Why Chen Xiuhuan's doctor daughter Shanisse Tsai doesn't plan to join showbiz full time

You might think that growing up as the child of a celebrity mum would be quite different. Imagine the curiosity piqued among your classmates and teachers when you namedrop the celebs that your mum knows and works with.

However, Shanisse Tsai, eldest daughter of homegrown actress Chen Xiuhuan, begs to differ. The house officer at KK Women's and Children's Hospital told us that she led a pretty normal childhood. In fact, she never saw her mum "as someone famous". Perhaps even more shocking: She knew nothing about her mum's stardom until she was around 12 years old.

One thing's for sure: Shanisse knows and describes Xiuhuan as her "harshest but most honest critic". Despite that, the 24-year-old shared that they both share a tight-knit relationship.

"My mum was the one who first encouraged me to pick up singing," she recounted. "She was the one who found my current vocal teacher. She accompanied me to every single singing lesson in the early years."

At 17, Shanisse began her singing journey. She was under the apprenticeship of Khor Ai Ming, celebrated soprano and artistic director of the non-profit Vocal Associates.

Since then, Shanisse has participated in numerous musicals, operas and live theatre productions. She also went on to nab second place at the American Protege International Vocal Competition in 2015.

Most recently, the budding singer released her debut single titled 'I Can Fly', and held a concert called 'Shanisse Tsai: Live in Concert' in early April.

We just have to ask: Who's the real Shanisse Tsai? How does she plan to juggle her medical career and passion for music? Would we be seeing more of her on stage?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CcAdOWNpqrV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Congrats on wrapping up your debut solo concert! How do you feel about it?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CYWM5vZvK_l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: I am so so thankful for every single person who came to witness this milestone of mine. It was a blessing to be able to tell my story through my music and an even bigger blessing that the restrictions eased and I could have a sell-out concert at the Esplanade.

Every single song included in my repertoire that night meant something to me or represented a significant event in my life. Thus, it was a very personal and intimate night of sharing for me. I'm glad that the audience enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed performing it.

Tell us more about your first single, I Can Fly.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CcAfJQnJdsd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: It's produced by AOR Global's Reach programme and written by Singaporean songwriter Elaine Chan after I shared with her my struggles as a doctor, such as the chaos I feel in my mind on my 30th hour of running about the hospital floors.

This song speaks of the pain and desperation of feeling inadequate and wanting to be better. But as us doctors like to say, the sun will always rise again, and so I hope this song also conveys hope that there will be a better tomorrow and we do not need wings to fly.

I took months to prepare for this song because the emotional delivery and execution were very challenging for me. It required me to dig a little deeper for the song to be genuine and because of the walls I've built up at work, it took a while to knock them down so that I could truly feel and deliver the song.

How did your family and friends respond to the song?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CcF_-g4vIPo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: They were very excited and happy for me! Aside from the fact that it was my first single, a lot of my friends and family felt that the song helped them to understand my emotional journey since starting work.

How did your love for music and performance come about?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbLiF4vc5n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: I grew up watching my sisters play the violin — that piqued my interest in music. I would say I first fell in love with music when I started my solo singing journey at 18.

While preparing for performances or exams, we would have to study the music and the scores, and I realised that each piece of music safeguarded so many stories.

At the same time, I fell in love with the blinding stage lights, the adrenaline that coursed through my veins and the performance anxiety that I still have to this very day, despite having performed countless times.

Performing makes me feel like I have a chance to take the audience on an adventure and live in the shoes of someone else, even if just for a few minutes.

What are your most memorable singing or performing experiences so far?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CJN9ULkFXeb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: It would have to be the first time I performed on stage alone. I was 18 and it was the first time I ever sang on stage alone at New York's Carnegie Hall.

Even though my vocal cords were so jittery and I felt my heart thumping, it was from that moment on that I realised I love to sing. Since then, I've never looked back.

The other memorable performance was when I sang at the Disney Concert Hall in 2018. That night was the first time I got a standing ovation. Seeing the audience rise to their feet before we even concluded was a huge affirmation and encouragement to me. It left me speechless and incredibly thankful.

How's your relationship with your sisters?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/COpYw9hlWDI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: I'm very close to my sisters. Back when my sister Shalynn was in Singapore, we would always spend time either on weekends or after dinner on the weekdays playing music together.

They would sit on the couch, listen to me rehearse the same songs over and over again, and give feedback. They also watched every single one of my performances — no matter how minor my role — to support me.

They are also the ones who would encourage me and remind me of what they believe I can do on the days when I feel inadequate. Making music with them, coming up with our own song arrangements or covering our favourite songs is one of my greatest blessings!

They, too, love performing and my most treasured performances are the ones I get to do with them on stage.

How did your mum influence your interests and aspirations when you were growing up?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CYoCt82PTtx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: I guess you could say I come from a very artistic household and thus, I'd developed a huge appreciation for music and the arts since I was young.

My mum and her friends in the entertainment industry taught me a lot on how to pick up on the emotions of others and internalise them in my work and pieces.

Despite this, my mum always gave me the freedom and space to explore my own interests and aspirations. I never felt the pressure to join the entertainment industry.

We heard that your dream is to become a pop musical star. Do you plan to enter showbiz full time?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CRbiG3zlAVR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: Yes, one of my lifelong dreams would be to take part in a Broadway musical. However, I don't plan on entering showbiz full time. As much as I love music, I love the work I'm doing in medicine as well, and it is not something I plan on leaving behind.

Speaking of your profession, what made you decide to be a doctor?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CMmDOYhlvoO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: I've always been left in awe by the complexities of the human body and touched by how medicine showed me the raw and vulnerable side of being human. I really wanted to be a part of this profession and be able to care for people in this way.

How do you juggle your time between your medical profession and passion for singing? 

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CFj6N87FLC5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: I would usually spend most of my free time outside of work rehearsing or making music. Sometimes I would end a 36-hour shift and instead of going home to sleep, I would head straight to rehearsals first for practice.

Singing is also a form of stress relief for me. Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed or have a lot of pent-up emotions, I take to singing as an outlet to loosen up.

As much as I try to juggle both, there are times when singing would have to take a backseat so I can focus on my work as a doctor.

What are some challenges that you face as a healthcare worker now? How do you overcome them?

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CDLvtqxlFDP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/embed]

Shanisse: Like many other healthcare workers, burnout is very common. Sometimes I feel exhausted both physically and emotionally, especially when patients I've grown to care for had passed on.

This is when I turn to music to express all that I can't express in words, and as a break from work.

Any plans for the year ahead?

Shanisse: This year, as live performances open up and restrictions ease, I hope to perform more.

Prior to my debut concert, it had been a good two years of not performing on stage. I hope to perform more this year and hopefully release another song? Haha, we'll see!

This article was first published in Her World Online.