What You Didn’t Know About Ian Fang And Desmond Tan’s Respective Music Videos

Watch the MV here.

An ode to: Himself.
What the song is about: Spreading the word about embracing one’s individuality and staying real.
The feel of the MV: Gritty and rough-around-the-edges… just like Ian himself.

No. of locations the vid was shot at: One — in a back alley and an adjacent carpark at Veerasamy Road, the place where Ian grew up. His point? That he’s still Ian from the Block.
Budget for the MV: Zilch. It was directed and edited by two of Ian’s close pals, including Romeo Tan who did it FOC as a “birthday gift” to the December baby.

Star power: Ian roped in fellow artiste Desmond Ng to sing the chorus of his song. During the shoot, Ian’s pals, Rebecca Lim and Elvin Ng, were also on-site to help out. Elvin was the lighting guy for the post-midnight shoot, while Beck’s job, according to Ian, was to “hand us water or tissue paper” when they were thirsty or perspiring. ’Cos that’s what “just good friends” do for each other, right?
The song: Uncompromising and confessional with a catchy hook. ‘Still Me’ reads like a clapback to his critics. Sample lyrics: “Many people don’t look favourably on me/Waiting to see me fall/Don’t mess around/The position where I fall to may still be higher than yours.”
Message he’s trying to get across: “Stay real. When I got into this industry, people had the mindset that I’m a rebellious bad boy. People who love me really love me, but those who hate me, no matter what I do, they would ‘smash’ me. I used to care what other people thought of me. So I tried to conform to society. I toned down and portrayed a more mature image. But it made me very uncomfortable. I feel happier now just being myself.”
Fun on the set: “There were cockroaches in the back alley and the moment I saw them, I ran as fast as I could.” But don’t count on Rebecca saving him as Ian said Becks and Co. “just mocked” him. ’Cos that’s what good friends do to each other, right?

Watch the MV here.

An ode to: The Yuletide season.
What the song is about: Spreading the festive cheer about how one can have a Merry Christmas even in sweltering heat (or just crank up the AC, okay?)
The feel of the MV: Warm and dreamy… just like Desmond’s smile.

No. of locations the vid was shot at: Five — in a café and park, on Cavenagh Bridge and Jubilee Bridge, and Orchard Road. “We shot on a Friday night so Orchard was super crowded. But I felt the warmth of Singaporeans as many approached me for photos.”
Budget for the MV: Zilch. It was a collaboration between Des and his two music pals. While Des is the “voice” and “face” of the MV, his pals were in charge of writing, composing and directing duties.
Star power: None. Though Des tells us that he might rope in his female colleagues, like Carrie Wong, Paige Chua and Sheila Sim, for a future collab. Fingers crossed?
The song: Heart-warming… but a bit cheesy lah. ‘Merry Summer Christmas’ reads like a love letter to the holidays. Sample lyrics: “Colourful lights fill Orchard Road/Enriching the Christmas season/Taking a solitary stroll down the street/Enjoying the bustling, long night/The atmosphere is so warm and special.”
Message he’s trying to get across: “As Singaporeans, we always think that the ideal Christmas is a white Christmas. But when you experience Christmas in Orchard Road or other places here, you’d find that it’s very unique and special in its own way. And after all, a perfect Christmas is not one where there’s snow, but one spent with your loved ones.”

Fun on the set: If you watch the MV, you would notice scenes of Des strolling along Orchard Road while the people around him are walking backwards. “To create that effect, I had to walk backwards (laughs). So there were people giving me weird stares!” In a carnival scene shot outside Ngee Ann City, Des is seen on a carousel ride... for kiddos. “We weren’t allowed to ride on it but adults were allowed to accompany their kids. And we managed to ‘borrow’ a kid from a mum who knew who I was (laughs).”

OUR VERDICT: While both Ian and Des were impressive on the vocal front (Ian with his quick-fire rap skills, and Des, his mellow pipes), our vote goes to Ian. The confessional track really shows off his personality, and the overall catchiness of the song won us over. Either way, we would love to hear more singles from both actors.