TIME is slipping away for Malaysian singer-songwriter Penny Tai - that is, when it comes to having kids.

A couple of years ago, the spunky, pixie-size 31-year old opened up to the Taiwanese media, revealing her desire to 'have a child by the time she is 35 years old'.

In an interview with The New Paper to promote her new album, Forgive Me For Being The Girl I Am, she confirmed that babies are definitely still on her agenda.

But it is quite likely that she will 'miss the age mark', she admitted.

The bachelorettte, who was once rumoured to be with actor-singer Jaycee Chan (Jackie Chan's son), believes 'love cannot be rushed'.

'I've been single for so many years already, you can't just want a romantic relationship and get into one,' she said. 'But I'm staying optimistic, the right person will appear in due course.'

The rumours with Jaycee were completely untrue, she said. 'We were, and have always been, very good friends.'

Sounding refreshingly liberal, she emphasised that when she set herself the '35-year mark' back then, it wasn't about getting married.

'You don't need to be married to have children,' was her coy reply.

After a momentary pause, she added: 'That means, in the future, I won't rule out adoption.'

A self-confessed 'fiercely independent girl', she said the title of her new album is a genuine sentiment from her heart.

'I want to thank everyone who has showered love on me, both past and present. I hope they will forgive me for all the things I've done that once made them mad.'

Can such a gentle, sweet-looking lass like her possibly anger anyone?

She explained that her independent personality played a large part in her interaction with others.

She said: 'Many years ago, when I went to Taipei to work, I had to live on my own, do everything myself. The whole experience shaped me to become who I am today.'

Her open apology to all who have once cared for and adored her stemmed from the fact that she 'knew she took care of herself very badly'. She didn't elaborate on what she was referring to.

'I look after others well, but somehow, I just can't do the same for myself,' she said with a sigh. 'It makes things worse, because I am also the type who hates bothering people and asking them for help, even when I really need it.'

Upset loved ones

The 'self-imposed ill-treatment' upset her loved ones greatly, she said.

Like a true artist, she turns to songwriting to channel her emotions into music and lyrics.

'Every song I write is like a diary entry, it's a reflection of my state of mind, at different stages in my life,' she said.

The prolific songwriter, who won Best Composer for her song Crazy Love at 2006's Taiwan Golden Melody Awards, has recently tried her hand at directing music videos, with encouraging results.

She scored two nominations in this year's Golden Melody Awards for Best Music Video, one for soul singer Khalil Fong's Black and White, and another for fellow Malaysian singer Fang Abin's Wind. (She lost out to Jay Chou.)

'It's very encouraging to be nominated, especially when I'm a newcomer in directing,' said Penny. 'I've never gone to film school and I learned all I needed to know about video production on the job.

'So, to a certain extent, I feel I've been very lucky! I just wanted to give it a go, to put some of my ideas on screen, and it's great that people like it.'

This article was first published in The New Paper