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Timmy Sung

Vivienne Chow

Canto-pop star Jacky Cheung Hok-yau revealed yesterday that he was still exploring how to improve his singing.
Cheung was dubbed one of the "four heavenly kings of Canto-pop" in the 1990s and has also earned the nickname "God of songs" for his vocal talents.
Nevertheless, he told students at Lingnan University: "If one day I can teach somebody how to sing, that will mean I know how to sing.
"If you think you are doing the best you can do, it means there won't be any more improvements," Cheung added in a discussion titled "Dialogue of Life" hosted by former commerce minister Frederick Ma Si-hang.
Cheung, 53, entered the entertainment industry in 1984 after he won a singing contest. He recalled how his first two albums were bestsellers, with more than 200,000 copies snapped up.
In 1988, he took his talents to the big screen, playing a thug named Fly in Wong Kar-wai's debut film As Tears Go By, alongside future "heavenly king" Andy Lau Tak-wah. His performance earned him a Hong Kong Film Award for best supporting actor.
But things changed for the worse in the late 1980s when his fifth album sold only about 20,000 copies.
"I was really worried ... I still hadn't earned enough money for my family," Cheung said. "I started drinking ... and got drunk five days a week."
He said he was "awakened" when he realised how his work influenced other people.
"When you are at a dead end, you've got to find a way to save yourself. And the only one that can change myself, is myself."
Casually dressed in a white T-shirt and black trousers, Cheung had plenty of fans in an audience of people who were at least 30 years younger.
A couple of students who took part in a question-and-answer session asked Cheung when he planned to put on another concert in Hong Kong.
Cheung swapped traditional Canto-pop for jazz in his 2010 album Private Corner and will release a new album in Putonghua next month - his first full album in Putonghua in seven years.
He also told how "self-reflection" and even "self-censorship" had helped him.
"Before doing something, I need to self-censor it to see if I should do it or not ... But it could be a mistake, and that's why self-reflection was important. It is to prevent me from making the same mistake," he said.
The veteran singer told students he hoped they would prepare themselves to grasp any opportunity that came their way.
"It may be a cliche, but opportunity will only come to the hands of people that are prepared. That's the reality. Luck will not stay with you forever."
He said he had devoted most of his life to singing and performing. "If you want to do something good, then you have to be focused," he said.
 


I haven't hit my highest note yet, Jacky Cheung insists

Jacky Cheung (right) chats to former minister Frederick Ma during a discussion with students at Lingnan University yesterday. Photo: Edward Wong

News

Hong Kong

Canto-pop's 'God of songs' tells Lingnan University students his singing can still get better as he urges them to seize every opportunity in life


Canto-pop star Jacky Cheung Hok-yau revealed yesterday that he was still exploring how to improve his singing.


I haven't hit my highest note yet, Jacky Cheung insists

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Canto-pop's 'God of songs' tells Lingnan University students his singing can still get better as he urges them to seize every opportunity in life

Canto-pop's 'God of songs' tells Lingnan University students his singing can still get better as he urges them to seize every opportunity in life