Fong happy to speak freely

Singer-songwriter Khalil Fong Dai-tung welcomes changes that allow local singers to speak freely in their native tongues.

Hong Kong singers are usually bound by an unofficial agreement with broadcaster TVB that they will speak in their native Cantonese only on its programmes. That gives the broadcaster the upper hand over rivals such as ATV and Cable TV, where singers are obliged to speak in other languages when giving interviews. Most choose to use Putonghua, but the language is a challenge for some artists.

However, this unofficial arrangement has started to fall apart amid a row between TVB and four major record labels over an ongoing copyright fee dispute. Universal Music Hong Kong, one of the four record labels involved, took the first step by allowing its artists, including Eason Chan Yik-shun, Kay Tse On-kay and Hins Cheung King-hin, to give interviews on Cable TV in Cantonese. However, other singers, including Hacken Lee Hak-kan, turned down Cable TV interviews to avoid upsetting TVB.

Fong (right), whose label is Warner Music Hong Kong, said this week he was happy with the change. 'This change is inevitable; it is just one of those evolutions that happen in everything,' he said.

'I don't think it is a matter of taking sides or disrespecting TVB. I think the change will offer more possibilities.'

However, language has never been a problem for the Hawaii-born R&B artist based in Hong Kong and Taiwan as he is fluent in Cantonese, Putonghua and English. The advantage of the change, he said, is that he will no longer be confused about what language to use with which channel. 'Every time I feel a bit funny when I make a mistake in speaking the wrong language, so I guess I won't have to worry about that soon,' Fong said.