Why do I call it a retirement?
1) Because I did not quit on Teresa due to any negative ill-feelings.
2) Because I did not surrender to any anti-Teresa or anti-Sean Ho critics.
3) Because I have done as much as I could for Teresa in the time frame given.
4) Because I did see Teresa blossom into a wonderful celebrity, capable of giving high quality performances time and again.
5) Because I have a very important assignment at May 2008, which would require my full attention so I would like to leave TFC now so I can have a good three-month rest before that officially begins.
How long has it been? I think it is nearly two full years – from 06 February 2006 when Teresa first sang 爱昧 when I first noticed how crystalline her voice was till 01 February 2008 today. I decided to find out more about the girl so on that night I surfed the Internet and found the now-defunct yahoo fanclub for Teresa. I noticed that Teresa already have quite a base of supporters rooting for her in the Campus Superstar Season 1 Competition but she was facing tremendous pressure from unfair rumors and taking a lot of fire on the various competition-related websites across the Internet.
A number of Teresa’s supporters fought back but most of the supporters (who were probably like Teresa, quiet and un-aggressive in counterattacking) were passively quiet. As I read all the terrible-sounding rumour, I fully understood the potential consequences on such a potentially wonderful young singer – if nobody retaliated the rumors properly, many neutral watchers of the competition would slowly believe the rumors and that would be the end of that girl’s trip to stardom.
I did a little bit of quick research and found out that Teresa was a reluctant contestant, being encouraged onstage at the last minute after most of her school contestants were eliminated during the preliminary auditions due to the stiff competition from thousands of contestants all over Singapore. However, Teresa was strongly backed by her choir teacher, Mr Liew, and many teachers in CHJC Katong Convent, as well as members of the public.
I looked through my schedule and decided I could squeeze some time from my work to help Teresa in the competition. Henceforth began my two year adventure into the world of young celebrities and the Superstars competitions.
All in all, in public messages across the fanclub, I have started a total of 67 topics on Teresa and posted a total of 328 posts updating, replying and encouraging Teresa and supporters on the Official Teresa’s Fanclub. In private messages to Teresa and her family, I have sent no less than 20 different sets of notes to either advise, recommend, suggest, compliments and sometimes reprimand on the different aspects of her celebrity career such as song selections, dance techniques, stage interactions, audience interactions, emcee interactions, singing techniques, voice control, emotions management, camera interactions, fan management, media management, crisis management, fashion selection, media and celebrity updates, personal security updates, and celebrity etiquette. I think I have given her as much as I could, given the time frame and the opportunities both of us have. If time was to be rewound, I think I would still plunge in with the same zest because I never regretted the experience of being able to help someone fulfill her wish of becoming a singer, realize her potential as a celebrity and of course, exercise all those skills which I have on hand.
Teresa did blossom into the wonderful celebrity that so many of her faithful supporters have been hoping for and has given so many people high quality performances that never failed to please and excite audience of various age groups. Of all the contestants in Campus Superstars Season 1, Teresa managed to stay in the limelight for the longest period of time and the number of her supporters continues to grow as she attracts them in each subsequent public performances and appearances on the various channels.
I am genuinely happy for the girl and no matter if she decides to continue on this path of stardom or goes back to her studies, I hope she enjoys this wonderful experience of being able to entertain and share quality singing and music with so many people. Few can say they have such a similar chance as she did.
Teresa, before I disappear, my final lesson for you (should you choose to learn) is actually embedded inside this very post itself. What is the lesson? I believe you are intelligent enough to learn on your own. If you can understand all that I have taught you throughout these two years, this lesson should not be that difficult. I hope you will be happy, no matter what happens.
For myself, I would like to tie up some loose ends before I leave. Yes, I will not post ever again on any of the Teresa-related websites again so don’t bother expecting my reply to any TFC-related posts after I publish this retirement announcement. The loose ends are:
1) To the idollic.com administrator, please kindly remove my account completely so that there will not be any impersonator of Sean Ho creating any future trouble using my name after I am gone. It has been a wonderful experience working with you on the fanclub.
2) To all the Blanket, JR, Jinfu, the fanclub photographers that I have worked closely with, thank you for tolerating my sometimes authoritative attitude towards all of you. I hope you can understand that I have to coordinate publicity timely so sometimes I pressure all of you here and there. I seek your forgiveness if I ever offended any of you during any of the occasions. Your photos of Teresa and her events were excellent and made such a great difference in the growth of the fanclub and extended the memories of all the performances by Teresa.
3) To all the passive faithful supporters of Teresa, thank you for bearing with the talkative Sean Ho. I would most gladly shut up but sometimes updates must be done in time or we will all miss the events’ schedules.
4) What happens to Yu San in SPOP? I have done a little research on Dione Tan’s background before the SPOP competition begins and she has a considerable base of supporters as well. However, I suppose complacency is a terrible thing because even though Yu San is now one of the strongest contenders of the grand finals of SPOP (where Teresa may get to perform in front of some of Asia’s superstars), I hope all of you will continue to support Teresa, Dione and the song Yu San all the way. With the combined force of Teresa’s and Dione’s supporters, Yu San will have even a higher chance of getting into the Singapore Indoors Stadium in March 2008.
5) What happens to my personal blog http://www.heaven-earth-human.blogspot.com/ ? It will remain there because even though I retire from TFC, I have never said anything about retiring from the music and entertainment scene. My blog will continue its direction of promoting quality music and quality singing and performances, giving commentaries to all those brave enough to send in their singing/performance recordings. So if you want to learn more about singing and dare to be critiqued by me, send them in. I promise I will go through them carefully.
6) For all the TFCians-related handphone numbers, email addresses MSN contacts, Facebook addresses, Friendster addresses, I decided to keep them intact. This means those who have the abovementioned contact means to reach me will continue to be able to communicate with me. We are still friends even though we are no longer linked as TFCians.
What about my plans after retirement? I will…
Read a book on my left hand,
Nibble an ice-cream on my right,
Relax with the wind in the hair,
Feel the sunlight on my face,
Walk on the grass with bare feet,
Prepare for the next page of my life.
Goodbye TFCians! Have a wonderful and enjoyable Chinese Lunar New Year!
Sean Ho
“Music clears the mind, fills the heart, moves the soul.”
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