By\u00a0Gerald Tan\u00a0–\u00a0published 20 May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When I first meet Estelle Fly<\/b>, she is seated on the floor, a giant pink bow fashioned from cardboard perched gingerly atop her head. Behind the camera\u2019s lens, she appears like a character lifted from the pages of a children\u2019s fairytale book. The overall effect is part whimsical, part dreamscape.<\/p>\n Earrings (worn throughout); jacket; bikini top; shorts; bag, H&M. Stockings, stylist\u2019s own.<\/p>\n Photo: Feedbeng<\/p>\n It is a striking departure from the Estelle most fans and audiences recognise from her. She is, after all, a performer whose presence ranges from the sultry to the empowered. Yet, today\u2019s contrast speaks to her ability to slip between identities with ease.<\/p>\n That instinct for transformation has come to define Estelle\u2019s career. She first tasted fame as part of Sea*A<\/b>, a Southeast Asian J-pop idol group in the early 2010s. When the group disbanded, it meant stepping into uncertainty. What followed was not a linear ascent but a series of detours (among them, a brief chapter as a flight attendant) before she found her way back to the spotlight. Today, she wears many hats, moving effortlessly between singing, acting, hosting, and content creation.<\/p>\n Top, H&M.<\/p>\n Photo: Feedbeng<\/p>\n Related article: <\/i><\/b>Kao Supassrathip Takes The Spotlight<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Each transition came with its own lesson. \u201cWhen I stopped being an idol, I was very young,\u201d she says. \u201cAt first, there was freedom, but that quickly turned into a sense of loss. As an idol, so much is decided for you. Suddenly, you don\u2019t know what to do and what steps to take anymore. It was uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n That discomfort, she reflects, revealed a hard truth about working as an independent artist. \u201cYou start to appreciate the opportunities you once had. As a solo artist in Singapore, you really have to work for everything. You have to prove yourself before those opportunities come,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Top; jeans, H&M.<\/p>\n Photo: Feedbeng<\/p>\n If the early years were defined by structure, what followed required something far more innate: initiative. \u201cI used to believe that if you just kept your head down and did good work, it would speak for itself,\u201d she says. \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t always work that way. You have to put yourself out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Estelle pauses, then adds, more thoughtfully: \u201cA lot of the best ideas come, for example, when you\u2019re bored, but people don\u2019t act on them. We worry about how we\u2019ll be perceived. Will this look desperate? Will it seem strange? But sometimes, different is exactly what you need, especially if what you\u2019ve been doing isn\u2019t working.\u201d<\/p>\n That willingness to push past hesitation and freely experiment now shapes her work ethos. She also realised that the journey is not hers alone. Rather than working in isolation all the time, she now surrounds herself with a trusted circle she describes as her \u201csounding board\u201d. \u201cLuckily, the people around me really want to make things happen and not just poke holes. Because of this, I\u2019ve learnt to just express myself first and see how things could work later,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Related article: <\/i><\/b>Kim Se Jeong On Finding The Perfect Balance And Choosing Joy<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Sunglasses; dress; shoes, H&M. Gloves, stylist\u2019s own.<\/p>\n Photo: Feedbeng<\/p>\n This newfound freedom of expression underpins her latest EP, Zone<\/i>. The four-track album, noted for its velvety Korean-inflected R&B layers and late-night pop grooves, centres on heartbreak, escapism, and resilience\u2014matters close to her heart.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many amazing things were happening when I was working on the album, but deep inside I felt empty most of the time,\u201d she recalls. At the time, she was navigating through a breakup even as work carried her across the world. She adds: \u201cBut those were the moments where I got to sit down to create and write what I wanted to say.\u201d Introspective yet future-forward, it\u2019s little wonder Zone <\/i>feels like her most fully realised work to date.<\/p>\n Scarf; dress, H&M.<\/p>\n Photo: Feedbeng<\/p>\n For Estelle, the sparks of inspiration often begin in stillness. \u201cI like going to the Asian Civilisations Museum,\u201d she reveals. There, she lets her mind wander while being surrounded by artifacts that are testament to the beauty of craft. \u201cI imagine freely, how something might feel, how a performance could look,\u201d she offers.<\/p>\n Performance, in turn, is another outlet for Estelle to exercise her creativity. Recalling her set at last year\u2019s Waterbomb Festival<\/a>, her expression shifts at the thrill of being onstage after months of preparation. \u201cI get lost in the moment. I enjoy myself completely. It feels like my spirit lifts when I\u2019m on stage,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd that\u2019s where confidence comes from. You look your most confident when you\u2019re fully in that space. Being yourself, and being proud of what you do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Going Solo<\/h2>\n
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Building a Legacy<\/h2>\n
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