HK Artist Spotlight: Terry Zou

I've wanted to write a post on Terry for a while now, but I wanted to wait until his album was released and yay! It's finally here ^_^.

As of right now, one of my favourite Hong Kong singers is Terry Zou. I'm aware that not a lot of people know him because he is still relatively new but here goes...

Terry Zou Man Jing (鄒文正) is a Hong Kong singer who debuted back in 2011. He's back with his second album this year in 2013 called "Terry Zou Album 2013". He is from Guangzhou, China, which makes him fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese. If I'm not wrong, he was already a singer before he was signed to his music company Gold Typhoon. Terry can play the guitar, the piano, the drums, the violin and the Chinese instrument, Er-hu.

In case you're wondering, the first time I noticed Terry was on TV. His MV was playing, and I quite liked the song so I Google-d it; because he was a new face, I was curious to who this singer was and where he came from.

Terry's a big fan of rock music. He fell in love with rock music because of his dad. His dad was in a band and he would bring Terry along with him when he was on tour. This influenced Terry a lot, because once he was in high school, he joined bands making him a good guitarist, drummer and pianist. He still mentions his dad a lot in his interviews nowadays. =) In his first album, he incorporated rock music into a couple of songs.

Terry Zou Debut Album tracklist
01. 我是人
02. 城中人
03. 留低她於廁所
04. 肚餓
05. 盲目
06. 我只是童鞋
07. 城市人 (國語)

The first track, "我是人", is a playful, whimsical song that I really like. This was the first song he plugged. The second song, "城中人", was arranged and produced by HK band Rubberband. The song is quite slow at the beginning, but it gradually speeds up with its rock elements. "城市人" is the Mandarin version of "城中人". The first MV I saw of Terry's was actually "城中人"!

The third track, "留低她於廁所", is a song with an unusual song title. He wrote the lyrics for this song, if I remember correctly. The MV for this song is quite interesting too. The song's pace is kind of the same throughout but still a catchy song!

"肚餓", which translates to "Hungry" in English, is a catchy rock song that I really like. Track 5, "盲目", is my absolute favourite song of Terry's! It might sound like a typical love song, but I love it. It is one of his most popular songs amongst them all. "我只是童鞋" is also one of my favourite songs by Terry. The song showcases his singing skills very well because of the long notes at the end and I love how sweet it sounds. It is actually a remake of a Korean song.

Earlier this week, Terry FINALLY released his second album (it was postponed several times). I am quite disappointed since there are only 7 songs on the album, and 4 of them I've already heard beforehand, but nevertheless, I still really like the songs from this album overall. 

01. 非人生活 (Inhuman Life)
02. 無關痛癢 (Irrelevance)
03. 糟蹋 (Ruin)
04. 最後警告 (國) (Final Warning)
05. 因為難得，所以難 (國) (Because It's Precious)
06. 愛得不是時候 (國) (Wrong Timing)
07. 紅茶或咖啡 (國) (與AOA合唱) (Tea or Coffee)

"Inhuman Life" was released last year, around 6 months ago, so it's actually quite old. Funny story, I actually thought the song was kind of boring when it first came out, but I think it's one of those songs that grow on you after a while.

Live version of "Because It's Precious" on 360 music show

"Tea or Coffee" MV

The songs "Because It's Precious" and "Tea and Coffee" were also released last year along with their MV's. My favourite out of the three is "Because It's Precious". I loved it from the first time I heard it! "Tea or Coffee" is a cute upbeat Mandarin song with AOA.

Live version of "Irrelevance". The album version of this song has different lyrics now.

 
Live at press conference

My favourite song out of his new album at the moment is "Irrelevance". I loved it the first time I heard him sing it, which was on Music Cafe. There's just something about this song that makes it different from the rest. I like the softness in his voice in this song. I highly recommend this! "Ruin" is a song that I also highly recommend and I think this is the song he will plug next. "Wrong Timing" is the Mandarin version of "Ruin" and I have to be honest, I think the Mandarin version sounds better but I still like both versions.

"Final Warning" is a rock song (so his style). I'm glad he included a rock song because it's a style of music he likes and this song is pretty fast compared to the rest. I remember he mentioned in an interview that people like him singing slow songs more, so that would explain why there are more slow songs in this album.

I think Terry needs more exposure because he's a very good singer (he sings well live too ;)), and I feel that more people should know who he is. A lot of people call him the "pirated" version of Raymond Lam (in terms of look), but I don't see the resemblance.

Terry also was in an episode of Music Cafe with new duo group GoldEN (he recently recorded his own episode of Music Cafe!) and covered songs by Eason Chan and Sandy Lam. I really like the Eason song he covered.

And one more clip of Terry singing Faye Wong's "A Love Letter to Myself". I'm a fan of this song and I just love the fact he sang it even if it was just a tiny bit of the song and he didn't know all the words.

Terry's already filmed the MV for "Irrelevance", and he's filming another MV for "Ruin". This means there might be another version of his 2013 album coming out soon, considering the fact that it has no MVs included at the moment. Anyway, I do hope his album sells well! Let's support this talented Gemini male together ;)

If you're interested in following his news, here's his weibo: http://weibo.com/terryzou

If you've gotten this far...thanks for reading ^_^ If do you end up listening to his songs, please do comment in the section below and tell me what you guys think!

Artist Spotlight: Dear Jane

Biography

Dear Jane is a Hong Kong band formed back in 2003 that is known for their signature pop punk/rock sound.  The band's name "Dear Jane" references a Dear John letter, and signifies how their songs are from a male's point of view. They released their debut record "100" in 2006 under See Music Ltd, whose name originates from how they played 100 shows prior to releasing the album.  After contract disputes with See Music Ltd, the band was signed to Music Nation in 2009 and released their album "XOXO", which scored their first #1 hit "Do Not Speak".  In 2011, Dear Jane was signed by WarnerHK, one of the top music labels in Hong Kong.  They released their "Gamma" EP the same year.  Since then, they have increased in popularity and recognition, becoming one of the bands in Hong Kong's small but steady "band movement".  Their latest EP "Yellow Fever" is now out!

A little more about the members...

The original line up of Dear Jane was Tim Wong as the vocalist, Adam Diaz as the guitarist, Howie Yung as the bassist, and Jackal Ng as the drummer.  Following the departure of Adam, the line up changed and Howie became the guitarist while Jackal the bassist.  Nice Lai later joined the band as the drummer.

Tim Wong - Lead Vocalist Tim was born in Hong Kong on May 6, 1981 and raised in the US.  He studied music at the University of Hawaii.  He previously worked as a model, and had joined TVB in 2003.  He has appeared in several Cantopop music videos as well as TVB series.  His full English name is Timothy Christopher Wong.

Howie Yung - Guitarist Howie was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and majored in economics in university.  He is well versed in writing, composing, arranging, producing, and recording, making him a truly well rounded and talented musician.  Howie writes and composes a majority of the band's songs.

Jackal Ng - Bassist Jackal was born and raised in Hong Kong.  He graduated from University of Hong Kong's School of Design.  He is very skilled at playing the drums.

Nice Lai - Drummer Nice was born and raised in Hong Kong.  He joined Dear Jane as their new drummer shortly after the band signed to Warner.

Artist Critique
There are many great bands in Hong Kong right now, but Dear Jane is my favorite by far.  Their music is catchy yet of quality and substance.  Although I have limited knowledge of Cantonese, I feel like their music is so personal and powerful, whether they're performing an upbeat punk rock song or a soft rock ballad.  There's energy, meaning, passion, and honesty in their music.  I love their pop punk rock musical style, and how they experiment without straying from their signature sound.  Tim's voice has a nice tone, being neither too high or deep.  He has power as well as control in his voice, and transitions from upbeat or hard rock songs to ballads with ease.  The band is a lot of fun to see perform live, as they all have a lot of energy and passion.

What makes me love Dear Jane even more though, is that they all seem like such great guys and very approachable.  They genuinely love what they do, and are so talented, friendly, sweet, and modest.  They frequently update their official Facebook page and constantly keep in communication with fans, even taking the time to reply and thank particular fans once in a while.  Earlier, I had posted the link to my "Goodbye" song review on their page, and they had "liked" the post and personally thanked me.  Also, they just seem like such fun guys to be around!  I love seeing the members joke around and practice in videos.  Tim seems like he has a great sense of humor and can be so silly sometimes.  Also, I have so much respect for Howie.  All the guys are highly involved in Dear Jane and their music, but he is such an insanely talented musician who does so much.  At times, the concentration Howie can have in his music is even laughably endearing.

Dear Jane Song Essentials

"別說話/Do Not Speak"

Their first big hit, "Do Not Speak" went to #1 on several radio stations.  It is a beautiful song with a catchy yet lovely melody.  Howie had originally written the lyrics of the song after a messy break up with his girlfriend.  The lyrics had initially just sat around, but Jackal had played a drum beat Howie liked, and within 30 minutes, the band had composed and arranged a hit.  "Do Not Speak" is a honest and meaningful light rock song about how people should have a silent break up so they can keep the beautiful memories of what a couple once had instead of fighting and causing further pain.

"放大假/Long Vacation"

From their debut album "100", "Long Vacation" is a song everyone can relate to about wanting to take a long vacation from work.  The musical style of the song shows a strong punk influence, which I really like.  It carries a whimsical feel too.  I especially like the second verse where Tim pretends to call in sick to work.  It's a simple, short, fun, and catchy song a lot of people can relate to.

"空中小姐/Air Hostess"

A fun and upbeat song that also has quite the whimsical feel.  The MV is very cute and they look like they're having a lot of fun.  Tim's little "dance moves" are so cute and funny, as are everyone's facial expressions!  Known to be more of rockers, it's endearing to see them in such a goofy yet adorable fashion.

"戰狼三國/Wolf of Three Kingdoms"

One of their heavier rock and punk influenced songs.  I love blasting this song loud and rocking out.  The band sounds wicked here, I love how the electric guitar, bass, and drums come together here.  The chorus sounds very powerful.

"Rising Star"

This song served as the theme song for the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 2011.  The song is one of my favorites because it's such an inspiring, uplifting, and empowering song. I like the simplicity of the alternate MV, with the band performing in an empty room and shots of the members running with a Dear Jane flag.

"慣/Used To"

Although known for their pop punk sound, the band started experimenting with different things as well after signing with Warner.  "Used To" is a beautiful and emotional soft rock ballad.

"Yellow Fever"

A catchy and infectious pop punk song about the guy's like and respect for Asian girls.  This single also marks their first time experimenting with dub step breakdowns.  Read a more in-depth song review here: here.

"Let's Just Do It"

Whether it's getting someone's phone number at a party or asking them to dance, "Let's Just Do It" encourages listeners to just do what they want to do.  It boosts a very sleek sound.  Despite the auto tune used in the song, like "Yellow Fever", it's catchy, infectious, and has a great dubstep break down.  In-depth song review here.

"Goodbye"

A beautiful song that was executed even more beautifully.  Everything about the song is phenomenal: the vocals, lyrics, composition, arrangement, and overall sound.  It is such a powerful and memorable song that leaves an impact on you.  In-depth song review here.

Overall

Dear Jane is a versatile rock band with a distinct punk sound and a great ability to experiment with other styles.  Each member is very talented and makes their own contributions.  Dear Jane is a well rounded band that consistently and constantly makes great music.  Not only is it catchy, but has substance and well executed.  Besides that, they have all proven to be a group of great and fun guys as well.  I sincerely hope that they will be able to win more recognition and popularity.  They are definitely going far!  Go Dear Jane!

HK Artist Spotlight: Charlene Choi

One of my favourite Hong Kong artistes and singers is Charlene Choi, also better known as Ah Sa. She is best known to be in the group/duo called Twins along with Gillian Chung. Charlene has been in the entertainment industry for 12 years, and as well as being in Twins, she also has a solo career. If I am not wrong, Charlene is the number one most popular blog on Sina Weibo and also the number one most followed blog with over one million followers! 

Twins has always been heavily criticised for their live singing, but they still have had a large amount of fans supporting them throughout the years. Personally, I think Charlene has greatly improved in terms of singing, and singing live. She has learned to control her vocals more (although she may need a bit more practice), and she has also taken part in composing for her solo albums. Charlene’s live singing might not be on point all the time, but you cannot say she has not put in hard work. She is always trying to improve and change for the better, and has recently changed singing coaches to suit her better.

Not long ago, she released a full Cantonese album, "Montage". The title of the album is supposed to reflect on what she has experienced up until now. I love the whole edgy urban style going on. It looks very chic. The album consists of 10 new songs, which are very interesting and unique because the songs are all different to each other. Each song has a different sound to it, so I am sure that if you are interested in listening to it that there will definitely be a song that you will like! If you listen carefully to Charlene’s voice, you can hear that her voice is a lot smoother compared to her older songs.

The songs I recommend from "Montage":

明明 (Obviously), 鬆弛熊 (Relaxed Bear/Rilakkuma), 白頭到老 (Forever and Always), 瓦努阿圖 (Vanuatu). (Translations thanks to Charlene’s fans @AF forum.)

This album is also very interesting because the music composer Eric Kwok composes all ten songs.

Funny story, I actually thought "Obviously" was a very boring song at first.  After listening to it some more, I actually started to like it and find it very catchy.

I think the way Charlene sang "Forever and Always" is very cute, and I like how relaxed Charlene sounds when she’s singing "Relaxed Bear". "Vanuatu" is also a very fun song.

Other songs I recommend from Charlene:

簡簡單單, 早沾勿藥, 黑與白, 小玩笑, 魚樂無窮 (unplugged song), 二缺一, 小酒窩 duet with JJ Lin, 一直都在 duet with Raymond Lam and "Make a Wish".

I really like the idea behind 簡簡單單. Sometimes simple is enough! 早沾勿藥 is a lovely song. I really like it but I think it’s kind of underrated. 黑與白 is one of my favourites from the EP "Beauty Remains". I like how cute 小玩笑 is, it almost sounds acoustic. If I remember correctly, it is actually a remake of a Portuguese song. Of course we cannot forget Charlene’s popular 二缺一. I also like the two duets I recommended. This is an unpopular opinion, but I like the Cantonese version of 小酒窩 more than the Mandarin version.  Maybe it’s the language barrier, but I know the majority prefer the Mandarin version.

My favourite things about Charlene are how optimistic she is (her bright smile) and her fashion sense! I love her fashion style! 

I actually think she’s my fashion icon!

She’s had a lot of different styles for her solo albums as well. I really liked the style she had for her solo EP, "Beauty Remains" and also the idea behind it.

She re-used her old clothes and transformed them into elegant dresses, then went into an old warehouse for the shooting of the album. I like the dark and mysterious feel to it.

I really think Charlene has potential as an actress and maybe if there’s a chance, she could act in a TVB series in the future! She has just finished filming for the movie sequel "My Wife is 18".

If you are interested in following Charlene’s news, you should follow Charlene’s thread @Asianfanatics Forum. The fans there are really great at updating Charlene’s news. ^_^ I often get the news on Charlene from there, and they are also very helpful at translating articles, weibo posts, etc.  Not to mention, they are approachable and nice.

Spotlight: Kelvin Kwan (Part 1: Biography and Artist Critique)

Having overcome a major scandal and needing to start from scratch, Kelvin Kwan has outperformed people's expectations and matured into one of the most talented young singers in Hong Kong today.

Biography
Born on March 24, 1983, Kelvin Kwan was raised in Canada in a wealthy family.  He was discovered in 2004 when he went out for a night of karaoke with his father's ex-coworkers.  He was offered an audition, and then signed by Go East, part of Universal Music.  Popular and established Cantopop singer Alan Tam took Kelvin as his godson, and helped him with his music career as well as taught him skills like how to face the media.  Kelvin and Jill Vidal, his girlfriend and another rising singer, became known for their participation in anti-drug campaigns.

His self-titled debut album was released on October 11, 2006.  His duet with godfather Alan Tam, "Big Cry Baby", was ranked as China's 4th most popular duet by China Central Television merely 5 days after the album's release.  Following his successful debut, he released "What Do You Take Me For" in 2007 and "Hello...My Name Is" in 2008.

Kelvin with former girlfriend Jill Vidal

Kwan's career took an unexpected dark turn when he and Jill Vidal were arrested in Tokyo for possession of marijuana on March 3, 2009.  Godfather Alan Tam expressed anger and disappointment with him.  After spending a month in a detention center, Kwan was released and held a press conference to apologize.  There, he announced he would be taking a break from the entertainment industry and take the time to reflect on himself.

Kwan did not return to the music industry until over a year later in mid 2010.  His comeback single "One Year/一年" was a personal song that reflected on himself and the year he was away from the industry.  He released his comeback album "Here I Am" on September 22, 2010.  In general, the public was willing to give the singer a second chance and the comeback was met with relatively positive response.

Following his comeback, Kwan changed his image and musical style.  He adopted a more mature image and started getting involved with his music.  He's experimented with many different sounds and taken part in the writing and composing process of several of his songs.  Having developed more of an artistic and musical direction, he has unexpectedly evolved into something more than just a simple pop singer or gossip magnet.  He released his new and best selection album "Occupation" on March 30, 2012.

Artist Critique

Addressing his past...
At first sight, Kelvin Kwan was just another pretty boy with lots of connections who probably wouldn't last too long or make it too far in the music industry. His career could've died after his arrest in 2009, or he could've continued as an idol singer pretending as if nothing had happened. Unexpectedly, he has taken another route since making a comeback in 2010 and emerged as one of the most talented young singers in Hong Kong.

I won't deny that Kelvin hasn't done stupid and foolish things. In fact, I think it was hypocritical of him and former girlfriend Jill Vidal to be doing marijuana when they actively took part in anti-drug campaigns. Being a celebrity doesn't make up for his fault. However, he's also human. I strongly believe that a person can change and that they should have second chances. Kelvin didn't kill someone, nor did he commit a serious felony. He deserved a second chance, just like any other person who made a couple mistakes as an impressionable young person under pressure. In the end, what matters is whether or not that person turns their life around.

Kelvin was lucky. When he decided to make a comeback, he had the support of his whole record company. Would he have been able to stage such a successful comeback without the massive support? Maybe not. It's his connections and support that got him back into music. However, it's thanks to himself that he's gone so far instead of fading into oblivion after releasing one or two singles. He's proven he has what it takes to not only return, but stay on the music scene for a long time as well.

His music...

As opposed to continuing being the typical good looking young Cantopop singer who only sings love ballads, he's turned into an experimental and developing musician. He's not an excellent one man show who can do everything, but you can easily tell he's trying to improve himself and working to get there. Since his comeback, he has taken on a significantly larger creative presence for his music. He's taken part in songwriting, composing, and has even directed one of his music videos.

Kelvin Kwan has gone from being simply a singer into a developing artist. He is genuinely talented. With a great voice with decent range, he can do a variety of musical styles. His recent music is a joy to listen to because it is refreshing mainstream pop. He incorporates different elements such as rock, rap, hip hop, R&B, etc. He's breaking free of his previous image of singing love ballads too by also singing about political and societal issues. His music feels familiar yet fresh. It is well polished and produced, but his personal touch to it is also obvious. 

Overall

The truth? Kelvin Kwan is a flawed young man who has made stupid mistakes. However, it is because of talent, persistence, and a little bit of luck, that he's still here today. He's stayed out of trouble since and has made up for his wrongs. Forgiveness is a part of life. I have forgiven Kelvin for his mistakes because he's taken advantage of everything he's been fortunate enough to have to be better than ever.

Through out the years, he's outperformed many people's expectations, including mine. I certainly would not anticipate someone of his background and past would become the promising and creative artist today. It's not surprising Kelvin Kwan made a comeback. It is however, a surprise that he's managed to do so much and go so far. However, it's definitely a pleasant surprise. Because of all this, my like for him continues to grow and he is now one of my favorite singers. I strongly believe he will only continue to go farther. Best wishes to Kelvin and his future!

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Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed reading my take on Kelvin and his career, which has been met with mixed response. I tried to be as impartial as possible. What is your opinion on Kelvin's comeback? This was a longer spotlight post because of the in-depth artist critique. I'll be posting the second part (the song recommendations) soon.

Artist Spotlight: S.H.E.

Biography:
S.H.E. is a three member, Taiwanese girl group. The group consists of Selina Jen Chia-Hsuan, Hebe Tian Fu Chen, and Ella Chen Chia Hwa. In 2000 the three of them entered the record label HIM International's auditions and later participated in the Universal Talent and Beauty Girl Contest. The three girls all passed to the final round and in the end Selina was announced the first place winner. Later HIM International had contacted all three girls and they received a contract with the company.
Their first album Girls Dorm sold 150,000 copies and enabled them to be nominated for Best New Artist at the 13th Golden Disk Awards. Following the success of the their first album the girls went on to release numerous other albums as well as holding live concerts and tours. They also acted in several dramas including The Rose and Reaching for the Stars together. Ella and Hebe had starred in other dramas separately as well. Being in the industries for about 10 years now, the girls have a very solid foundation and had achieve several honors.

Discography:
Girl's Dorm: September 11, 2001
Youth Society: January 29, 2002
Genesis: August 5, 2002
Superstar: August 22, 2003
Magical Journey: February 6, 2004
Encore: November 12, 2004
Once Upon A Time: November 25, 2005
Play: May 11, 2007
FM S.H.E.: September 23, 2008
SHERO: March 26, 2010

Selina's Accident:
Recently S.H.E. had been promoting on their own because of Selina's accident back in 2010. While filming for her new drama I Have a Date With Spring, Selina was badly burnt by a stunt malfunction. She had to receive long term treatment and therapy. During her recovery Ella had pursued her acting career while Hebe had released her own single tracks. It was revealed that Selina was making good progress in her recovery. Earlier this year she had finally tied the knot with her fiance Richard Chang. Her wedding was held on October 31st, which happened to also be her birthday. Ella and Hebe had served as her bridesmaid along with her little sister. Many celebrities attended the wedding to give Selina their blessing and you can see the bride was smiling through her tears.
Lately the three of them had gotten together again for some commercials and endorsement. Selina had also released her solo EP, Dream Another Dream, on December 16th. The three song included in the EP were written for Selina by Jay Chou, Wang Lee Hom, and JJ Lin.

Critique
S.H.E., to me, is one of the most unique bands not only because of their personalities but also their voices. Though their voices aren't the strongest nor do they have the widest range, but they're sweet and moving. From Ella's deep tenor voice, to Hebe's full and fresh vocals, to Selina's sweet soprano voice each of the girls have their own style that compliment and support each other's when put together. Since their first concert, where the girls were criticized for their off-key singing, S.H.E. had improved immensely throughout the years. Their hard work and dedications is what makes me one of their fans. I also admire their never changing down-to-earth attitude as well as close relationships with each other. I look forward to seeing them continue their journey through the music industry and expand their horizon even further.

Song Recommendations



The girls were so cute in this, the locations and scenery were beautiful. The lyrics are playful and fun, while showing of the pride in their nationality.



I love the Victorian and Gothic style for the MV as well as song. I'm a sucker for fairy-tale themes and this song was addicting to me when I first found it.



This is the long version of the MV, it doesn't show much of the song, but the story between the couple was so touching I decided to add this.



This is the short version, one of my favorite song from them.



A touching ballad, though it's not one of my favorites, but I do like it and even more when I found out it was written by Hebe.



One of their more whimsical songs. I love this song, it always manages to cheer me up. The M.V. was overflowing with cuteness and made me reminisce of Ella and Wu Chun's Hana Kimi days. This song was used as the opening theme for the drama Hana Kimi which Ella starred in as the lead.



A collaboration song between S.H.E. and their label mate Fahrenheit (I love them <3). This super cute song was used as the theme song for Gong Zhu Xiao Mei (Romantic Princess). I love the chemistry between the two bands and they looked like they were having so much fun.
P.S.: Beware of the ear melting beep in the beginning Dx



This song was written by Ella to commemorate their days living together. The lyrics are so sweet and the girls are so cute ^^.



I love this song and album and this is arguably my favorite album from them. I love everything from the style, MV, lyrics, song, to simply how beautiful the girls looked in this. I feel like they have matured so much as well as change(for the better of course) in this comeback.

Other songs:

• Ru Guo Ni Shi Nu Hai (If You Were A Girl): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c4tstuDwws I love the lyrics as well as quirky beat of this song. It makes me happy and being a girl, I completely agree with the lyrics. 
• Chao Ke Neng (Very Possible): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qPU0G-qcdA&feature=related This song is one of my favorites as well, it has a very strong message and is very empowering. At first I was a bit disappointed in the amount of lines Ella had in this song, but then I got to her solo near the end and fell in love with it. 
• Bo Si Mao (Persian Cat): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7oPBYygnVM I like this song mainly because of the interesting theme. The song itself is catchy and is not something you come across daily. Sadly there are no English lyrics, so I don't understand the lyrics Dx. 
• The Story of Romeo and Juliet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kexlwWj7nt0 This song has a eerie and haunting melody as well as lyrics. It is another special song from S.H.E. that I adore. Sadly this is not one of their more popular songs, so I don't know if there are English lyrics, but I came across the Vietnamese translation and fell in love with the lyrics. The beginning creeps me out a bit though. 
• Xie Xie Ni Men Ai Wo De MeiYi Ge Ren (Thank You, Everyone Who Loves Me) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Mpt6Na4Ks&feature=related A touching song from Selina's EP. I hope for her to fully recover soon. 
• Mo Gui Zhong De Tian Shi (Angel Among the Devils): http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w6gYqWE4XLY A haunting song from Hebe's newest solo album My Love. This song is my favorite of her solo works, her voice is amazing in here and the music video was interesting as well.

Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm so excited, because this is my first artist spotlight. Since this is my first I wanted to do it on my favorite girl band/artistes, S.H.E. I got sort of carried away while doing the song recommendations, because I love so many of their songs. Hopefully you guys enjoy them as much as I do. I want to take this chance to congratulate Ella on her future marriage and Selina on her road to recovery and wedding. I wish the girls the best in the future and hope to see them in a new album xD.

K-Pop Artist Spotlight: Inspirational IU

Stage name: IU

Real name: Lee Ji-eun

Birth date: May 16, 1993

Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea

Label: LOEN Entertainment

Albums: Growing up, Real, Last fantasy, Lost and Found, IU....IM

Biography

IU is a South Korean singer. She debuted on September 18, 2008 on the Korean music show M countdown.

Her first mini album "Lost and Found" had a famous track "Missing child".  However, the album itself was not widely successful. Her first full album "Growing up" was launched on April 16, 2009, with a promotional number "Boo." This song did very well on various music charts. In 2009 for the drama Queen Seon Duk, she sang the ending title song "Araro."

In late 2009, IU recorded MC Mong's song "Love Letter for You" which featured SHINee's Key as the rapper. For the T.V. show "We Got Married", IU recorded "Nagging" with 2AM's Seulong. She won her first award since her debut on SBS Inkigayo for her song "Nagging" on June 27, 2010. She won another award for Music Bank K-chart on July 2, 2010.

For the MBC drama Road No. 1 IU was chosen to sing the main OST song "Because I am a Woman." For her third mini-album REAL, released in December 2010, IU worked with some of the most famous South Korea's musicians. Her album REAL also had a winning song "Good Day", which she won three SBS Inkigayo Mutizen awards for. IU's recent song "You and I" had a similar concept to "Good Day" but had its own unique style and message.

Critique

IU is a very talented Korean singer. She is very cute and has a beautiful voice.  Her voice is high but also very soft at the same time. My favorite song from her is "Good Day". In that song, I find it amazing how she hits three high notes perfectly. She also holds the notes out for a long time which shows that she has lungs of a singer.

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE HER!!

Song Recommendations

HK Artist Spotlight: Eric Suen

Biography
Born on January 3, 1973 and entering the music industry in 1993, in the blink of an eye Eric Suen has been making music for nearly 20 years.

Eric attended Hong Kong's Chinese University majoring in computer engineering and minor in French. At the college, he participated in a songwriting competition and won the grand prize. With his talent and stage presence, he attracted the attention of record executives and entered the music industry in 1993 at just 20 years old.

He was propelled to stardom in 1994 with his first single and album, both titled "爱的故事上集" (Love Story, Part 1), which was a huge hit.  He focused his career on Taiwan and gained experience in Japan and Korea as well.  Eric went on to become a popular singer and idol of the 1990s.

In 2000, he took a break from his music career to develop a television career in Mainland China.  He starred in the popular series "Huai Yu Gong Zhu" and several other dramas.  He starred in the TVB series "Pages of Treasure" in 2008 opposite Hong Kong actors Wayne Lai, Sonija Kwok, Shirley Yeung, etc.

Under Universal Music Group, Eric returned to the music scene in 2006.  His first single with his new record label was a duet with Stephanie Che titled "再見亦是戀人" (roughly translated to Goodbye is Also a Lover), which did moderately well.

He officially returned to the music scene in 2007 with the extremely successful song "思前戀後" (roughly translated to "Love the Thought Before").  The song went on to become a "Three Champion Song", reaching #1 on the RTHK, TVB, and 997 stations.  His comeback album was "So Far So...Close", which contained both new works and classics.  His comeback garnered him the silver award for "Most Popular Singer" at the JSG Awards that year.

Following his return to music under Universal, he released the albums "In the Name of...Love", "Only Want to Be With You", "Man in the Mirror", and "Never Say Goodbye", which all did moderately well.  "Man in the Mirror" allowed him to be more creative and he has songwriting credits on several of the songs.  The album garnered him several awards.  "Never Say Goodbye", his most recent album, was his first Mandarin album in over 9 years.

Critique
Many singers come and go or lose their former quality of music, but Eric Suen is one of the few who have retained their youth as well as consistently release wonderful music.

Eric Suen is and has been my favorite C-Pop singer since getting into C-Pop about three years ago.  He has a soothing voice with great range and the emotion he puts into his music seem effortless.  What I love about his music is that his sound is neither too young (like today's newcomers or "idols") or too old.  It is mature, well-produced and polished, yet pleasing and enjoyable.

Although his comeback has given him moderate success, he is no longer anywhere as popular as he was in the 90s.  Perhaps it's because he's been in the industry for nearly 20 years or because he's overshadowed by Universal's other singers like Hacken, Eason, and Kay, but his popularity has faded.

Nevertheless, I much prefer his music after his return and still consider him my favorite.  He is no longer an idol that girls fawn over, but a true singer.  Since his comeback, he has gained a lot more creative control of his music, making it feel more personal and memorable.

Eric has a couple upbeat songs that are great, but his slower songs are still his specialty.  They show his voice, emotion, and are overall more well-produced.

Song Recommendations

"爱的故事上集" (Love Story, Part 1)
His first song as well as the song that shot him to popularity.  The MV is poor quality and makes it evident how old it is, but the song itself is still a memorable classic with a great melody.


"再見亦是戀人" (Goodbye is Also a Lover) (Ft. Stephanie Che)
Eric's first single following signing a record deal with Universal.  The song boosts great vocals from both Eric and Stephanie (a very underrated singer with a beautiful voice) and uses rounds, creating a lovely and extremely well-produced song that is very hard to sing.


"思前戀後" (Love the Thought Before)
His "Three Champion Song".  An example of one of his memorable slow songs that shows great vocals, emotion, and melody.  Note: The video is property of Universal and will tell you to watch on YouTube, simply click the link to watch.

Apologies for the inconvenience, but a majority of Eric's MV's are uploaded by Universal, who have disabled the embed option to their videos.  For consistency sake, I've posted the links.  Please just click on the links to watch on YouTube.

• "自愛" (Self-Love): http://youtu.be/oTmhHv6nfDs
  Another great slow and emotional slow song with a lovely melody.
• Here I Go: http://youtu.be/DQ4P9kwHWWY
  One of my favorites of Eric.  What's so different and unique about it is the subtle R&B influence.  Sidenote: Vivien Yeo, his love interest in "Pages of Treasure" is featured in the video.
• Here I Go (English Version): http://youtu.be/7nVjGsGp2I0
• "我教你分手" (I'll Teach You to Break Up): http://youtu.be/oLFFJwGuFc0
• "只要和你在一起" (Only Want to Be With You): http://youtu.be/eAF1SNKMsv4
  A more uplifting song by Eric.  Very sweet and cute.
• "眾傷" (Public Injury): http://youtu.be/EavyIuodzJw
• "如果生命還有歌" (If Life Still Has a Song): http://youtu.be/Q9KWSlynU-s
• "圍城故鄉" (Walled Hometown): http://youtu.be/ZlcyOxZQpv
  Meaningful with a fantastic melody.  Another one of my favorites.
• "36" http://youtu.be/dMHa9YPuMjk
  A very catchy and fun upbeat song.  This is Eric at his silliest as the MV is fun, creative, and silly.  All his different costumes and facial expressions were hilarious.
• "You and I": http://youtu.be/9GEVaauhzLY
  Soothing and sweet, this song never fails to make me smile.
• "不屬於我的淚" (Not Part of My Tears): http://youtu.be/0eNmgkeh3VM

Overall

Eric Suen is one of the most experienced and talented singers that is still a part of the Hong Kong music scene today.  He is my favorite singer for his great voice and music. 

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Author's Note: Since Eric is my favorite singer, there was a lot more to say and share about him.  Apologies if you think it's too long and hope you enjoy his music as much as I do! :)

K-Pop Artist Spotlight: Genuine G.NA

Stage name: G.NA

Real name: Choi Gina

Birth date: September 13, 1987

Birthplace: Canada

Lable: Cube Entertainment

Albums: Draw G's first Breath, Playful Kiss OST, Black and White, Top Girl

Biography

Choi Gina(G.NA) is a Korean singer. Before moving to Seoul, Korea to become a singer she lived in Canada for 17 years.

G.N.A. was first set to debut with a girl group "Five Girls" under Good Entertainment. "Five Girls" along with "Wonder Girls's Yubin, "After School's UEE, Secret's Hyosung, and and "T-ara's member Yang Jiwon, were all called off before their scheduled debut in 2007 due to the financial problems of Good Entertainment.

G.NA, along with Rain, released her first duet "Things I Want to Do When I Have a Lover", which was her leap into the Korean music industry.

G.NA's first debut album Draw G's First Breath was the most anticipated female solo act. Her debut MV "I'll Back Off So You Can Live" featured BEAST's (B2ST) member Doo Joon as a male actor and Jun Hyung's rapping as well. On August 12, 2010, she won her first award on M countdown. Later, she did a duet with "4Minute's" Hyuna in a single "Together Forever."

G.NA took part in the original soundtrack to "Playful kiss", starring Kim Hyun Joong of SS501 and Jung So Min with her song"Kiss Me."

G.NA has been casted for the upcoming KBS musical drama "Drean High 2".

Cube Entertainment informed that G.NA will leave her singing career temporarily to focus on her acting. She will be playing the role of Jane.

Critique

G.N.A has such strong vocals. When I listen to her songs, I can actually feel the emotion behind it and relate to the song. You can feel the sentimental value in the songs because you can hear the emotion in her voice. The atmosphere is full of emotions.

I love G.NA she is my idol ^^

Song Recommendations

HK Artist Spotlight: G.E.M.

G.E.M. is hands down the most talented young singer in Hong Kong today.  With her astonishing vocal range, soulful voice, and musical talent, G.E.M. shot to huge stardom after the release of her first EP "G.E.M." in 2008 and has not looked back since.

Biography
Born with the birth name Gloria Tang, G.E.M.'s unique stage name stands for "Get Everyone Moving" which is a representation of her hopes to inspire everyone with her music.

Coming from a musical family, G.E.M. composed her first song at the tender age of 5 years old and finished her piano study by the time she was 13.  With her natural talent, she won many singing competitions.

G.E.M. got her big break in 2006 at the singing competition "Spice It Up, which caught the eye of record company Hummingbird Music.  She was merely 15 years old at the time when she first debuted into the music industry.

Her first self-titled EP released in 2008, successfully capturing the attention of the entire Hong Kong music industry and taking home countless "Best Newcomer" awards.

She continued her success with her second album "18..." in 2009 and held her first concert.

Her third and latest album "MySecret" released in 2010, which gave her even more acclaim and commercial success.  A majority of the songs were written herself.  "MySecret" went on to become the top selling album in Hong Kong, even managing to out sell Taylor Swift's phenomenon "Speak Now".

G.E.M. held her first concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in May 2011, which was a huge honor as well as accomplishment.  At 20 years old, she is the youngest female singer to ever hold a concert at the prestigious concert site.

Critique
The Hong Kong music scene has been a bit lacking lately, and G.E.M. has helped brightened it since her entrance into the industry.  With her youthfulness and show stopping vocals, she brought something new and wonderful with her talent.  Typically, Chinese people are not born with such a strong voice and vast vocal range, making her voice even more impressive.  Most people in the HK entertainment business are in their late 20s to early 30s, so it is refreshing to see someone so young and fresh with such an immense amount of talent.

Upon getting into TVB dramas and C-Pop music in 2008, G.E.M. quickly captured my attention and become one of my favorite singers.  I've been closely following her music since.  Not only does she have an amazing voice, but her music itself is overall well produced and a great listen.  It has been great seeing her grow up and mature and I hope she only continues to release more superb music.

G.E.M. Essentials


"等一個他" : The debut single
Upbeat and catchy, "等一個他" was released as G.E.M.'s first single.  The music video is silly yet cute and with the school theme, it is evident how young she was here.


"Where Did U Go" : The break out song
As the second single off her first EP, "Where Did U Go" became G.E.M.'s break out song and is arguably her most popular one.  It features a great combination of pop and rock along with many musical elements to make it a simple, soothing, catchy, and memorable song.  "Where Did U Go" remains one of my favorite songs.


"睡公主" : The ballad and vocal showcase
Translated to "Sleeping Beauty", "睡公主" was G.E.M.'s first ballad.  An overall gorgeous song that thoroughly showed off her amazing vocal range.


"All About U" : The second album hit
G.E.M. followed up to her breakout first album with "18..." with the lead single "All About U", a cute and sweet song about being in love.  The catchy song has a great beat, music, and of course, vocals.


"A.I.N.Y." : The haunting show stopper
Unlike any song she's ever released, "A.I.N.Y." (which actually stands for 愛你, the Chinese characters for "loving you") is a phenomenal song with a haunting feel.  It starts off slowly and builds up tension before finally letting G.E.M. belt her heart out.  The music video on the other hand, was not executed too well.


"Good to be Bad" : The career changer
As the lead single off of her third album "MySecret", "Good to be Bad" showed off a more grown up and mature G.E.M., now 19 years old.  Using a catchy beat and chorus with R&B elements, "Good to be Bad" introduced a more edgy side to the singer.  Male fans of G.E.M. will probably be drooling from the video as well, which matches the song's title.


"Get Over You" : The heartbreak song
Every singer has their heartbreak song.  "Get Over You" is a fantastic heartbreak song that combines emotion and angst with great vocals.  This is probably G.E.M. at her most soulful!


"MySecret" : The feel good song
Another personal favorite of mine, "MySecret" is a sweet and uplifting song that just makes you feel good.  It is about the wonderful feeling you get when you fall for someone, and the lyrics were written by G.E.M. herself.

Other Song Recommendations

• 回憶的沙漏 http://youtu.be/zZ8T75DdeQQ
• Game Over MV: http://youtu.be/uCIoAwJ_5Ao
• Mascara MV: http://youtu.be/8lg1ymm99CQ
• I Don't Know How to Love 我不懂愛: http://youtu.be/lwm2DBwdxGk
• The Voice Within: http://youtu.be/qTYFN_VVTO8
• The Rose: http://youtu.be/ND2Bkldl_aM

Watch G.E.M. Live

"A.I.N.Y." Live
You're not a true singer unless you can sing live.  This is something G.E.M. has no problem with.  In fact, she probably sounds better completely raw than anything.  A chilling performance of fan favorite "A.I.N.Y."!

Acoustic and Completely Raw

Following the death of king of pop Michael Jackson, G.E.M. uploaded this tribute to him on her YouTube page.  This is a beautiful cover that not only contains a lot of emotional and soul, but it is G.E.M. completely raw.

Overall
G.E.M. has a bright future ahead of her and all the success she's received has been deserved.  If anybody wants to listen to some great C-Pop by a young artist, definitely give G.E.M. a try!

For more information about G.E.M., visit her official website http://www.geteverybodymoving.com/.