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50 | FireFlyz
Personality
Up Close and
Personal with
Hannah Tan
H
ANNAHTAN
is a
Malaysian singer-
songwriter, actress,
model and television
personality. The
32-year-old, who is
of Chinese-Kelabit
descent, also made her debut into the
Malay entertainment scene by playing the
lead role in the Malay telemovie
Bezanya
Cinta
back in 2008. Here, she shares a
conversation with Fireflyz’s Marrion Tan
on her passions and zest for life.
Which is your favourite place to visit in
Malaysia?
My biased opinion would be Penang,
hands down! Being a Penangite, the island
will always hold a special place in my
heart. That aside, if you’re a foodie like
me with an interest in culture and colonial
architecture, you won’t go wrong with
Penang. It’s like a one-stop island, isn’t it?
The accessibility of great local food, the
sea, the hilltops and all the in-betweens …
within a 30-minute drive or more is just
splendid! Since I moved out from Penang
more than a decade ago, I’ve probably
visited the island at an average of once a
year, or whenever work calls. Not as often
as I’d love to, but it’s a treat with every
trip.
What are the favourites on an island
always abuzz with good eats?
My personal favourite Penang delights are
Penang
asam laksa
, lok lok,
passembur
and apom. Oh God! you’re making me
hungry just thinking about those! I know
it’s been so commercialised over the
last decade, but if you could only visit
one place and one place only, then go to
Gurney Drive.
Try the
asam laksa
at stall no. 11,
the
sotong bakar
right at the very end
of that row, have a few sticks of cockles
and century egg at the
lok lok
stall and
end your evening with a good
ice kacang
special (with ice cream).
If you’re feeling adventurous, head over
to the passembur stalls, but make sure you
ask before hand for the price of each item
you intend to put on your plate – otherwise
you’ll end up paying a good RM20 or more
for a plate of passembur. Trust me, the last
thing you’d want is a heart attack from the
price!
Who have been your inspiration in
music?
Wow, that’s a long list – allow me to start
with the great Michael Jackson, Whitney
Houston, Frank Sinatra, Earth Wind
and Fire, Madonna, Brian McKnight,
Jodeci and Beyonce… the list goes on.
As a songwriter, I appreciate music with
meaning and soul. When I was younger, I
remember sneaking into my uncle’s room
and ‘borrowing’ Whitney’s cassette as a
child, because I wasn’t allowed to listen to
‘adult’ music at that time!
With MJ and Madonna in particular, I
am inspired by their diligence in constantly
reinventing themselves – their styles, their
music, their brand as a whole. They’ve
trademarked themselves as a brand in their
own right, a powerful one at that; and that
involves a great deal of effort, consistency
and discipline, not to mention a very good
business sense.
I still have a great deal to learn, and
while I’m still in the process of redefining