ASIAWEEK September 24,1999
(Volume 25 Number 38)
Faye Wong - Cantopop Diva
Ballads that bring people together
Faye Wong is often called the queen of Canto-pop. But
that's not really an accurate description. While she's by
far the most popular female singer in Hong Kong, the
Beijing-born diva croons in Putonghua just as often as
in Hong Kong's Cantonese dialect. And her appeal
spreads far beyond Hong Kong. Wong's catchy love
ballads ring out in even the remotest mainland
provinces, as well as in Taiwan and Chinese
communities throughout Southeast Asia. Often branded
as icy and elusive, Wong, 30, has battled with the
media ever since she shot to international fame in the
mid-1990s. Her pregnancy, the birth of her daughter in
Beijing, and her divorce from drummer Dou Wei were
all covered extensively by the paparazzi. Though she
initially tried to conceal the fact that she was pregnant,
two Hong Kong newspapers went to court to fight for
the exclusive use of a photo confirming that she was
indeed with child. When Dou Jintong was born and
quickly allowed into Hong Kong, gossip circulated that
Wong was receiving favorable treatment. After all,
many mainland applicants have to wait years for entry.
Wong's career has weathered it all. With 25 albums,
more than 50 awards and several film and TV acting
stints, her popularity shows no sign of waning. She is
held up as an example for mainland artists aspiring to
expand beyond their home markets. For through her
music, Wong has been able to do what many
politicians can't: bring together people in Hong Kong,
Taiwan and China, no matter what their political bent.
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