Desmond Tan: From a Two-Week Retail Shift to Singapore’s TV Royalty
Dreams, Doubt, and a Pop‑Culture Contest
Back in 2007, a budding 21‑year‑old Desmond Tan was fresh out of National Service and itching to start university. Instead of hitting the books, he spent two weeks on the shop floor, brimming with frustration. “I was miserable until my mates nudged me to sign up for Mediacorp’s Mandarin talent contest – Star Search,” he admits.
He made it to the finals, traded a semester of studies for a fast‑track shoot in the entertainment world, and, when he eventually graduated, he thought, “Why not give acting two years? If it fails, I can fall back on my real estate degree.” Turns out the gamble paid off – he’s now been lighting Singaporean screens for 14 years.
From Fame Chaser to Passionated Performer
- Best Actor – Star Awards
- Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes – five-time winner
Initially, his focus was mainly about making it onto national TV and chasing fame. “Back then it wasn’t about the performance, it was about the exposure,” he recalls. Over the years, he discovered a deeper love for the craft – a love that has become an obsession.
During the pandemic’s lockdown, with the professional hustle on pause, Tan admitted he felt the classic “act‑in‑a‑film” withdrawal. He explained, “I felt alive on set, the buzz was electric. When the studio closed, it felt like a missing piece of my heartbeat.”
A 2020 Brain‑Break: Self‑Reflection Amidst a Stay‑Home Pause
Twice in 2020, creators across Singapore had to shut down production for two months. This hiatus gave Tan a moment to step back and evaluate his work. “I used to jump from one script to the next without a second thought about my approach,” he says.
He started analyzing past projects for weaknesses and came out of it with a sharpened vision: “I want to step up my performance. I want to hit bigger markets – not just Southeast Asia but Hollywood and China. The move to international projects has opened my eyes to new styles I want to adopt.”
Balancing Passion with Real‑World Realities
Desmond’s roller‑coaster of emotions is all too human: “I feel the fire on some days, and on others it flickers out. You ask yourself, is it worth all the effort? How to rekindle that spark?”
He found solace in acting – a space to process feelings that were otherwise buried behind the 9‑to‑5 expectations of Singaporean life. “It’s a mirror; it flips what we’re doing back at us,” he explains. He also believes that taking on diverse characters helps him grow personally: “I used to be reckless, but now I think more carefully before I speak because words matter.”
Embracing the New: Social Media, Youth, and Sound Bites
Tan has been cautious with social media until 2012, explaining he didn’t want to overshare early on. Now he embraces the new wave: “Missing out on social media is like being stuck in a time capsule. We have to keep pace or fade away.”
He shared a recent anecdote with his niece: “She buzzed ‘Do you know Blackpink?’. That was the moment I understood the importance of speaking the language of the younger generation.”
Collective Strength: The Call for a Cohesive Local Scene
Perks of Singapore’s small nation: “If we collaborate, our votes can carry more clout. It’s time local talent isn’t merely shipping out abroad to make a name. Together, 5‑6 million of us can produce a voice stronger than the sum of isolated bubbles.”
Has been part of the scene for over a decade, Tan’s dream is to trickle borderless talent into the market. That means nurturing synergies and letting the local community support each other – the way a chain of dominoes can generate an unstoppable cascade.
Most of all, he says, “We need to keep telling people that we are passionate, but that we’ve also connected to the progress, the touch of modernity.”
As Harper’s Bazaar Singapore first breaks the story, Desmond Tan’s journey reminds us that fame is just one layer of a broader legacy – one that will forever resonate across the S.E.A. coastlines.
