Performing on the same stage as Mandopop superstar Jay Chou can be daunting, but each performer at the Loud Festival was a star in their own right.
Contributed By Audrey Yeo
(L-R) Landy Wen (left) in a duet with Jay Chou.
Asia’s King of Mando-pop Jay Chou shared the stage with several of his countrymen as he headlined the Loud Festival held on Oct. 7 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Among them were the award-winning band Sodagreen, karaoke singer Landy Wen and talented newcomer Cindy Yen.
The independent folk-rock-pop outfit Sodagreen, popularly known as Su Da Lü, opened the concert with three upbeat songs which got the evening started on a high note, literally; lead singer, Wu Tsing-Fong, displayed his falsetto voice in two new songs from their upcoming album (slated for release next month), hitting all the right notes in a seemingly effortless manner. One of the band’s most popular hits, “Little Love Song,” had all the fans drawing out their light sticks, singing and waving along.
The second to perform was Wen, who wowed the crowd with her signature smooth dance moves and a DJ spinning her songs. With her dance medleys and dazzling stage persona, the auditorium took on a vibe reminiscent of that at a discotheque—as one fan rightly observed, all that was missing were the drinks. Next was special guest Yen, the first artiste signed on by Chou’s music company in 2009. The bilingual American-born Chinese singer delivered two Mandarin songs from both of her 2009 and 2010 albums before performing an English song.
Sodagreen’s Shie Shin-Yi on the bass. PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNUSUAL ENTERTAINMENT.
Undoubtedly, the loudest cheers, claps and whistles that night belonged to Chou. Delivering solo performances of his signature tunes on the piano and guitar, he did not fail to give the fans what they came for. Even before he came on stage, there were already resounding shouts of his name from his diehard fans. When he appeared, the throngs of fans unanimously drew out their camera, phone and iPads to capture their idol—it all made for a rather amusing picture of their adoration for Chou.
Besides singing, the veteran performer is also extremely quick-witted, spontaneously improvising the lyrics of his songs to suit the mood of the moment. He sang two new songs from his upcoming album as well as memorable classics from his previous work, all of which were, expectedly, well-received.
Admittedly, most of the fans were only there to catch a piece of Chou in action, but it was heartening to see the other singers put up a polished show in their own right, contributing toward a two-hour extravaganza of fun and song.
