DAWN HO, 29, bossa nova and jazz singer

She has the hippy-chick good looks, soulful voice and stage presence. But it was not enough for recording labels. They wanted bossa nova singer Dawn Ho to be either a sex kitten or the perky girl-next-door.

The prize for changing her image was a potential record deal. But the 29-year-old vocalist turned it down. She did it her way instead, releasing her eight-track cover album, All In Good Time, this year under her own label Island Girl, at the cost of $13,000.

Ho, who is single, admits she has been accused of being 'anti-establishment' by some in the entertainment industry for her strong beliefs. But the former Singapore Airlines flight stewardess explains: 'I did not want to fall into a mould as I want to stay true to myself. That also defines who I am as an artiste.'

And she definitely succeeded in avoiding the sex-kitten route with All In Good Time. Sketches of her on the album portray a fun-loving bohemian with Afro wig, large hooped earrings and halter-neck top paired with bell-bottom pants.

She sings jazz classics as well as groovy tunes from Grammy Award-winning Brazilian musician Antonio Carlos Jobim and Brazilian singer Maria Rita. The husky-voiced Ho, who has carved out a strong niche here as a bossa nova singer, has become a sought-after name in the club scene.

She grew up on 1980s mainstream pop, but got hooked on jazz when she heard Peggy Lee's classic, Fever. Eventually, bouncy bossa nova tunes caught her attention as well.

The former Catholic Junior College student landed her first gig at the then Bombay Bar in Club Street seven years ago.

'As a newbie, no one wanted to give me a platform,' she recalls. 'But it was the musicians who gave me the opportunities to work with them.'

The younger of two children earned her stripes and has sung in venues such as il Lido bar, the former Bellini Room, Movida Latin club, Harry's Bar and The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

She now performs at Quarubar in Dempsey Hill on Mondays and weekends. The rest of the time is devoted to putting together her second album of self-written songs and promoting her debut album at nightspots.

'I am not afraid of hard work even if it means I have to promote my CDs at my gigs,' says Ho, who recently returned from a performance in Bali.

She adds: 'People also feel connected to the music through my live sets and get to know who I am.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.