainment celebs
New Kids
On the Block
Newcomers – Bii and Wei Li An – are all ready to tackle the Mandopop scene. Priscilla Wu chats with the boys on their road to fame.
BII Born and raised in South Korea, the 24-year-old is back from a two-year military service hiatus with a brand new album Come Back To Bii.
Your new album is written in three languages – English, Mandarin and Korean. Why is that so?
You produced this new album two years after your debut record. Was it more stressful?
I haven’t released an album for a while, so I wanted to present something new to my fans. It was the first time I’ve written a rap, and even though it is in Korean, I kept it simple so fans are able to sing along to it.
Why didn’t you choose to debut in Korea? I have never thought of being an artiste. What I wanted to do back then was to work
with my dad in China. When I was there, I met my dad’s friend and he asked my dad if he could bring me to Taiwan. We went and he introduced me to my current boss. As a 17-year-old kid who didn’t know a word of Mandarin, I was really lucky.
I think the stress was equally great for both albums. I was very nervous when producing my first record because it was the first time I introduced myself to the world. But for this album, I was a little worried that everyone would have forgotten me.
WILLIAM WEI LI AN With his parents as university lecturers, William took the unconventional route of becoming a musician. After a wildly successful album, he returns to the Mandopop consciousness with sophomore effort Someone Is Waiting.
Did your parents disapprove of your decision to enter the industry? Quite unexpectedly, they did not. I thought they would have doubts about it, but they were very open with the idea when I broke the news to them. They told me that I could do anything I want, as long as I am responsible for the choices I make.
Starting out, what difficulties did you face?
I think the biggest problem I faced was the lack of inspiration. I often encounter mental blocks and the best way to fix it is to not think about writing at all. Another layer of stress comes from the fact that people will be listening to the songs I create. I feel that I have to produce something of a certain standard for listeners. I wouldn’t say that is difficult, but I think it is one of the challenges I face.
It was recently reported that your company even hired a TCM practitioner to take care of your health. Why is that so?
I am currently working on my album, so I tend to work very long hours. Besides working till late, I give myself a lot of pressure. The doctor said my constitution is weak to begin with, so it can be quite taxing when coupled with the cold weather in Taiwan. Coming to Singapore is also a challenge to my health. I woke up at four in the morning to catch the flight here, so I may appear a little tired. But I will try my best.
Photos: Hyde record
Tech Whiz If you’re wondering when Wilber Pan is going to return with a brand new album, rest assured he’s hitting the studio soon. But for now, Priscilla Wu caught up with the Microsoft Store ambassador to find out more about his tech habits and thoughts on fame.
Geek Alert
I think I am. I can stay home quietly for a few days or I can go out and have a lot of fun.
Must-Have Tech Gadget
My stereo. I have to bring it everywhere. I can’t go through a day without listening to music. Sometimes I would forget to bring my headphones and I’d have to buy one at the airport because I’d die if there’s no music on the flight.
Collaboration With Microsoft
Microsoft has been in my life since I was seven or eight. Everybody started off with it. To me, it brought back a lot of memories. You know, all those times typing out essays. It’s something essential to me. I can’t use anything else. Whenever I’m writing my lyrics or checking my bank account, it has to be Microsoft (laughs).
Favourite Websites
I’m a news freak. I need to know news, so MSN.com and ESPN.com [are my go-to sites]. Every morning I wake up and I go to ESPN.com. I need to know the latest news on sports and basketball. So I can wake up at like three in the morning to check on football and baseball games. I’m a real sports freak. And I check my own news (laughs).
Movies
I’m very blessed to be able to do what I like, but I probably won’t be an entertainer forever. That’s why I started the app company and the clothing line. Entertainment-wise, movies are one thing I haven’t done yet. I’ve received a lot of scripts and am in the process of selecting [the ones I like], so hopefully [I can do that] next year.
Retirement
If I retired tomorrow, I’d definitely want to become an agent – to find new talents and walk them through the entertainment road. I was on Instagram a couple of days ago and I saw a fan holding a cassette of mine. I was like, “Oh my God, a cassette? Which generation am I from?” So our generation has been through those years when the Internet wasn’t even that happening. Sometimes I think success comes instantly nowadays. All these kids are like, “I can be famous if I upload a video on YouTube and get 10,000 clicks”. But that’s not real fame. There has to be a process and steps to be taken in order to be successful. If I am an agent, I want them to understand the whole meaning of being somebody and stay away from all the temptations. Success doesn’t come from fame. Success comes from your inner achievements and motivation. JAN 2014
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Out-takes
There are no boring days at Teenage! Check out what goes on behind-the-scenes!
Fun-loving moments Trying to spoof Pei Ling. (Eh...Khaili...wrong side)
Everyone wants a piece of our new furry friend - Ms Alpaca!
What big doughnut cushions you have!
The Christmas Magic is in the air...
Sugar and spice and everything nice. Vicky can cook, so can you!
Lavonne the Trendsetter for 2014! Decorating-in-progress... We are going to ‘WOW’ you!
I wonder what my Angel is going to give me...
Expectation vs Reality - Lavonne’s Version Lavonne’s striped outfit is evergreen! See the trend through the years!
Beetlejuice - 1998 Robin Thicke - 2013 Lavonne - 2014 Dear Angel, I have been good this year. Will you fulfil my Xmas wish?
It’s begining to feel a lot like Christmas in Key Editions! *throws snow flakes*
Put this ‘breakfast’ on you too... It looks good!
Angie’s in ‘New York’! The art and editorial team decided that they’d go to ‘New York’ this year to spend Christmas with BIG presents!
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We are the furry friends of the Teemage team!
The fashion guru showing that striped outfits are the most ‘in’ thing for the New Year! Time to change your wardrobe!