Singing at a music awards ceremony years ago Frances Yip noticed that, while fans screamed for their idols, when someone they did not like came on stage, there were boos and hisses. It made her wonder whether the day might come when she would be on the receiving end, and if she wanted to stick around to be insulted like that. The answer was no.
When her hectic performing schedule began taking a heavy toll on her health and her usually pleasant disposition she decided to ease into semi-retirement. She also wanted to spend more time with her son, whose childhood she had largely missed because she was too busy touring. Her quest for a more 'stress-free' environment was also compounded by a successful tussle with what she calls 'the Big C': breast cancer.
The Frances Yip that walks into the hotel coffee shop for our interview looks fit, and stress-free judging by her broad smile. She has been given another six-month clean bill of health, she explains, making it two years now since she underwent an operation to remove a three centimetre-long tumour.
The other reason for the beaming smile is that she is preparing for a return to the stage, as the latest star in the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's 'Simply The Best' pop concert series, and has been told their original November 21 date at the Hong Kong Coliseum will be extended for another performance.
It was a guest appearance at the Joseph Koo and James Wong concerts in May that made Yip realise how much she missed the stage. 'I was one of 10 singers there and when I was on stage I felt this wonderful feeling. I had got my life back together again. For the past two years I was living this passive existence. I did some work which was not very demanding although there were some challenging instances,' she says.
'But the rest of it was my oncologist telling me it was time to go for a mammogram, or surgery or radiotherapy. I was constantly being told what to do. But, in May, I had it in my hands again; I could actually control the emotions of the crowd. It was such a pleasure. Why did I ever give it up?' The concerts certainly gave her food for thought. 'Coming back out told me a lot about myself. I do really long for the response from the audience and the contact with them. It's a wonderful feeling. That's why I prefer live singing to television work,' she adds.