"I've had people call my name out loud," she said. "Some uncles and aunties have even walked up to me to chat in Hokkien.

"They tell me to take care of myself, or that I'm too thin and should eat more."

While she is aware that her race has given her a slight upper hand on One Million Star VII, Tan is prepared for the day the novelty wears off.

"I'm strongest when I sing classic Hokkien songs, but the judges have recently been encouraging me to take on more pop tunes and Mandarin songs," she said.

"They don't like contestants to stick to their comfort zones...They want us to be as versatile as we can."

Now that fame might beckon with the exposure she's getting on TV, how would she react if her biological parents decide to come looking for her after her stint in the competition?

Tan told RazorTV in an earlier interview matter-of-factly: "It's been so long, I don't think they would (want to look for me).

"They would have done so many years ago if they really had the desire to.

"I also do not have the intention to be reunited with them."

This article was first published in The New Paper.