The Star Online: Entertainment: Music
The Star Online: Entertainment: Music |
| Posted: 07 Mar 2013 02:07 AM PST Former beauty queen Soo Wincci looks to Taiwan for an Asian music breakthrough. SOO Wincci, Miss World Malaysia 2008 turned full-time pop artiste, is not your normal Jane. Apart from holding a Masters in Business Administration from University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia and also a law degree from the University of Reading in England, Soo is as ambitious as they come. She has been balancing a career as a singer, actress, shoe designer, composer and celebrity Master Chef. Let's not forget she is also pursuing her PhD in Business Management from Open University Malaysia. "People collect things as a hobby but I collect certificates!" quipped Soo at a recent media session in Kuala Lumpur. "Artistes these days are not just providing entertainment, we are leaders of the entertainment circle," she added. At the media gathering, the 27-year-old Klang Valley-based star was keen to talk about her music career developments in Taiwan. As the story goes, Soo left for Taiwan late last year to further her singing career. She launched her album entitled Happiness there in December. Since Soo is a newbie in the entertainment industry in Taiwan, she sees this Mandarin album as a branding exercise in preparation for her upcoming albums. "I don't really mind the number of sales for the album. I just want to establish myself in the (Taiwanese) scene," she said. Released on the Ocean Butterflies International Pte Ltd imprint, Happiness is a 10-track affair dealing mostly with matters of the heart. Her single Happiness laid the groundwork with radio stations and the music media there latching on to the track. "Happiness and I'll Be Alright are dedicated to my ex-boyfriend, who is still my good friend. Without him, I would not be where I am today," revealed Soo, who even hosted and sang at her ex-flame's wedding. I'll Be Alright was featured as a theme song for a Taiwanese drama series. Soo added that the song – with its inspirational theme – brought back fond memories. "It is a bigger and different scene in Taiwan, where everyday is a test and at every event, you need to offer something new," said Soo, who commutes between Taipei and Kuala Lumpur weekly. For example, in one of the reality shows in Taipei, she performed a pole-dancing act live while the other artistes sang. "There was a lot of pressure on me as there was only one take and I completed the dance with bruises all over my legs, but it was worth it." Nevertheless, Soo feels that she is getting into the groove in the Taiwanese music scene as she meets new people everyday. "Over there, the seniors (referring to the senior artistes) take care of the juniors really well. By communicating with different people, including the PR, marketing and administrative people, I have learned so much. I can actually apply my work experience in my PhD homework." With only three to four hours of sleep daily, Soo is totally committed to making music a long term career. Soo is also learning to play the violin from her primary school friend, local celebrity violinist Dennis Lau. "We are actually collaborating (for songs) and I learn the violin from him in between rest times," explained Soo on how she manages to squeeze in violin lessons amidst her tight schedule. When asked on her plans for the future, Soo said she aims to first gain a foothold in the Asian market. "I am an extremist. I like to set my goals very high and I will try my best to achieve them." And at this point, Soo, who also speaks French, sees herself working towards more music experiences abroad. "A very important point I learned is that you should never perform if you are not ready." As to how Soo manages her stress, she says she bakes and even posts her diet recipe ("Flourless Oiless Chia Seed Grape Muffins") on her website. "I bake in the middle of the night but I won't eat what I bake," noted Soo, who seeks to maintain her slim figure. |
| Elton John needs a room just for his glasses Posted: 06 Mar 2013 11:57 PM PST Sir Elton John asked for a separate hotel room for his glasses ahead of a gig in Brazil. The Rocket Man hitmaker requested the additional quarters to house his spectacles at the Ouro Minas five-star hotel in Belo Horizonte ahead of his show this Saturday, and he asked organisers of the gig to ensure the temperature of the extra room was maintained at 16 degrees Celsius. A spokesperson for the show's production company told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Elton John asked for an extra room in the hotel for some of his collection of glasses because he needs a temperature of 16C to preserve the accessories." The 65-year-old star also made a number of beverage requests including four bottles of cranberry juice, a pint of fresh skimmed milk and two bottles of good quality Pinot Grigio wine, as well as eight small bottles of French Evian water, and five large bottles or 12 small bottles of San Pellegrino sparkling water. Elton - a former owner of English soccer club Watford FC - also asked for large vases of red and white roses and access to cable TV, specifically sports channels, as well as an international phone line, which took the spokesperson by surprise. The spokesperson added: "What stands out is the request for a phone line with international access and, surprisingly, a television with access to local channels and cable. "In the latter, there is yet another requirement: that among the channels, he specifically has the sports channels." Elton will perform at the Mineirao stadium in front of 60,000 people on Saturday, and some tickets have cost up to £230. |
| Bruno Mars tops Billboard 200 Chart Posted: 06 Mar 2013 10:18 PM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. R&B singer Bruno Mars grabbed the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday for the first time after discounted online prices boosted sales of Unorthodox Jukebox some four months after its release. Mars' album, which includes the hit Locked Out Of Heaven, sold 95,000 copies last week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan. Industry magazine Billboard said 64,000 units of the album were digital downloads following a one-day sale of US$1.99 on Amazon.com's MP3 site. Atoms for Peace, the rock group fronted by Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, claimed the second spot with their debut album Amok entering the chart at No. 2, selling 50,000 units. Mumford & Sons' Grammy-winning album Babel fell from the top spot last week into third, while the same Amazon MP3 online sale that helped Mars also vaulted hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' album The Heist from No. 16 to No. 4. Hillsong United, the band from Australian megachurch Hillsong, rounded out the top five with the album Zion, selling 34,000 units in its first week. Three of the top four albums are distributed by independent companies rather than large conglomerates, the first time it has happened since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, Billboard said. Alternative Distribution Alliance distributed albums for Atoms for Peace and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. RED Distribution released Babel for Mumford & Sons. On the digital songs chart, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' cheeky rap Thrift Shop held at No. 1 for the eighth consecutive week with 326,000 downloads, a 10 percent decline from last week. Mars' song When I Was Your Man placed second, trading spots from last week with viral music video hit Harlem Shake by electronic artist Baauer, who landed at No. 3 this week. Digital song downloads totaled 253.8 million for the year, which is down 2 percent compared to the same period in 2012. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Entertainment: Music To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan