So proud of Daren! Cos he same poly as me NP!!! 
NP Graduate Daren Tan wins Project Superstar II
4 February 07
Ngee Ann graduate Daren Tan was crowned Project Superstar II
Champion at the Grand Finals yesterday. Daren beat fellow
competitor Lydia Tan to win the top spot and recording contract
with Warner music.
The Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) graduate attributed his win to the
belief and support of his friends. My friends pushed me into the
competition, saying that I had what it takes to win it; even my
parents did not know I was joining the competition until I told I
had signed up and went for the audition, said a delighted Daren, a
Banking & Financial Services graduate.
Mrs Choo-Chao Jin Yi, Daren's former lecturer, was confident that
Daren would win the Grand Finals. He has a tremendous stage
presence and is an energetic boy with high EQ (Emotional
Intelligence Quotient) and charm; this allows him to connect with
and get along well with people, said Mrs Choo.
NPs School of Business and Accountancy (BA) also did its bit to
support it alumnus. Upon hearing about Darens participation in the
popular Mandarin singing contest, Second Director Mr Lau Tiong Lip
sent out an email to all BA staff, asking them to support Daren.
Staff even uploaded an announcement on the School website.
Some BA staff in turn forwarded the email to their friends and
contacts. BFS course manager, Mrs Choo, SMSed all her current and
past BFS students, asking them to support Daren and buy his CD. I
think I went broke messaging my entire contact list, joked Mrs
Choo. Daren garnered 59 percent of SMS votes and 60 percent of CD
sales.
Darens mother recounted how Daren waited in line for over 10 hours
with 6,000 other hopefuls last September he only got to audition
on the second day and has not looked back.
Daren had to work hard during the competition as Chinese does not
come naturally for him. He became proficient in the language
through hard work and practice. This dedicated and diligent work
ethic is clearly visible when he said, if you have a dream, pluck
up your courage and pursue it; do whatever you think is best for
you.
Daren is very thankful for all the support that NP staff and
students have shown him during the competition. He is particularly
grateful to BA lecturers for their guidance and said that he had a
great time in NP. To all NP students, he had this advice: Study
hard as education is the most important thing in life but do not
neglect what you love to do.
http://www.np.edu.sg/corpcomm/events_n/#news23
