I didn't dare let my classmates know mum is a celebrity, says Chen Xiuhuan's daughter Shanisse

Being a celebrity's kid might sound like a surefire way to be popular at school but for Shanisse Tsai, the daughter of local veteran actress Chen Xiuhuan, it wasn't something she wanted her classmates to know.

The 24-year-old made that revelation while speaking to Shin Min Daily News on Jan 7 about her upcoming single I Can Fly.

When asked whether growing up under the spotlight as the child of a celebrity gave her more pressure, she replied in the affirmative and added: "I didn't even dare to let my classmates know that my mother is a celebrity."

Shanisse explained that she was worried they would stay away from her or not want to be her friend once they found out.

She also has to be extra attentive and cautious about her words and behaviour when out in public, lest she does something bad and affects her mother.

"So, I usually don't go out on weekends and even rarely go to crowded places," she said.

In fact, she didn't even realise that Xiuhuan is a celebrity until she was 12 and saw her mother on the 1988 drama Star Maiden. And yes, it didn't occur to her despite people recognising her mum on the streets.

"When I was a kid and I was out with my mother, I would see a lot of people greeting her. When I asked her about it, she always said they were a friend. At that time, I thought to myself, 'Wow, my mother has many friends.'"

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Always wanted to release a single

She also shared that she has always wanted to put out a single or an album but plans were delayed due to her school work.

"I had this idea when I was 18 but then I went to college and I was so busy with my homework that I didn't have any spare time to record songs. I only freed up some time to fulfil my dream after I graduated last year."

And Shanisse isn't some amateur singer riding on her mother's coattails either.

Not only does she have a YouTube channel, she also clinched the second prize at the American Protege International Vocal Competition and performed Les Miserables' On My Own at the prestigious Carnegie Hall New York in 2015.

As for her single I Can Fly, Shanisse said it's not an ordinary love song. It's a song that expresses her thoughts and feelings about life around her, especially her experience during the pandemic over the last two years.

Not following in her mother's footsteps

With the release of her single on Jan 14, Shanisse will take a brief step into showbiz but she has no intention to follow her mother's footsteps as an actress.

She said she has no interest in it nor does she feel like she has the aptitude for it. On the contrary, she has always wanted to be a doctor to help people.

"When I was a child, I saw doctors wearing their white coats and they felt like angels who were healing people's various diseases, so I decided to become a doctor when I grew up."

Right now, she's an intern at KK Women's and Children's Hospital and she'll pick a speciality after her internship.

Shanisse said her parents are extremely supportive of her calling and encourage her. She shared that Xiuhuan will make her a bowl of hot soup after she finishes the night shift, which leaves her very touched.

bryanlim@asiaone.com