[Article translated from i-weekly no.309]



Daniel Chan separated by a screen of smoke


Looking at him, stretching his back after an interview; Looking at his eyes wide and staring into space;
Looking at the car enthusiast, Daniel Chan focused his attention at playing with his remote controlled toy car, which was zipping and zooming around the hotel suite.

Picturing him, picturing himself in the toy car speeding away…whizzing in the wind. The ‘car’ makes a turn and ‘knock’ onto my foot.

Interview after interview, DongDong occasionally winks his tired eyes and hides his embarrassment with a goofy smile. Finally, he puts away his toy car and smile, to do the interview seriously.

During the interview, DongDong was smoking. Veiled behind the cigarette smoke, DongDong’s face seems a bit twisted but ironically real.


Inspiration, mind in sub-consciousness.


Actually, DongDong already has his own music production company called Xiao Tung Music Pte Ltd. Two years ago, he was in elation when he gave out designations. A creative mind will not want to be submitted to another’s call. Being the boss, he will have a bigger say about his music direction and can have more of his own input to his music career. He also hopes to play a part in nurturing new talents.

“I am actively looking for new talents, one of them is still a student… I would like to unearth and know where one’s potential lies. DongDong said that he is very liberal about his own works, if someone felt that his work was not good enough, he will continue to write another composition, and so on. This is because; the opportunity to let him express himself in music already makes him a happy person. He hopes this happiness will continue for a long time to come.

To DongDong, his most creative time of the day is when he is in a state of sub-consciousness, as though the soul is revisited. “Insulated from the bustles of the mundane world, sensibility in a state of limbo, hence it should belong to sub-conscious music. Melodies derived in this surreal state should be very accurate and they are good. It is as though it was meant for me.” An example is ‘Allow Me To Love You’; it was composed in this surreal state. When his fountain of creativity spouts, DongDong would rush into the toilet to jot them down, so these sparks do not fleet away. However, most of these ‘compositions’ were forgotten and neglected due to DongDong’s laziness.


Not Wanting to Die Yet


It is the first time for DongDong to don ancient garb for a serial. The serial was ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’, he played the character, Ning CaiChen. The late Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing brought Ning to life. DongDong accepted the role in part to pay tribute to Leslie and simply because he had never acted in an ancient serial genre.

Leslie Cheung was hailed as the last royalty in HK Entertainment. Bearing similar traits in terms of appearance, does DongDong feels that he is the one to fill Leslie’s void? “Different eras will mold a star’s traits differently. Yeah, a person’s traits are attributed to his upbringing and vision of life too. “ A couple of years ago, DongDong’s manager committed suicide. That has grieved and affected DongDong. And it was hard for him to come to terms with it. However, this incident had given him another perceptive to life.

“I don’t think I am fit enough to critique Leslie’s suicide but I have the love of my family and friends. They make me live life more positively. If you want me to list out the folks who love me, it will definitely be more than ten. No matter how reality is, I do not wish that it will affect or alter my happiness. I do not want to die yet.” Having found the basis of happiness, everything as a matter of fact, just like his handsome face.

DongDong looks have helped him gained a foothold in HK Entertainment when he first burst into the scene. However, as time goes by, ‘attitude’ becomes the new buzz. The Music Scene becomes a niche market. Suddenly, DongDong finds his looks become a bane as he yearns to be recognized for his music.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I remembered there was one executive producer in Beijing who remarked that I am like Peter Pan. I was bemused. Ha! Ha!”

Hip- Hop and R&B is latest buzz in Chinese Pop Music. However, DongDong wasn’t really into it. “Hip-Hop represents a part of Black American culture. It isn’t my culture so I won’t do it. I won’t be able to bring out the essence of Hip-Hop. I grew up in a Canto-Pop environment so this is where my music will move forth.”


Love, a wonderment littered with truths


Daniel Chan and Cecilia Cheung. The HK press churned. The protagonists were tired, the readers were tired but the ones writing the scope were not. When it comes to his love life, DongDong is happy to let the press use their imagination, while he is always tight-lipped.

“At five, I like to play computer games. At eight, I like McDonalds. Then I grew up and was all in love with sports cars and after that I found out that I fell in love with someone… Man at different stages will fall in love with different things and invoke sparks. You can say it is magnetic fields or fate but it always led you to wonder.”

To fall in love, to hate and to leave someone, there are always reasons to it. To DongDong, there is an explanation to everything, it always makes him wonder; “ Why is it not someone else?” Everything has its moment of truth, but when you are in the maze, you lost focus. Once out of the maze, you will realize what went wrong after some time.

According to hearsay, DongDong is currently dating a girl from a well-to- do family. Faced with these hearsays, DongDong was a picture of nonchalance but he did not rule out that he would make his move when Miss Right appears.

When the interview reverted back to his career path, DongDong perks up. In the future, he hopes to make in routes into the movie world. He is keen to work with directors like Wong Kar Wai, Stanley Kwan, Chan Hor Saan and Tsui Hark.

Used to hear the media say that Daniel Chan is passé. Looking at him now, a person who is in control about his life and career, and know where he is heading. Perhaps, the DongDong now is ‘IN’.

pic courtesy of coolmanmusic.com



- posted by lepra @ 6:29 am

 


[Oriental Daily]

Space travelling hero Yang Liwei will be paying a visit to Hong Kong on Friday and the government has planned a grand welcoming performance for him on Saturday at the Hong Kong Stadium that can hold a massive 40,000 people. Reports indicate that amongst the stars who will be performing will be "Emperor's Treasures": Nic Tse, Joey Yung and Twins as well as the big brother of the entertainment world himself Jackie Chan. Taikonaut Yang himself may even join in to sing a song or two with Jackie.

The officials were all very excited about this event and each performer has been specially chosen to appear with a special curtain raising ceremony where Nic, Joey and Twins have been picked especially to take part. Nic will be singing "Chung Gwok Yan" (Chinese People) and Joey will be singing "Ngo Dik Giu Yeung" (My Pride) as they accompany Yang Liwei onto the stage. As for Twins' song, it is yet to be decided.

As for the closing ceremony, the officials have selected Jackie Chan to be the guest performer and he will be singing "Nam Yee Dong Jee Keun" (A Man is to be Strong - Wong Fei Hung theme) possibly with a special performance from Mr Yang. If this takes place it will definitely be a spectacular event.

EEG's Talent Division Director Mani Fok commented on the reports saying that the Chinese officials had been in touch with Nicholas, Joey and Twins and they are currently working around schedules so that they can perform at this show as they feel it is a great honour to be invited. Although they are all due to take part in an awards ceremony in Guangzhou later on that evening, they will do everything they can to ensure that they can rush there, even enlisting the help of a police escort from Shenzhen.

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/031028/10/v26d.html
- posted by Em @ 10:22 pm

 
[News from the-sun]



Leon Lai was the HK Film Festival2003 ambassador to Seoul, South Korea. He flew all the way to Seoul to attend the opening.

The organisers got Leon Lai to meet some of his fans up close and personal. A male fan actually hugged and kissed Leon Lai. Leon Lai was visibly shaken and embarassed. However, he expressed that he was resigned to the fact that some fans are overtly enthusiatic.
- posted by lepra @ 11:57 am