She hasn’t been on the small screen lately, but Dawn Yeoh, 26, hasn’t been idle. The fresh-faced beauty, who debuted in 2006 as the blind A-Li, in the Channel 8 drama serial The Shining Star, has been working hard on her singing.

She wants to launch a music album eventually, but says it’s early days yet. Right now, her goal is to strengthen her voice. She has been taking vocal lessons since 2010, which involve seven to eight hours of rigorous singing exercises a day, with her vocal coach. “I train by singing mostly Chinese ballads, but I love to sing almost everything – country, bossa nova, J-pop, K-pop…” she reveals.

And Dawn still faithfully joins her friends for karaoke (KTV) once a week. “I never get sick of singing,” she says. “In fact, I look forward to them because I can sing the songs I can’t during vocal training.” She is such a regular at a karaoke lounge chain that the staff reserve her favourite room for her KTV sessions.

Since Dawn has chalked up so many hours of KTV and vocal training, we asked her for tips on how to make the most of our own singalongs.

• Warm Up For The High Notes

Sing a song within your vocal range first, before you hit that Whitney Houston number. “Some people think that singing a song which forces them to shout helps them warm up their voices, but it actually hurts the vocal cords when you stretch them before they’re ready.”

• Project Your Voice

First, locate your diaphragm, as that’s the spot to “push out” your voice, says Dawn.

Place your hands on the soft spot just below your ribcage.

When you breathe in, it should push outwards; when you exhale, it should move inwards. If you don’t feel this movement, you’re not breathing correctly. “Breathing correctly is the key to projecting your voice,” explains Dawn. “Over time, proper breathing will also build the muscles you need to hold your notes longer.”

• Solve Pitch Problems

Some people can’t hear themselves sing, so they go off-key.

Get a friend who’s pitch-perfect to run through the song for you. Sing it right after and you’ll notice the difference.

“The ear can retain what it has just heard,” she says. “Even at home, you can keep repeating that particular off-key line until you get it right.”

• Stay With The Rhythm

“I was handed a pair of drumsticks during my vocal training and asked to beat out the rhythm – and I often missed the timing,” admits Dawn.

Get a friend to clap to the beat as you sing, or you can tap your feet or snap your fingers.

Could She Remember The Lyrics?

In our own version of “Don’t Forget The Lyrics”, we played 10 songs and asked Dawn to continue singing after we stopped each track.

See how the karaoke junkie, used to lyrics scrolling across the screen, scored.

The Songs She Failed:

• I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys

The lyrics: “Tell me why/Ain’t nothing but a heartache/Tell me why/Ain’t nothing but a mistake/Tell me why/I never wanna hear you say/I want it that way.”

But she sang: “Tell me why/ Ain’t nothing but a… I don’t know?/Tell me why/Ain’t nothing but I… couldn’t understand? Tell me why/I just wanna… Argh! Tell me why!”

• A Whole New World by Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle

The lyrics: “No one to tell us no or where to go/Or say we’re only dreaming.”

But she sang: “I’m like a shooting star/I’ve come so far… But I just want someone like you?” (Bursts into laughter)

• Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

Dawn put her head in her hands and looked crestfallen.

A flash of recognition crossed her face at the chorus. When the song stopped at “Hey, I just met you/And this is crazy…”, she said: “‘I’m sorry, call me maybe?’ That’s all I know!” The correct lyrics are, “But here’s my number/So call me maybe”.

• Without You by David Guetta (featuring Usher)

The lyrics from the first verse: “I can’t win, I can’t reign/I will never win this game/Without you, without you/I am lost, I am vain.”

She sang: “I wanna die… without the lyrics!”

The Songs She Skipped:

• Umbrella by Rihanna

Dawn chimed in only at the iconic “…ella, ella, eh, eh…” part.

• Hey Jude by The Beatles

“Let’s give this a miss, too,” laughs Dawn, shaking her head dismally.

The Songs She Passed

: • Someone Like You by Adele. “Can I sing the entire song to make up for all the points I’ve lost?”

• When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating.

• Heal The World by Michael Jackson.

“This was a classic song when I was in school.” • Titanium by David Guetta (featuring Sia)

Overall score: 4/10 “It’s harder than I thought.

When the music stopped, I panicked and went blank. I’ve realised how reliant I am on the lyrics onscreen.”

The sporting actress then asked if we could have a rematch in her domain – a KTV room – saying she’d be more at ease there. We say, bring it on, Dawn!

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