'We took 2 days to record 1 minute': Ben Hum got very nervous singing for DC League of Super-Pets, channelled girlfriend's dog

Even professionals get nervous when it comes to collaborating with childhood favourites: Just ask Ben Hum.

A comic book fan since childhood, Ben became the first local singer to collaborate with Warner Brothers for the new movie DC League of Super-Pets, performing a version of the song Count on Me from the movie's soundtrack exclusively for Singapore audiences.

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The 31-year-old told AsiaOne about the recording process: "It was tough, tougher than I expected. Never did I imagine I would be so nervous."

For his own extended play (EP) Milky Way, Ben took about four or five hours recording each song but the stakes were even higher when it came to the movie.

"We took two days to record the one-minute-plus version for the movie," he said. "After the first day, my boss told me, 'When you go home, listen to this version and remember it. Let it sink in and tomorrow, when we come back, we'll record again. So today was just practice for you."

"We were in the studio for more than 10 hours and it was just a practice session for us!"

DC League of Super-Pets shows Superman, as his civilian alter-ego Clark Kent, going to a shelter to look for a companion for his superdog Krypto (voiced by Dwayne Johnson). Krypto runs into a boxer named Ace (voiced by Kevin Hart) trying to escape the shelter and the song Count on Me plays as Ace's emotional backstory is revealed.

When recording the song, Ben channelled the sad looks his girlfriend's dog would give when her humans were about to leave home without her.

He recalled: "Every single time I'm at my girlfriend's place, when we are about to leave home, her dog gives me that look of 'Please bring me with you'.

"So I thought I could channel that emotion, since she just wants us to be there with her."

Somehow, channelling a cute pomeranian named Cuddles made the song sound too sad, even if it's about a shelter pet given up by his previous owners.

Ben recalled: "My producers were like, 'Hey Ben, relax! This version is too down already. Even though it's a parting song, it's not so sad — it's a sweet song."

He added he felt very fortunate to have had the opportunity to cover a song for his favourite comic book publishers.

"I was very happy, because I have been a fan of DC since young and some of my favourite characters are by them, like the Flash for example. So I really love DC movies."

He added: "For a singer who sings Chinese songs, it's not easy to get a shot to cover an English song. So I felt very fortunate to get this opportunity, and to challenge myself."

DC League of Super-Pets opens in Singapore cinemas on Sept 1.

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drimac@asiaone.com