COMMERCIAL RADIO'S Japanese music expert Cheng Ka-fai fell for Japanese music not because of the sound, but because of the image.'When I was a teenager, I thought their clothes were really cool,' says the host of the radio show Cheng-panese Boy. 'But I later discovered their music was more diversified than music in Hong Kong.
'You can find songs that carry melodies similar to those found in Chinese pop, but there are more variations in the musical arrangements.'
Cheng's favourite is rock singer-songwriter Sheena Ringo. He says her music is a rich mixture of rock, punk and jazz.
Despite the fact that few people in Hong Kong speak Japanese, J-pop is still popular among the locals. Cheng believes this is due to the musical style.
'Hong Kong people need good melodies, and J-pop has tunes that suit Hong Kong people's taste,' he says.
