Former Boy Band Star Benjamin Eio Shifts Focus to Acting

Benjamin Eio, the youngest member of Singapore’s first boy band, EchoBoys, is now pursuing a career in acting, shifting his focus from music to the screen. At 44 years old, Eio reflects on a life spent in the spotlight, revealing how his journey has evolved since the band’s peak in the late 1990s.

During an interview at his Bukit Batok flat, Eio appeared noticeably nervous, despite his extensive experience in front of cameras. As he fanned himself with a handheld device, he reminisced about his past, which includes the release of memorable hits like “Escape.” This song, a lovelorn ballad, defined his early career and captured the hearts of many fans.

Eio’s passion for music began long before he joined EchoBoys. “I always wanted to be a singer ever since I was young,” he shared, recalling how he would perform in his bedroom, inspired by British boyband Take That. In 1998, at just 16 years old, he seized an unexpected opportunity and auditioned for a boy band through a casting call in the now-defunct tabloid, The New Paper.

From a pool of 30 hopefuls, Eio and three others—Alvin Ee, Hatta Said, and Winson Leow—were selected. The quartet quickly formed a bond as they navigated the pressures of competition, with Eio recalling the fun they had during rehearsals and performances.

A Rapid Rise to Fame

The EchoBoys’ ascent to stardom was swift. Following a feature in Lime Magazine, the band enjoyed extensive media coverage, participating in magazine shoots and live performances. “It felt like we were the Singapore Backstreet Boys back then,” Eio remarked, reflecting on their success.

The group released four CD singles, with “Escape” becoming their signature track. Eio’s fondness for the song “Victims,” written by radio deejay John Klass, also highlighted their musical evolution. Fans expressed their admiration in numerous ways, from heartfelt letters to elaborate scrapbooks. One particularly devoted fan even included her fingernails in a letter, a gesture that left Eio both amused and astonished.

The pinnacle of their fame occurred during a New Year’s Eve countdown show in 1998 at Sentosa, where fans overwhelmed the band upon their arrival. “It almost felt like that scene in Jurassic Park when the dinosaurs were banging on the door,” he recalled with laughter, capturing the exhilaration of that moment.

Despite their success, the band faced challenges. Eio remembered being heckled by a passerby, a harsh critique that lingered in his mind. “At that point in time, I questioned myself: Am I doing something wrong?” he said, illustrating the emotional toll of fame.

Ultimately, after nearly three years in the limelight, the EchoBoys disbanded as personal commitments and career aspirations took precedence. Their final performance during the millennium countdown in 1999 marked the end of an era for the group, although Eio and his former bandmates have maintained contact through social media.

From Music to Acting

After the band’s dissolution, Eio fulfilled his National Service obligations and joined the Singapore Armed Forces’ Music and Drama Company. This experience allowed him to refine his skills, but his dreams of becoming a singer faced further setbacks. Although he reached the top 30 in the first season of Singapore Idol, he felt disheartened when his singing aspirations did not materialize as he had hoped.

A brief opportunity to form another boy band in Taiwan ended abruptly when his bandmates chose not to commit, leaving Eio questioning his future in music. To support himself, he performed regularly at St James Power Station, a popular nightlife venue, yet he found the routine unfulfilling.

In 2016, Eio shifted his focus to acting, starting with commercials before progressing to minor roles in long-form dramas such as Tanglin and Sunny Side Up. His breakthrough came with the short film Tainted, where a director’s faith in him opened new doors. Eio’s acting career began to flourish, leading to roles in productions tailored specifically for him.

“With singing, maybe I’m given only six colours to paint a picture,” he explained. “But with acting, I feel that I’m given a huge palette of colours to try and do something.” This newfound passion has reignited his creative spirit, steering him toward ambitions of Hollywood stardom.

As the interview concluded, Eio expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reflect on his past. “For a long time, I didn’t even want to talk about EchoBoys,” he admitted, revealing how he had once seen his boy band experience as a painful chapter. Now, he cherishes those memories as vital parts of his story.

Eio’s current focus is on honing his craft in acting, including rehearsals for a student short film at Nanyang Technological University. For him, every opportunity, no matter how small, is a chance to immerse himself in the “magic” of performance.

His perspective has shifted over the years; he now views setbacks as stepping stones rather than barriers. “I wish there had been that kind of reminder back then, that failure isn’t the end of the road, but could actually be a stepping stone to success,” he concluded, embodying a renewed sense of hope for his future in the arts.