Singin' the Blues

Jonny Blu writes and sings his own songs in Putonghua. The blue-eyed 26-year-old will release his debut album next month. Although he was born and raised in Beverly Hills, he has his sights set much further afield - he wants to make it big in China.

Jonny has always been fascinated with Chinese culture. A fan of action-packed kung fu flicks, he started learning Shaolin kung fu when he was four. His passion for Chinese language and philosophies flourished when he studied World History as well as Chinese Language and Culture at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In 1997 and 1998, Jonny polished his Putonghua at Peking University and travelled extensively in China.

'When I first started travelling around China, I realised that what I had learnt in the classroom was just the beginning. It hadn't prepared me for real life conversations and experiences with Chinese people,' he said. 'Sometimes I felt like I would never get it right, but this just made me more determined.'

Jonny taught English while studying at Peking University, and, when one of the schools he taught at held a party, hundreds of curious students came to watch him sing Mando-pop song Tender Heart by Richie Jen Hsien-chi.

'Everyone was surprised and happy to see a non-Chinese person sing that song like a Chinese person,' he recalled. 'It was great fun. I like attracting attention.' It was then that he started listening to more Chinese pop music.

After returning to the US, he worked part-time for the White House co-ordinating events for Bill Clinton, as well as for the Democratic Party.