S’porean singer Qiu Fengze, 35, moved to Taiwan a decade ago because he felt 'very comfortable' in Singapore

No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.

It was a balmy, sweaty evening at the Skechers Friendship Walk 2024 last month. The Singapore Sports Hub was packed with participants dripping with perspiration when 8days.sg suddenly heard a bunch of people screaming and flocking towards the merchandise stand.

That was how we knew where to find Taiwan-based Singaporean singer Qiu Fengze, who is the Singapore ambassador of the footwear brand. 

Not that we needed to squeeze with the masses. We would later meet the star, who looked way too glam for someone who was there for a walkathon, in a —  phew! — air-conditioned room for our interview. 

There he was, seated on a chair and surrounded by his entourage, all of whom quickly formed a circle around us.

At some point, we started to feel like an animal in a zoo getting gawked at by a bunch of strangers spectating our every move. 

"Why didn't you join the walk?" we asked Fengze. 

"My hair will be messy and my make-up artist will have a hard time," he laughed.

You may not know this but the 35-year-old is a big deal in Mandopop. After all, a bulk of the people were at the event just to catch a glimpse of the star, who's also a member of Taiwanese boyband W0LF(S).

It seems the Ai Tong School, Hougang Secondary School and Republic Polytechnic alum also underestimated how popular he is here.

"When I came back to Singapore I kept seeing my [Skechers ads] at the bus stop and I believe there were many people thinking: 'Who is this person?', said Fengze, who made his debut in Taiwan in 2014 with his album Ten Storeys.

"I mean my fans know me but there are people who don’t as well, so this ambassadorship gave me a lot of exposure," he added.

Fengze first came under the spotlight in Singapore after participating in local singing competition Guinness Live!.

His performance caught the attention of director Chai Yee Wei, who gave him a role in 2013 local movie That Girl in Pinafore.

Can't find Fengze? Just look for the group of very excited people with their phones all pointing towards the same direction

8DAYS: Welcome back! How often do you come back to Singapore actually?

QIU FENGZE: I try to come back as often as possible, on average three to four times a year, because Singapore is my home. I try to recharge here once in a while since it can be quite hectic in Taiwan. 

Do you bring local food back to share with your friends in Taiwan such as your W0LF(S) bandmates — Lai, Nine Chen, Huang Weijin and Shou?

They don't trouble me for this fortunately (laughs). They are understanding and they know that they’ll get to come to Singapore too. They’re very much looking forward to coming over and I look forward to bringing them here as well. 

What local food do you miss the most when you're in Taiwan?

Just the typical Singaporean main dishes like bak kut teh, crabs, nasi lemak and chicken rice. I just had roti prata last night.

You’ll miss all local delicacies when you’ve been abroad for a period of time ‘cos these are foods you grew up with and they give you a sense of nostalgia as well.

There are a lot of memories [attached to them] and of course they're very tasty lah (laughs). The food here suits our taste buds since we’ve been eating it since young. 

How has it been working alone in Taiwan for so long?

It can be challenging at times but with technology I’m constantly in contact with my family and friends. Luckily, I have a very good support system. They’re very supportive of me pursuing my goals. 

I think I’ve adjusted to it and I now see it as a blessing to be able to be overseas doing what I love, plus I can come back to Singapore to relax. 

Your bandmates always tease you for coming from a privileged background. Is it hard taking care of yourself there?

Not really. To be honest I enjoy the challenge of it. It’s a brand new environment and I learnt a lot from it as well.

I felt very comfortable in Singapore and I think that was very scary. When I travelled overseas I knew it was going to be tough but that was the fun and challenge that I looked forward to ‘cos I wanted to experience the world. 

What made you take the leap of faith to start your career in Taiwan back then?

I’m very passionate about music and I grew up listening to Mandopop. I always dreamt that if I could have the opportunity to sing on stage, I’d grab it. I wanted to try to perform on the biggest stage possible.

10 years ago I was much younger. I had nothing to lose. If I really failed then so be it, at least I tried. 

What do you think was your breakthrough in Taiwan?

I’d say it was five years ago when I got more attention for playing 'Lang Ren Sha' (Werewolf) on [Taiwanese variety show]100% Entertainment. Ironically, it was through a game show that people got to know me (laughs)

But that platform opened many doors. That was quite a big milestone for my career. Subsequently people realised I have released albums and songs and that was when it started. 

Did you feel like you were in a slump before that though?

(Laughs) No, I always felt very excited because I had a partner [musician Cheong Waii Hoong, aka the husband of local singer Boon Hui Lu]. We created the company Reason Brothers at that point as we believed strongly in what we do and we had each other.

We wanted to create something that was memorable for both of us, and I always thought that every part of the journey was fun. 

Skechers has had a lot of big names — Park Seo Jun and Wu Chun come to mind — as ambassadors. What do you think this ambassadorship signifies for your career?  

Skechers is such a big brand, so having them recognise me as an artiste and be willing to collaborate with me made me very excited. Everyone was very proud of me. 

There are many local musicians trying to make a name for themselves overseas but have failed. What do you think sets you apart from them?

To me, I’m just the frontman, I have my company and a good, strong team working with me. I’m very fortunate to have met my W0LF(S) band members too.

There’s this saying: “It takes a village to raise a child” and to me I’m just the child. (laughs) So I think finding a good team and core support is important.   

You’ve been focusing in Taiwan for the past few years, ever thought of returning to Singapore or expanding your career here especially with your W0LF(S) group mates?

This is my 10th anniversary so I’m thinking of doing a fan event here in Singapore as well to give back to the fans. In the future I also hope to bring my band back more often.

The goal is to keep hosting more live events for everyone to enjoy music at a greater scale. At the same time, I get to meet my family so it’s like killing two birds with one stone. (Laughs)

Fengze flagging off the Skechers Friendship Walk 2024 Fengze introducing his W0LF(S) bandmates, (from left) Lai, Nine Chen, Huang Weijin and Shou, to local delicacies when they came to Singapore for their concert in 2022 Watch Fengze and his W0LF(S) bandmates try out local food with Just Swipe Lah in the video below: