Kelvin Tan facts for kids

Kelvin Tan Wei Lian (born 5 October 1981) is a singer from Singapore. He used to sing and play music on the streets, a practice called busking, before he became famous. In 2005, he won the first season of a singing competition called Project SuperStar.

Kelvin has released three music albums: All I Want Is... (2006), i-Weilian (2007), and Moving Notes...Kelvin Tan (2009). He has also performed in a big concert, led a choir at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, and sang the theme song for Singapore's National Day Parade in 2009.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Kelvin Tan was born blind because of a condition called Leber's congenital amaurosis. This condition affects the retina, which is the part of the eye that senses light. Growing up, Kelvin loved listening to 1980s Mandopop songs. These songs inspired him to learn how to play the piano and guitar.

He went to the Singapore School for the Visually Handicapped and then Dunearn Secondary School. After finishing his studies, he worked as a massage therapist. He also sang at a café and performed music on the streets in places like Jurong East and Waterloo Street. He would play his guitar and sing Mandopop songs for many hours each day. People loved his performances, and many would stop to listen to his music.

Becoming a Star: Project SuperStar

In 2005, Kelvin and four of his blind friends tried out for the first season of Project SuperStar. Only Kelvin was chosen to be a contestant. During the competition, some people wondered if viewers were voting for him because they felt sorry for him. Others debated if a blind singer who couldn't dance deserved to win.

Despite these discussions, Kelvin became the male champion. He then competed against the female champion, Kelly Poon, in the grand final. The judges thought Kelly Poon performed better, but Kelvin received 64% of the more than 533,000 phone votes. Both finalists also released special songs. Kelvin's song, a cover of Fairytale by Michael Wong, sold more than 12,000 copies. Because he won, Kelvin received a recording contract with Play Music.

Kelvin's Music Journey

Kelvin's first album, All I Want Is..., was very successful. It became a platinum album in Singapore just five days after it was released. This means it sold a lot of copies very quickly. The main song from the album became number one on the music charts in Singapore in 2006. Another song, Touch, won an award for Best Theme Song at the 2006 Star Awards. In total, the album sold 45,000 copies in Singapore and 15,000 copies in Malaysia.

In 2006, Kelvin held his own concert at the Max Pavilion in the Singapore Expo. All 5,000 tickets for the concert were sold out!

Albums and Hit Songs

In 2007, Kelvin released his second album, i-Weilian. The song Ordinary Man from this album reached the top of the Singapore charts in October that year. Another song, I Love You, became number one across Asia on the Global Music Chart. This chart combines results from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, and Singapore.

His third album, Moving Notes...Kelvin Tan, came out in 2009. This album was praised by critics and included songs with lyrics written by famous Chinese lyricists. Two songs from this album, Forever Friends and Break Up Letter, were number one hits in Singapore in October 2009. The album also reached number five on the Taiwan charts in February 2010.

In 2017, Kelvin released a new album called 新谣 (The Singapore Songbook). This album was a tribute to Singaporean writers and composers. It featured Kelvin singing classic songs from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, including Dick Lee's famous song Home. This album was released online and topped the charts on iTunes.

Special Performances

In 2008, Kelvin performed at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Paralympics sailing event in China. He and Sun Yajun led a choir singing the song On The Same Blue Planet.

In 2009, Kelvin was chosen to sing Right Here, which was the Mandarin version of the National Day Parade theme song. Four years later, he sang another tribute song for Singapore called Treasure Every Moment.

In 2017, Kelvin's video of a National Day song medley went viral. This means it was watched by a huge number of people online, over 300,000 times! He sang parts of National Day songs in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. People loved how well he sang in different languages. The video became popular again in 2019.

In 2019, Kelvin sang the theme song for a TV drama called You Can Be An Angel 3. This song, 守护你的善良, was very popular and won the award for Best TV Drama Theme Song at the 2019 Star Awards.

Acting and TV Shows

Kelvin also tried acting. He appeared in the movie 881 and several TV shows, like The Dream Chasers. He won the Most Popular Newcomer award at the 2006 Star Awards. However, he decided not to take on many more acting roles. He felt that acting was "not his cup of tea" because he could only play characters who were blind.

He also appeared on variety TV shows in Singapore and Taiwan. For example, he was a guest judge on Campus Superstar. On one game show, Don't Forget The Lyrics, some people worried that he would be at a disadvantage because he couldn't see the lyrics on the monitor.

Sports and Hobbies

Kelvin Tan is also an athlete! In 2015, he represented Singapore in a sport called Goalball at the 2015 ASEAN Para Games. Goalball is a team sport designed for athletes who are blind or have low vision.

In his free time, Kelvin enjoys bowling. He was one of only two totally blind Singaporeans who played bowling competitively. He even won a competition organized by blind associations from Singapore and Perth. In 2012, he started running and joined a running club for people with disabilities called RunningHour. He even participated in the 10 km run of the Singapore Marathon.

Awards and Achievements

Kelvin Tan has won several awards for his music and acting:

Helping Others: Philanthropy

Because of his own experiences and achievements, Kelvin has become an ambassador for campaigns that raise awareness about disabilities. He has also performed in many charity shows to help others. For example, he sang in a concert to raise money for people affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

In his free time, Kelvin works as a guide for "Dialogue in the Dark" in Singapore. This is an exhibition where people who can see experience what it's like to be blind. It helps them understand the challenges and experiences of blind people.

Personal Life

Kelvin Tan lives in Singapore with his family. He continues to use public transport and eat at local food centers, showing that he stays humble despite his success.

In 2020, Kelvin got engaged. He married his wife, Inez Hung, two years later in 2022. They met while playing goalball.