Houston Community News >> Pop Singers Gather in Taiwan For Mandarin Music Awards
6/16/2007 TAIPEI - Pop singers
from Taiwan, China, and Southeast Asia gathered in Taipei on Saturday for the
annual Golden Melody Awards, dubbed the Chinese-language Grammys.
Taiwanese pop divas A-Mei and Jolin Tsai, Singapore's Wayne Lam and Gary Chaw
from Malaysia are among those expected to tread the red carpet at the awards,
organizers said.
The competition is fierce for Best Female Singer with big-name nominees such as
A-Mei, Tsai and Hong Kong's veteran songstress Sandy Lam vying for the title.
Several music critics surveyed by the United Daily News (UDN) on Friday favored
former Golden Melody winner A-Mei for her latest album "I Want Happiness."
"I think this is A-Mei's most successful record in recent years ... as she
highlighted her pure and heartfelt emotions," lyrist Shih Ren-cheng was quoted
by the paper as saying.
A-Mei also faces challenges from younger singers such as Angela Chang, Pang
Ching-hui and Malaysia's Penny Tai.
The Best Male Singer category is the most diverse this year with Taiwan's David
Tao and Kenji Wu competing against Singapore's Wayne Lam, Malaysia's Gary Chaw
and Korean American Nicky Lee.
Critics were divided in predicting a winner.
"Lam's style matured in this album 'Cao Cao' and his overall singing performance
improved greatly. However, the creative and versatile Wu is also to be watched
out for," former Golden Melody judge Wang Fu-yi was quoted as saying.
For the Best Album of the Year prize, best female singer hopefuls Jolin Tsai and
Pang Ching-hui are competing with musical groups Sodagreen, Hao-en and JiaJia,
singer Deserts Chang and alternative singer MC Hot Dog.
China's Xian Zi is tipped to win the Newcomer award for her debut album named
after herself, according to the UDN survey.
Taiwan's R and B prince Jay Chou, although he missed out in the Best Male Singer
nominations, will vie for Best Single Producer and Best Musical Video Director
awards for his hit record "Huo Yuan Chia."
(Contributed by AFP)