Likened to Seiko Matsuda, she won a singing contest and was signed to a Japanese recording company S2S Pte Ltd at the age of 15.
After taking her O-level examinations in Singapore, Ong moved to Japan to further her studies as well as her career as a solo artist. In Singapore, Ong, along with 2 other Singaporean girls formed the Japanese pop (J-pop) group, Mirai. Their first single, "Open Up Your Mind", was one of the theme songs in the Japanese anime Gensoumaden Saiyuki.
She released her bestselling début, A Girl Meets Bossa Nova at only 19. With her sultry, soulful, pristine and innocent vocals, she reinterprets Frank Sinatra's hits such as "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars", among other jazz and pop numbers. She is one of the new wave of Singaporean talent being exported internationally. So far, Ong is the only pop sensation exported exclusively to Japan; previous stars such as Mavis Hee, Kit Chan, Tanya Chua, Joi Chua, Stefanie Sun, Michelle Saram etc., have been promoted mainly in the Greater Chinese market.
In 2009 Ong was signed to Taiwanese record company HIM Music and became a big hit back in Singapore after she sang the theme song of the peranakan-themed drama serial, The Little Nyonya. She has stated that her paternal grandfather is Peranakan.
Her first record under HIM Music was released on 5 March 2010, entitled Olivia. In 2011, Ong recorded a duet, "最後一眼" (Just One Look), with label mate Aaron Yan of Fahrenheit, which was released in his debut EP The Next Me.
2001年，15歲的王儷婷在一場歌唱比賽中被日本S2S唱片公司的總裁Suzuki Ken發掘，並簽入其旗下。她結束了在新加坡的中學教育，花了一年時間在日本的高中學習，隨後成為一名全職藝人。
2004年11月，王儷婷在一場新加坡對日本的足球賽（2006世界盃亞洲區預選賽）上清唱了新加坡國歌「前進吧，新加坡！（Majulah Singapura）」，吸引了當時很多觀眾的注意。
2005年，王儷婷的首張專輯《A Girl Meets Bossa Nova》問世，採用巴薩諾瓦（Bossa Nova）曲風，受到好評。在這成功的基礎上，她於同年發行了個人第一張創作專輯《Precious Stones》。此後 Olivia Ong 在日本和新加坡受到廣泛關注。她繼而推出了偏向流行音樂風格的《Tamarillo》以及《A Girl Meets Bossa Nova 2》。而她在2007年中旬推出的以翻唱並重新編曲的老歌為主的《Fall In Love With》更使得她在新加坡的人氣直線攀升。至此，王儷婷的所有專輯都是以英文姓名Olivia Ong發行的。
2008年12月8日，新加坡聯合早報刊登了《從日本迴流 王儷婷成飛輪海師妹》一文。報導稱，該歌手正式以中文姓名加盟華研國際音樂。同月，她的中文單曲《如燕》在新加坡933電臺打榜成功，取得了當週第二的成績。該歌曲亦被用作電視劇《小娘惹》的主題曲。
Olivia Ong 是首位通過打入日本市場而成名的新加坡歌手。在她之前其他藝人如孫燕姿、林俊傑、蔡健雅等皆是通過到台灣發展而走紅的。
The rose
王儷婷 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That drowns the tender reed.
Some say love it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love it is a hunger
An endless, aching need
I say love it is a flower,
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken,
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live.
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long.
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong.
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love,
In the spring, becomes the rose.
The song "The Rose" by 王儷婷 is a poignant and emotional reflection on the nature of love. The first verse sets a tone of ambiguity, presenting conflicting images of love as both a river that drowns and a razor that wounds. The second verse seems to resolve this ambiguity, describing love as a flower, with the listener as the seed that holds the potential to blossom. The chorus speaks to the fears that can hold one back from opening up to love: the fear of heartbreak, of waking from a dream, of vulnerability. The final verse provides comfort and hope, explaining that even in the darkest and loneliest times, love endures.
The song is a powerful piece of music that speaks to universal themes of love, loss, and hope. It has been covered by many artists over the years, and its message remains as relevant as ever. The imagery of the rose as a symbol of love and transformation is particularly resonant, and the song's final lines are a beautifully hopeful reminder that even in the depths of despair, the promise of love and renewal remains.
Line by Line Meaning
Some say love it is a river
Love is often described as a force that can overwhelm and overpower us, like a river that can sweep away even strong and sturdy plants.
That drowns the tender reed.
When love is compared to a river, it is often seen as a force that can cause us to lose our sense of self, like a weak reed drowned by a strong current.
Some say love it is a razor
Others see love as a sharp and dangerous object, like a razor that can cut right through our emotions and leave us exposed and vulnerable.
That leaves your soul to bleed.
When love is compared to a razor, it is often seen as a force that can cause us great pain and suffering, like a deep cut that leaves us bleeding and wounded.
Some say love it is a hunger
Love can also be seen as an insatiable desire or inner longing, like a hunger that can never be completely satisfied.
An endless, aching need
This kind of love is often accompanied by a persistent feeling of longing or yearning, like an ache that can never be eased or relieved.
I say love it is a flower,
In contrast to the previous descriptions, the artist describes love as something beautiful and delicate, like a flower that can blossom and grow under the right conditions.
And you it's only seed.
The person being sung to is compared to a seed that can be nurtured and cared for so that they can grow into something beautiful and meaningful.
It's the heart afraid of breaking
The artist shifts focus to the emotions that can prevent us from fully experiencing love, like the fear of being hurt or rejected.
That never learns to dance
People who are too afraid to take risks and put themselves out there are often compared to someone who never learned how to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking
In a similar vein, people who are too afraid to pursue their dreams are compared to someone who is too afraid to wake up and face reality.
That never takes the chance
The artist emphasizes the importance of taking risks and seizing opportunities in life, rather than being held back by fear or hesitation.
It's the one who won't be taken,
The artist sings about people who are resistant to love or unwilling to let others get close to them.
Who cannot seem to give
These individuals are often unable or unwilling to be vulnerable and share their true emotions with others.
And the soul afraid of dying
The artist shifts focus to our fears and anxieties about death and the end of our lives.
That never learns to live.
Some people are so afraid of death and dying that they forget to enjoy the precious moments of life that they have.
When the night has been too lonely
The artist sings about times of great loneliness or despair, when it can be hard to see the beauty and joy in life.
And the road has been too long.
These moments can be especially difficult after a prolonged period of struggle or hardship.
And you think that love is only
During these toughest moments, it can be easy to feel like love is only for the lucky or the strong.
For the lucky and the strong.
The artist reminds us that love is not only for those who seem to have everything going for them, but for all of us.
Just remember in the winter
The artist ends with a message of hope and renewal, reminding us that even in the darkest and coldest of times, there is still growth and change happening beneath the surface.
Far beneath the bitter snow
Just as the seed that will later become a rose lies hidden beneath the snow, there is always something beautiful and life-giving waiting to emerge from the most difficult of circumstances.
Lies the seed that with the sun's love,
It is through the warmth and light of the sun, or the love and support of others, that our own growth and transformation can take place.
In the spring, becomes the rose.
Just as the seed becomes a beautiful and fragrant rose in the spring, we too have the potential to blossom and thrive if we allow ourselves the chance to do so.
Contributed by Elizabeth J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.