Canto-pop singer Janice Vidal went through what she says was the worst time of her life after her twin, Jill, was arrested on drug charges in Japan last year. Recalling that difficult period was an emotional thing, Vidal said, but she did not bemoan the difficulties: the 28-year-old said they had improved relations within her family.
Vidal, who is part Filipino, was a backing singer for Leon Lai Ming in 2001 when she was spotted by his producer Mark Lui Chun-tak. Four years later she released her debut album, Day & Night, which featured English renditions of some of Lai's hits. She has just released her seventh album, Love Diaries.
What love is Diaries talking about?
There's a song called Love in the Battlefield, which I was recording when the Hong Kong tourist bus crisis happened in the Philippines. I used that scenario as an inspiration. It speaks about the current world situation with so many natural disasters and tragedies in the news; it's easy to judge and point fingers. The song encourages us to try to see how a horrible situation can bring out the best in people. I love songs like this because we need more positive words.
I keep a journal everywhere I go, writing about things that speak to me. It is like you are talking to someone, reflecting and digesting what happens and learning from it.
Sometimes, things help you realise there is so much more to life and the world; it changes your whole perspective. It's as if you're born again. You become someone new and see things from a different perspective.
