june-2011

PEOPLE
me and they made the atmosphere lively,”
says Yan. “I was so anxious about doing
events on my own. I kept worrying about
how to answer questions or how to interact
with television hosts.
“The fi rst time I appeared on a TV
show, I was so nervous that I squeezed the
microphone until my hand went numb,”
he adds.
Though they weren’t physically by his
side, the three other members of Fahrenheit
still gave Yan plenty of encouragement.
“They know I am passionate about
singing, so they were very supportive
[of the solo record],” he says. “Wu Chun
pre-ordered 50 copies, Calvin Chen said I
was brave after he saw my fi rst video. Jiro
Wang is a big rock fan, so he liked my rockinfl
uenced tracks. They back me up just like
a family.”
Yan also got advice from SHE member
Hebe Tian, whose
own solo debut
was released a few
months before Yan’s.
The two performed
at a concert in
front of 50,000
fans and Yan, who
was fi ghting an attack of stage fright, was
impressed by how calm his friend appeared.
“I asked her what she was thinking about
when she was up there singing,” he says.
“She said ‘I was thinking about the lyrics.’
That made me realise that all I need to
do is focus on the song and I won’t be
so nervous.”
During the production of his new album,
Yan worked closely with the songwriters.
Each track was recorded in at least three
diff erent musical genres before Yan and
his producers selected which version
they preferred.
Yan also sang pop and rock versions of
“I Can See Nothing But You”, but the team
fi nally chose the R&B track because they felt
it best brought forth the mood of the song.
“I hope listeners can hear how I put my
entire heart into interpreting the lyrics,”
he says.
030
BOTTOM: Aaron Yan with
Fahrenheit teammate
Calvin Chen (on his right)
and other singers at an
award ceremony
“The first time I appeared on a
TV show, I was so nervous that
I squeezed the microphone until
my hand went numb”
Although recording and promoting the
new album has been hectic work, he says
he is excited by the opportunities it has
opened for him. Yan, who appeared in the
Taiwanese television drama Love Buff et,
is now considering a fl urry of acting off ers.
Though he is a fan of action fi lms like the
James Bond series, he is open to any kind
of role. “As long as the script is good, I won’t
turn it down,” he says.
As soon as the promotional period for
The Next Me winds down, he wants to learn
to play the electronic drum set he has just
purchased. But that may not happen for a
while – he is already planning his next solo
release with his record company. “I love
singing and I listen to music and sing all
the time, no matter where I am,” says Yan.
“Singing is my stress release.”
AARON YAN ON TRAVEL
TAIWAN: Visitors to his home country of
Taiwan must make time for shopping at
the night markets and soaking in the hot
springs, he says.
FIJI: Although Yan has travelled around
the world with Fahrenheit, he has never
been to Fiji and would love to go there.
“I’m very curious about what it’s like
there,” he says. “The natural scenery
must be gorgeous.”