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Rachael Boon

The Straits Times

Publication Date : 07-01-2013

Taiwanese singer-actress Rainie Yang is idolised by many, but she cried when her own idol Coco Lee guest-starred in her concert

When your idol, Hong Kong diva Coco Lee, agrees to be a guest star at your concert, you know that you have come a long way.

This realisation hit Taiwanese singer-actress Rainie Yang when she performed with Lee onstage last month on the Hong Kong stop of her Rainie Yang Love Voyage world tour.

Yang, 28, was so overwhelmed by Lee, one of her role models, that she cried during rehearsals with the 37-year-old Chinese-American singer.

Over the telephone from Taipei, Yang says in Mandarin: "I couldn't believe that she was a guest star at my concert. I was so happy, I cried."

She will perform at The Max Pavilion @ Singapore Expo on Saturday, January 12.

There will be no guest stars for her concert here, but the petite singer will do stunts such as holding her breath underwater in a giant bowl onstage and singing while suspended in mid-air.

Fellow Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai recently had an accident during a rehearsal but Yang says she is not worried.

"I leave these worries to the professionals and will not question them. I don't think about accidents when I am performing," she says.

Nor does she aspire to try stunts as outrageous as Tsai's. On December 20, Tsai, who is known for her demanding dance routines on stage, was rehearsing a pole-dance act for her Taiwan concert when she fell headfirst from a height of 1m. She has since recovered from the fall.

Yang, who is single, says: "Each artist's style is different. Jolin goes on the dance route and I will sing in the air. After all, I'm a singer and I cannot possibly do something beyond that capacity."

This is her 13th year in the industry. She won a Golden Bell award for Best Leading Actress in the 2009 television drama, Hi My Sweetheart. The Golden Bell awards are Taiwan's equivalent of the Emmys.

1 Does your mother worry about your concert stunts?

She doesn't know anything at all. She thinks that I don't prepare for my concerts because I don't do anything when I'm home. She will only know what I'm doing on the actual day of the performance. Of course, she'll feel sad but she's happy whenever I complete any challenges.

2 Is that how you always deal with any challenges?

I don't take up challenges or stunts for the applause or cheers. I want people to know that I have a strong personality. I don't like to cry or show my vulnerability, so I always challenge myself to let others know what I'm like, for example, that I can sing while I am hanging upside down in mid-air.

3 Besides Lee, who are the singers whose live performances have captivated you?

A-Mei, because she has a brave style. She sings so clearly, you can hear every single word. At her concerts, from the start to the end, everyone sings along with her. That stems from the great rapport she has with the audience. With every song she sings, you feel high and that is highly infectious.

4 Since your debut in show business as a member of the now-defunct girl group 4 In Love, how much have you improved as an artist?

Improvement is a must, just like how you should do better with each performance. It adds to my overall life experience.

I have learnt to appreciate those beside me much more and I really enjoy my time onstage. I appreciate the media's concern and I have become more grateful. These things are an encouragement to me.

5 Did you ever imagine you would be in show business for so long?

It often scares me how long I have been in the industry. I do forget that it's been so long because I'm constantly trying new things, new projects. Even if I continue singing and acting for 20 years, I will still feel the same way.

6 What have been the highest and lowest points of your career so far?

My highest point hasn't arrived yet (laughs), that will definitely come later. It may not necessarily be a career high, it could be more personal.

Having been in the industry for so long, I've learnt not to neglect my health and I want to love myself more.

I don't have low points because you should believe in yourself, in how anything can be solved. Don't treat small problems as a low point in your life - that's important.

7 What are your new year resolutions?

I wish I could quickly start filming again, whether it is a TV series or a movie, but it depends on the timing. I had to make some sacrifices for my concert tour, but it's worth it because I want to complete this tour. I want to sing well, so filming can take a backseat for now.

8 How would you like to be remembered?

It's not important to me at all. I just hope to live my life well and I don't think about how I will be remembered. I don't have major life philosophies.

What matters is that right now, my performances and work touch others. If people momentarily remember me for that, I'll be very happy.