The Canto-pop business is not one that allows many ideals - especially if your first name is not Jacky, Aaron, Andy or Leon. With a market that is shrinking daily and a majority audience which has shown again and again it prefers commercial light pop, one has to make compromises.
Cass Phang Ling understands this and that is why she does not try to squirm her way out of the reality of her new album 1001 Nights, released earlier this month. 'I have always been very clear about what each album has been aimed at. I have tried to achieve different aims with each of my releases. This new one is aimed at pulling up the sales figures,' she says, citing her own confidence and the shrinking market as reasons.
In an ideal world, Phang would opt for a 50-50 split between commercial pop and what she calls her 'experiments'. For 1001 Nights the ratio is about 8:2, with the 'experiments' being Together and I Won't, which were arranged by members of indie band Black Box.
'It really isn't enough. We have to try out new things; if the result is good, then we can do more of it next time. If it isn't, then we can drop the idea. I think I can improve more this way,' she says.
The reality, however, is that since her best-selling album - 1995's Outside The Window which sold more than 200,000 units - there has been increasing pressure for the follow-up albums to match that.
'We are hoping this album will notch a better sales figure, so I admit that this album comprises more commercial songs. But I am still satisfied with the outcome.' One has to appreciate that Phang can be counted on to call a spade a spade. She makes no excuses for herself for failure nor does she take all the credit for her successes.