SINGAPORE, July 17 — Eight years ago, interviewing Jam Hsiao would have frustrated even the most experienced reporter. The boyish singer, who was then still singing in a restaurant, had already amassed an impressive number of fans after appearing as a challenger on Taiwanese reality singing competition One Million Star. But Hsiao was also famously reticent and would often only smile or give one-word answers.

Now 28, Hsiao is not only more mature and sophisticated as a musician, but also much more comfortable speaking in public. And, as some have discovered, the Taiwanese singer can even be a little cheeky — as long as he’s given enough time to think and respond.

During our 30-minute phone interview, ahead of his Triple Jam concert in Singapore on Aug 15, the Taiwanese singer-songwriter kept us giggling with confessions about his penchant for pocketing toothbrushes, shampoo and soap from his hotel rooms, and that his favourite pyjamas were, in fact, given to him for free by an airline.

“I am no different from other men in the street,” Hsiao said, when we asked how he’s kept himself grounded. “I am the same person I was before and I don’t think of myself as a superstar.”

He added: “I get praised for my performances on stage but, after I leave the stage, I live life the same way other people do. Everyone has their own stage or platform where they can shine, even if it takes on different forms.”

Even after all these years, Hsiao is remarkably blase about his superstar status and his fans’ enthusiasm sometimes still takes him by surprise. The singer has found himself in the news thanks to some of his more fervent fans — including a Japanese fan who reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on gifts for her favourite singer and a Taiwanese man who thought it was a good idea to tattoo Hsiao’s face on his bicep.

“I hold concerts in many different cities, even in places as far as America or the United Kingdom, and I often see the same people who fly to different cities to watch my shows. I am happy to see them, but I’m also surprised (at the extent to which they would go to support me),” he said. “As for the man who tattooed my face on his arm, I think it’s a little crazy. I am very worried that he will regret it one day — if he stops liking me. I think I am more worried than he is.”

For all his accomplishments in the music industry — Hsiao has won dozens of awards, including Best Male Singer at 2013’s Golden Melody Awards — the singer acknowledges he regrets not having spent more time in school.

“When I was young, I didn’t really spend a lot of time studying. I was so playful and I spent all my time playing!” he said. “I can’t watch foreign-language films because the subtitles scroll too quickly and I can’t read quickly enough to catch up. What I do is I keep pressing ‘pause’ to read the words, before I press ‘play’. And when I need to write, I find that I don’t know many words. This is my biggest obstacle now.”

He continued, after a pause: “Then again, I’ve realised a lot of people can’t write anymore because they are so used to typing. So I am glad I managed to catch up with everyone!”

His musical talent, he admitted, is what he feels most confident about himself.

“I think my relationship with music has been getting better. When I first started out, I still approached music from the perspective of a student. Now, I am in control of more aspects of production so I work more closely with music,” he said, adding that he is currently working on his next studio album, which is slated for release at the end of the year. “That doesn’t mean I am intimately connected with my audience, however. I need to learn to balance what I like with what my audiences do.”

And even if his newfound eloquence gets the attention of television producers in Taiwan — and he possibly joins the ranks of Jay Chou, S.H.E.’s Selina Jen, Show Luo and others who have juggled hosting gigs alongside their music careers — Hsiao would never abandon his first love.

“I won’t host a show that is not related to music, but I am not opposed to the idea of hosting,” he said, thoughtfully. “But I won’t do anything unrelated to music.”

Triple Jam will be held on Aug 15 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Tickets from S$98 to S$198 can be bought from Sports Hub Tix. — TODAY