Local Mandopop queen Stefanie Sun has said goodbye to the trademark mole at the corner of her right eyelid.

Reports of her new look began surfacing three weeks ago, after the 33-year-old star graced a publicity event at Beijing's renowned 798 Art Zone as the Singapore Tourism Board's tourism ambassador.

Sharp-eyed members of the Chinese press immediately noticed something different about the pixie-faced singer - she was mole-less.

Speculation brewed that she got rid of the mole as "it had powers to bring about amorous affairs and affect one's chances of pregnancy", reported Chinese news portal Sina.com.

Sun's manager had declined to confirm or deny the reports.

Sun tied the knot with Dutchman Nadim van der Ros, 34, on March 31 and held their customary Chinese wedding banquet on May 8.

The songbird confirmed to The New Paper in an e-mail interview that the spot was permanently gone. "The best part about removing (the mole) is that I don't see it staring back at me when I look in the mirror," said Sun.

Was it a decision made to improve her chances of having a Dragon Year baby next year?

"Yes, the great teacher in the hidden mountains of the Himalayas also said I would be even more popular than ever, have super smart triplets, a very smooth pregnancy and a long-lasting marriage filled with much bliss and happiness," she said half in jest.

"Just as long as I remove a piece of flesh atop my right eye."

She did not reveal when or where she had the mole removed. Her mole was still visible in her wedding dinner pictures.

Ready for kids

Backstage at the Singapore Hit Awards award ceremony last month, she did not hide her desire for children, calling it "the natural next step".

The singer was recently chosen to pen her bilingual endeavours in former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's latest book, My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore's Bilingual Journey.

The book includes a collection of essays from 22 people, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and US investor Jim Rogers. The latter decided to settle in Singapore in 2007 because of its bilingual environment. (See report next page.)

Sun contributed an essay to both the English and Chinese versions of Mr Lee's book, detailing her efforts in brushing up her standard of the Chinese language during her initial years of conquering the Taiwanese showbiz industry.

She recalled Taiwanese variety show host Jacky Wu's "passing remark" that new artistes like then-rookie Sun were "ignorant".

Sun wrote in the book that though her command of the Chinese language was "not atrocious... it just was not good enough for the environment I was in".

Wu's remark, she wrote, was "a stinging slap" and a "big, red flashing wake- up call".

She explained: "It was in my first year of singing (2000) that it happened.

"It was one of my first major TV appearances and to be fair, I do not think Jacky meant it to be offensive.

"I had on several occasions met Jacky after that for other variety programmes... he did not seem to remember his remark."

But she added that she doesn't bear a grudge against the veteran host as "I know it's his job to poke fun of people".

Sun added that as a greenhorn entertainer, she had also probably not been able to communicate effectively with music producers and record label executives.

She acknowledged the importance of bilingualism and aims to nurture such an environment at home.

"That would be a wise thing to do," said Sun.

As it turns out, Mrs van der Ros has high hopes for her child-to-be. "It would also be great if my kid can speak four languages, play professional soccer, win scholarships and play the violin and drums."