The Star Online: Entertainment: Music
The Star Online: Entertainment: Music |
| Faye Wong's divorce sparks comeback talk Posted: Speculation also centres on the reason of split-up. SINGER Faye Wong's eight-year marriage with actor-turned-businessman Li Yapeng has ended, but the speculation about why they split up and what she will do next is just beginning. Hong Kong's Oriental Daily News quoted sources speaking of a comeback for Wong, 44, who has not released a new record since she married Li, 41. The sources also denied talk that Wong, a known devout Buddhist, would become a nun and practise her faith at Sakya Monastery in Tibet. They said the Chinese star is not likely to leave her two daughters – Jingtong, 16, by first husband, musician Dou Wei, and Yan, seven, by Li – and is more likely to return soon to work. Oriental said it found the star getting retail therapy in Hong Kong more than a week ago. She was alone and looking at the latest winter wear. She was said to have met the Karmapa Lama in India and prayed for calmness, just before going to Urumqi, Xinjiang (China) – where Li was born and where the couple registered their marriage – to get a divorce last Friday. She dropped the bombshell on fans on Weibo that evening, ending her message – "Our destiny as husband and wife ends here. I'm fine, you take care too" – with a smiley. But late that night, she looked a forlorn figure, landing in her native Beijing without Li. She left the airport in a van with his former agent Ma Xia, and the vehicle, chased by reporters in cars, had to stop twice, Oriental said. Hounded by photographers, she sat in silence in the back of the van and did not hide from cameras. Her eyes seemed red and swollen, the newspaper said. Wong, who had arrived at the airport around 11.15pm, did not reach her home with Li at Green Park Villas until 12.30am. Meanwhile, photos of Li have gone viral, along with stories of his supposed affairs. In one picture, he is drinking and smoking with friends including singer Yang Kun. In another photo, Li is sitting next to a woman, who is said to be a florist. Some reports seized on a quote last year, when Li was asked about the seven-year itch in an interview and answered: "If I have it, can I tell you?" But actress Carina Lau, a close friend of Wong's, dismissed the speculation. She said she had known of the couple's decision for some time, but had hoped they would have a change of heart. "For it to come to this, I'm as sad as everyone else." She said Li had not been unfaithful, adding: "Everyone should stop spreading hearsay, it's unfair to him." She said: "I know he worked hard to maintain the marriage, but when your personalities clash, there's nothing you can do." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network |
| Video: Young pop voices make a patriotic connection Posted: A classic Malay poem inspires a song about unity. IT took Kuala Lumpur-based composer-songwriter Audi Mok a while before he gathered his nerves to say yes to work on Tanah Air as part of the Petronas Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2013 campaign. "I had to think about this project seriously. It involved one of the greatest works by the late National Poet Laureate Datuk Usman Awang entitled Tanah Air. "I was scared and I thought if I didn't get it right, that would be the end of me," said Mok, who was approached by Petronas at the end of June. The brief was to write a song that had youthful appeal. "I wanted to do something different as most patriotic songs have that 'marching band' kind of style. I wanted to make a pop song first. It had to have mass appeal as well as patriotic reach." Mok said that the subtle touch was key in making this project a success. Luckily, he was also given the freedom to work on the song. "I really wanted to do it my way. I wanted to put soul into it." At first, it was a struggle in the studio for Mok to realise his vision for the song. "I remember the first two versions weren't good. I just felt that something wasn't right about them. They sounded disconnected," said Mok, adding that he finally nailed the idea with the third try. "After struggling and feeling frustrated, I decided to let the words (of the Tanah Air poem) take the lead. It was just amazing how fast the melody flowed from that moment on. Somehow, I completed the song in less than half an hour! It changed my way of thinking in terms of songwriting." The experience of working on the inspirational poem taught Mok quite a bit. During his research, he also found the late Datuk Usman's works very disciplined in nature. "They have a structure that made my songwriting easier. This experience affected me as a person as well because 'Tanah Air' is really a beautiful and meaningful poem." The singers featured in the song – Aizat Amdan, Stacy, Suki and Alinda – were selected after discussions between Petronas and Mok. The presence of award-winning singer-songwriter Aizat has given the tune a headstart. "It was a collective decision and these young singers have diverse personalities and their music represents the younger generation today," said Mok. The recording took about one week with the singers backed up by a string section (the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra). Mok's attention to detail has paid off as Tanah Air has now received close to 650,000 views (at press time) on its official YouTube page. |
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