Singapore may be associated more with its draconian laws on chewing gum than its popular music but it can boast one of the biggest stars in the region, and one of the most exciting Chinese-language singers of the last five years, (Stephanie) Sun Yan-Zi. Racking up nine studio albums and two live CDs in a five-year period, her rise to fame has been nothing short of meteoric and has seen her surpass Sammi Cheng as China's second-favourite female artist.

Like the mighty Faye, she can switch effortlessly from tough, tomboy rock (her Wikipedia page says "Chinese media originally assumed that Stefanie was a lesbian because she was outspoken and wore pants") to vulnerable ballads, all underpinned by a marvellous, crystal-clear voice. She has been responsible for some of the finest Mandarin pop of the decade so far.

It's difficult to recommend one album, but the two i listen to most are probably Kite and My Desired Happiness. The awesome Shen Qi, which either means "magic", "mysterious" or "amazing" is from the To Be Continued CD and displays a very Singaporean mix of Chinese and Indian influences.

Buy Yan-Zi Stuff

Sun Yan-Zi - Shen Qi