OPUS JAY in Shanghai (updated)

The long-awaited OPUS JAY WORLD TOUR officially kicked off in Shanghai on 17 May 2013 at 7:30pm sharp as eager fans filled up the Mercedes-Benz Arena for His Royal DIAOness' highly-anticipated opening concert. Jay was taking no chances and had already been rehearsing for three days prior to that, working himself and his faithful crew through their paces. As usual, they had to put up with his sudden flights of inspiration but as expected, what Jay wants, Jay gets and the results are almost always awesome.
Being the very first show of the tour, it was obviously imperative that everything should go smoothly according to Mr Chou's exacting standards. :)

There was a HUGE level of excitement for this concert and the fans were getting tweets from weibo and posting loads of pics and comments on Facebook for all to share. Most fortuitiously, I was at home by myself that Friday night, as the rest of the family were all occupied in their own activities. I could only thank God for that as I was thus able sit by my laptop and follow the updates as they came in....which turned out to be a really fantastic experience, second only to watching a live stream of the concert. :)
The fancam vids soon appeared as well and lots of thanks are due to the youtubers who were uploading them continuously the whole time, especially Dragon Rider from Jay Vietnam.
I shall be posting these vids and also loads of pics below for this entry, and they come from both the first and second night, depending on the quality. And also links to relevant news articles.
As Jay still has one night to go, this post might be a work in progress so do check back in a couple of days' time for any updates after tonight's concert.


Here goes!

Just look at him with his characteristic smile in that pic below with all the congratulatory bouquets...ooh...hint of bare chest showing already!

The Mercedes-Benz Arena:

Backstage:

Jay Scissorhands putting his hairstyling prowess to good use...lol!

With Darren, who designed the OPUS JAY stuff:

Jay and his brotherhood:

Lovely lightsticks and luminous wristbands for the concert, courtesy of JVR! Hope we get these at our Singapore concert too!!

 The sea of PINK! Bloody awesome!

I shall post the fancam vids and pics, following the order as much as possible. 

Warning: as these are fancams, be prepared for not-so-great audio quality and also to hear fans singing too loudly in the background, at times obliterating Jay's voice. :P

The concert started off with a video footage and exploded in his rendition of Exclamation Mark. Jay had already promised that he would show off his 8-pack in this concert and he did not disappoint! (He is a man of his word, as we know!) 

Prepare your senses for a feast and let me reassure you: he is HAWT to the MAX!!! I was breathless (and still am, whilst writing this!) and you'll soon see why! 

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any fainting spells, hyperventilation episodes or heart attacks whilst reading this post. You have been warned!

Opening and Exclamation Mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rNrtqog0Y3E 

Dragon Fist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mkokXwBXaE&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

He spoke to the audience, saying:

"Thank you everyone for attending the first night of my concert! No matter what happens today, I will do my best performance. Actually, I have already been here in Shanghai since the 13th and have rehearsed for 3 days so that counts as me already holding 3 concerts. But it was only me listening to my own concert and I think that concerts need to be shared with my fans. Actually, while I was rehearsing, there was no one offstage but I could feel your presence, so I want to thank all my fans who have never left or gave up on me. This is my song for you...Final Battle."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k5g_36FNDs&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=11

 Final Battle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qx9AsyvzgA

Can those pants go any lower??

This one is the KILLER!

The next set consisted of songs from Tian Tai, with the requisite backdrop, performed in the style of a live musical! It was really captivating and once again, something different from previous concerts and gosh, I'm now even more excited for the movie as the music is really good!
A Larger Cello also figured here. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bhMLV3qILw&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=6


You Are Everywhere:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh21bZQjq5M&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Pics:

Another set with him playing piano....the vid below is from the second night, with Ming Ming Jiu, Run Aground, Mine Mine, Silence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOEMCDAAanc&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Mine Mine only:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGwvsvGXtk&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Silence only:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uHtslm8p58&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Qing Hua Ci:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVVhQxJmyr8&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

Pics...I'm overwhelmed by that piano! Typical Jay!! :)

Next set involved acapella versions of Hydrophobic Sailor and Big Ben...yet another different touch!
Lyrics also changed to include Shanghai, to the delight of the fans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfl-HN66SH4&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

He played guitar for an accoustic and unplugged medley of songs....just listen and enjoy! There were some unexpected numbers! He was wearing shirt and suspenders here, a la Incomparable concert and I just love his pink shirt!

Two vids here, the first one is more complete but different views:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNKDM3bRTEA&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLe-Dgw_n3A&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Fine Day with guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbIWcEg0rtY&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Pics:

Gong Gong Pian Tou Tong, done in yet another style...love it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlgpKl_z3Dk&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Now for Red Dust Inn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMH2BKtnCCw&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


Pics:

Okay....this next set is going to KILL you! His performance of Sign Language....omg...I was and still am breathless watching this...so beautifully and creatively done in 4D and special effects which just BOWLED the audience (and me!) totally over....omg....watch it and faint!
I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!!
(Audio quality is not that great but just watching him is enough!)

Sign Language (shou yu):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh_5M8M3r04&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=23


Cannot Speak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8B71jQRrKM&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

Another guitar set with him looking so snazzy in shiny blue pants:

Secret!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFog2pjSKsE&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


All The Way North, with two fancams. The first one has better visual but poorer audio; the second is vice versa:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYxOf0dW8lM&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6qTWFjNrDI&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc


I think he went into Nunchucks after that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKjdKhERBP0&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

Pics:

Ukulele with giant balls! (think this was an encore):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHsMpzpuA8g&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

"Get your hands off OUR Jay!!!" *rage*

Another encore...Qi Li Xiang!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zynymd7geU&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc

His third encore cost him, though, 'cos he went beyond the stipulated time limit and was fined! He also confirmed that he would pay for some broken chairs, no doubt caused by enthusiastic fans stomping or climbing on them!


He sang Wu Ding (Rooftop) for the second night's encore!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEkpc3mDOrA


NB:
There's one last concert tonight and knowing Jay, there are likely to be more surprises in store.
But I shall publish what I have so far and update tomorrow accordingly.
So do check back here in a couple of days!



My thoughts on OPUS JAY

WOW! JUST. WOW!!!!!

Jay Chou does it again!
There were so many new and interesting aspects in this concert that my mind is still boggled!
And gosh...he looked SOOOOOO HANDSOME!!!!!!!!!  *le swoon*

Most standout aspects?

1. His FABULOUS ABS!!!
2. The Rooftop musical
3. The unplugged medley of his songs
4. The acapella singing
5. The cute intro to Gong Gong

And of course, the BEST, the most DIAO (overshadowing even his abs) was....

SIGN LANGUAGE!!!!!

His smooth moves, especially in the beginning...loved the way he pushed against the piano and then hopped on and off soooo coolly! *faint*
And the tracing out of the J*heart*U....omg...that just took my breath away!
Along with the shadow clones effect and more dancing....gosh, his use of 4D technology blew me away!
Loved his suit too!


Sorry for my raving...but that's what fangirls do, right??

I can't wait to see him here in Singapore in June!
And no, I will not stop watching these vids, unlike some fans who said they're keeping away from them so as to keep a fresh feel and not get spoiled.
For me, every performance of his never gets old and I love every minute of these vids and will love every minute of his three concerts here....yup, I'm maxing out Singapore 'cos I'm not going to KL or Taipei...I'm too lazy to travel.
Besides, I would not be able to stand it if he performed in Singapore and I'm not there to watch him...so there!
No expenses spared for His Royal DIAOness!

Just less than three weeks to go!!!!

And of course, this beautiful piece of equipment will be here too!

Updates on 20 May 2013

Nice clear vid of the highlights, including the unplugged segment....with Rainbow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t29E69XdYg4&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5NyZURehLYjDrdKyOzpqnc&index=10



A marriage proposal happened on the second night when Jay was singing Secret! His sharp eyes spotted the happy couple and he immediately wished them well viz "You guys in the third row! I can see you! Blessings to you both!" :)

Highlights from the third and final night included:

Nice compilation vid with Jay teasing the fans, saying he'll talk more and sing less, to which they protest of course! He then agrees to talk more AND sing more too! Cheeky fella!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KIT1X_a-KGs#!


Iron Box Of An Island!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cVcLqb1f-TY


And of course, Shanghai 1943!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z4SDZLiBL5s



Another vid comprising Tornado, Black Humour, Shanghai 1943 and Iron Box Of An Island:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VWol7-c210
 


More nice pics:

He looks soooo cute here!!

His Royal DIAOness and his royally DIAO piano!

And of course, that PINK microphone and to top it all off, that DIMPLE!!!!!

Finally, what concert would be complete without the attendance of this VVVVVIP and Jay's biggest fan???

Cheers, all!

I'm going to catch up on more news of Jay, who at this moment is in Xi'an where his karaoke club is for an event.

Ta!

Happy Belated Birthday, Jay Chou DIAOness!

Omg...I just realised that I got my own birthday here wrong!

I wrote my first Jay Chou Diaoness post on 13 May 2012....somehow,kept thinking it was 16 May...lol!

Anyway, better late than never, right??

So here goes!


First off, a nice pic of Jay to begin with (I'll pretend he's giving me his stamp of approval with his favourite hand gesture!), complete with his elegant long fingers and the DIMPLE!!! Gawd...I LOVE that DIMPLE!!!!

Actually, I'm still wondering how in the world I came up with 121 posts over the past year about just ONE fandom viz Jay Chou, His Royal DIAOness. Guess it boils down to sheer passion and obsession about this multi-talented multi-hyphenate who keeps moving on and striving to do more exciting and interesting things for his beloved fans....like you and me.
If anything, my Jay-mania is even stronger now...and I did not think that was possible.

I'm also extremely gratified to note that people have found my blog useful and fun to read. Although I don't get that many comments, what I do get has been very positive and encouraging, so to all those who have done so, I thank you from the bottom of my fangirl heart!
I started blogging because I love writing and the English language; it gives me immense satisfaction as I've always harboured a secret dream of becoming a writer.

Who knows?? Maybe someone will offer me a book deal to write a biography about Jay!
He, of all people, deserves one (as I mentioned in one of my earliest posts) in English to let more non-Chinese know about him.

Anyone here has any offers? ;)

This blog (and my other three) has been, and will continue to be one of my 'spaces' to let loose my opinions and and feelings about Jay, as he is truly a very fascinating person to follow and I know I am not alone in thinking this way.


Well, seeing as it's a birthday celebration, howzabout giving me a shoutout in Comments to tell me what you like (or don't like!) about this blog so far,  what you hope to see being written about Jay or just to say Hi to me and tell me where you're from, 'cos I see that I have readers from all over the world...except the African continent.
Anyway, I still have loads of ideas about what I can write about Jay but it'd be nice to hear more. ;)

To end, I shall post some pics of Jay rehearsing in Shanghai to whet your appetites for his upcoming concert on 17 May...I'm soooo excited for that! Are you??

Yowza!!
Looks like he's going to play guitar and sing on stage...I hope he'll also play the double bass and ukulele. Oh and a Chinese instrument or two would be nice, Jay darling....(I'm so greedy, ya?) ;)

And lookee who that is??? (I want that hoodie! Actually, I'd rather have the guy who's wearing the hoodie in that pic but oh well...)

Cheers, all!

Hope to hear from you guys!

DIAOness Updates: Teresa Teng concert, gym event, arrival in Shanghai,Rooftop BTS, etc

Here are some significant events since the Tian Tai press con!

1. Jay performed at Teresa Teng's memorial concert on 12 May 2013. He played piano and sang two songs (or more, I'm not sure) but here's a vid of his beautiful renditions in his own Jay-esque style...I melted, just listening to him....le sigh....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gOCZ49ZfHIg

Some nice screen grabs:

Such emotion when he sings....

Love love LOVE that SMILE!!!! *melts again*

Fur on the piano....am I even surprised??? I'm just happy it's not on his clothes. :P

Ahh! The Royal Wave from His Royal DIAOness!

2. The next day, he graced the opening of Will Liu's gym in New Taipei City and demonstrated gym equipment. But no, he did not reveal his 8pack, choosing only to bare a little chest. :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6U1akLEx2Wk

Pics from the event...behold that chest!

Cute smile here....DIMPLE!

3. Limited edition OPUS JAY teeshirt by PHANTaci...I WANT!!!!!

4. Jay has arrived in Shanghai to prepare for the first stop of OPUS JAY! Omg...I did not realise how quickly time has flown and the concert is only like FOUR days away! 

5. BTS of The Rooftop, featuring the actress who plays his sister.

Jay regards her as a senior and was keen to cast her in this role as it is something different from her previous roles. He also feels very privileged to have worked with her. She worked very hard to master the dance moves and found Jay's vision of the movie very intriguing. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YkDXvJzcA-E

Finally, some nice pics to round off tonight's post:

Jay with the actress who plays his sister and Wang Xueqi:

 Deerway ad...I love this one, especially his red pants! And doesn't he look so young and cool??

Jay with staff at Peng Yuan Doufu shop; note his conventional shirt and absence of ring, necklace, cap, beanie, hoodie, sunglasses, facial hair....VERY NATURAL AND VERY MAN!!! I wish he'd dress like this more often; shows off his handsomeness so much better. :P

That's all for now.

Now just WHEN IN THE WORLD IS JVR GOING TO RELEASE THE MV FOR SIGN LANGUAGE???

*sheepish grin* 

Sorry about that last rant...but it's been soooo long that we've been waiting and all the hints that Jay has dropped just makes it even harder. 

Anyway, I also just realised that I'm coming up to the first anniversary of this blog,which will be one day before Jay's first OPUS JAY concert in Shanghai! Like I mentioned earlier, time certainly flies, especially when one enjoys doing something....like writing a Jay Chou blog. :)

Hmm....I haven't a clue yet how we're going to celebrate. 

 Any ideas? ;)

The Rooftop 天台 new trailer and press conference

Altogether now...尖叫 (jian jiao)！ In English...SCREAM!!!!

Just check out His Royal DIAOness' impressive bod in that poster below!!!

 

Anyway, the press con and new trailer for The Rooftop were unveiled on 8 May and I shall post some interesting stuff here first, as the news reports are not out yet. 

The trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ud727hVDIfM

Omg...I LOVE IT!!!! Jay just Kicks Ass! Notwithstanding his really cute look, with the pompidor hair and bandanna, his moves are really cool and the music sounds amazing! I love You Are Everywhere and I'm pretty sure I'll cry when I hear it sung during the movie. 

Audio of You Are Everywhere, with subs...the lyrics are so heartrending and Jay sings it with such emotion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGZUw7lb8J8

Haha...we finally got to see the lead actress, whose name is Lin Xin Yi (I think). She's a model from China, without any acting experience. Jay likes to use newcomers for his movies so this is no surprise. She's really pretty (also unsurprisingly) and I'm soooo looking forward to see if she and Jay have the same kind of chemistry that he shared with Gui Lunmei in Secret. 

Here is the link to my youtube playlist of the vids from the press con; the first three vids are mostly photo-taking. Vid #4 and #5 have interviews with the cast on stage. Vid#7 is where the reporters ask them questions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie_UxAyMq_8&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5HDacvBBRJWm58Ye2cEEFV

I'll post some translations of Vids #4, 5 and 7.

Vid #4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHfC6lGsyVQ&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5HDacvBBRJWm58Ye2cEEFV

The four of them introduce themselves and their roles; I'm not too sure of the proper names but basically, Alan plays Jay's friend, Hei Lun; Eric is the boss of the Chinese medicine shop; Na Dou (the curly-haired guy) is Eric's son, Dou Fu and Jay is Lang Zhi Gao (I think it's a brand of hair wax or hair cream which was popular in the 1970s). Na Dou jokes that he did not have mony to buy hair wax then and used water instead. Jay added that sometimes they used soap, too which had fragrance. 

Talking about how the casting was done, Jay said the father-son pairing was good, 'cos they look like father and son. And having Eric on set is always fun because he's such a jovial guy. He also learned alot from Eric; and found that he likes football so he included some football stuff into the movie. 

Alan said he missed out on Secret 'cos he was busy with other projects. So when Jay invited him to work on this movie, he did not hesitate at all.

Eric has seen Jay develop his skills and for this movie, he declined offers to work in three other movies. Jay told him he was doing a music-and-martial-arts movie (play on the word 'wu')) and he was totally flummoxed by Jay's 8-pack! He immediately showed Jay his own 1-pack...lol!

Jay emphasised that Alan also worked out very hard for this movie.

Jay likes action movies and wanted to use music as well. He thinks his movie will be different from Bollywood movies in which a large group of people suddenly appear out of nowhere and start singing and dancing, without any explanation. His movie will have a reason for these song-and-dance sequences. 

Eric was very touched by something tht Jay did. When he arrived and was btought to the set, he realised that Jay had closed off a whole street for the shoot but had compensated the residents there for the inconvenience and allowed them to stay and watch the proceedings; he felt that was a very nice gesture and was impressed that Jay wanted to keep to having a Taiwanese flavour to the movie.

Vid#5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AjGZke9bHU&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ5HDacvBBRJWm58Ye2cEEFV

Jay explains that he likes vintage stuff and wanted to set the movie in the 70s which was suitable for his parents generation. As such, he has also used English pop songs from that era in the movie. After he did Secret, he was an actor for the next few movies and felt like he was just a pawn in a chess game. He wanted to be the chess player rather than the chess piece. 

Alan Kuo says Jay is very hardworking and meticulous where movie-making is concerned, to the extent of shaving off some of his body hair...lol!

Regarding hopes for the mvie:

Jay hopes it will do even better than Secret at the box office.

Na Dou was quite surprised at Jay's multi-tasking and feels that it should do well as it will appeal to a broad range of audience.

Eric says the hardest thing was singing; Jay kept telling him he was a little offkey. Eric was quite exasperated. He is confident the movie will do well both in domestic and overseas.

Alan says there are so many different aspects in the movie and feels that it should do well too.

Vid#7:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV9sPM5aj94

Jay says he has worked hard for this movie and wanted Eric to see the fruits of his labour and that he was serious about it . He also wanted Eric to sing as that would be very Diao. Eric said the 8-pack was very impressive and that Jay would often change things whilst filming, depending on inspiration. It was a happy time. He was also grateful to have a chance to sing but didn't realise how difficult it could be to be in tune when he went to the recording studio. Jay wanted him to adjust a semitone but Eric simply could not get it.

Jay says Eric must have a singing part and also cos there's a Vegas feel to the show. Everyone has heard him sing love songs so singing a different genre of song would be very cool.

Jay says his 8pack is still there, concert is coming up.

He wanted to show off the culture of that era and feels many parents will like it as he has put in many old songs. Hence also the name Lang Zhi Gao, which is a hair wax or cream which was popular then..

Na Dou says Jay walks the talk, when it comes to his work.

Jay also asked Alan as he likes to have his friends doing the movie as the chemistry is there and very natural. Alan was very happy to get the chance for this movie too. Jay also feels that Alan is also one who has not been influenced by his music. 

Regarding the lead actress, Jay emphasises that he wanted a newcomer and a fresh face. A question about Hannah was coolly responded to...he prefixed it by saying that it was a tabloid rumour. ;)

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20130510-421781.html 

Eric says he would not be able to direct Jay in a movie. They'll keep chatting and nothing would be done!

Translated news article from Jay Chou Studio:

http://jaychoustudio.com/archives/director-chou-trains-to-get-8-pack/1592

News is that the soundtrack will be released in June and the movie will be released on 11 July! And of course it will be shown in Singapore and Malaysia, with Jay being very likely to come for the gala premieres! 

Stay tuned for more news!

Some nice pics here:

Love these cartoon depictions!

And this ADORABLE one of all his movie roles!

My thoughts

Well, it has been six years since Secret and the fans have been waiting very anxiously for his second directorial effort, so just based on pent-up anticipation, The Rooftop should hit big numbers at the box office.
From what I see of the trailer and Jay's explanations about the movie, it is, as always, a labour of love and inspiration from His Royal DIAOness. The older generation will identify with the era of the 70s and the younger fans should enjoy the romance and action stuff, not to mention Jay's music.
I love that he is sporting yet another look for this movie and one which is not that cool....if you know what I mean...lol...yup, that hair, bandanna and the retro clothes...but offset of course by THE BODY!

Can't wait!!

 

 

 

Jay Chou interview with Vani (Hongkong)

Jay did a radio interview with deejay Vani in Hongkong recently. She has known him since his debut, promoting his first album and every subsequent one since. Jay remains very grateful to her and will always do an interview with her whenever he releases a new album and this year is no different. But this interview will focus on more personal stuff than just Opus 12.
NB: I've translated as much as I can, mostly Jay's parts.
Once again, I may sound a little incoherent at times but the overall meaning should be quite clear. ;)

Part 1:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE1ge_KtLWo&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ7Kfn6bjxfYnd6tDltu3A7S&index=1

Vani has known Jay more than ten years and he has grown so much; and has many friends.
Jay looks cool on the outside but is warm on the inside and Jay agrees:
"That's because I have relatively few facial expressions but I do have a humorous side!.I laugh easily and this cool look is just me from the first album.

I've always been hardworking; just not in studies. I do have some regrets about not going to University in that I missed out on the Uni experience; I might have formed a band or written different kinds of songs. But I was not willing to go for tuition for my academics. At that time, I was satisfied not to have to go to university as I had a nice family and my music. There was not much stress as I felt I could always fall back on my music and become a music teacher. 

If I had gone to Uni, I would have studied classical music. But I feel that my choice to go into pop music was the right one as there are already so many classical pianists like Lang Lang. I like pop music because it allowed me to create songs instead of just playing other composers' music, which is what performing pianists do. God gave you a gift and even though music may be in your genes, you still have to work hard. Re classical music, these are compositions which are already hundreds of years old; you're just performing them and it's all about your level of ability or interpretation which may not be what the composer intended or others might not agree with your version. Whereas if I write my own song, I can decide how romantic I want it to be. I think I've expressed this very well here (*self-praise*...lol!)
I do hope my  music will live forever in my MVs as well.

Talking about OPUS 12, whence Jay is asked by Vani to critique his own music:
 "I feel that this person (viz Jay himself!) is very Diao. I'm very serious about this. Good singers are a dime a dozen but a composer who can write good songs is considered very competent. If I were a fan, I'd like this very much. Like each album can have different genres of songs, like different dishes in a menu. Let's say my first album was all Chinese style; second album all rock; third album all hiphop; fourth was classical....you'd feel that this composer always changes. But from my very first album, I've always kept a mix of genres in each so people feel that I have not changed my style. Which is not true; in fact, I've always been experimenting and changing. And I've not fallen in my music, ever. I've always been very hardworking; just that you have not looked at me carefully.
Writing fast does not mean it's a bad song; neither does it mean it's done in a careless way. But sometimes what is written in three minutes can be a beautiful melody because it's done in a moment of frenzied feeling. And this melody might live on forever. (Wow, I have said it very well!...*self-praise again*...lol!)"

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFxUJeYDwgA&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ7Kfn6bjxfYnd6tDltu3A7S

Re criticisms about his music, etc:
"I don't get hurt easily; music is my forte. Unless I really do not know much about music. Unlike being an actor, which is not one of my strengths. For that, I would listen to critisicm and learn from it. But when it comes to music, which is something I have learnt from the age of three or four, what I create has to be good in my own eyes for me to let others listen to. Different people have different levels of competency in what they do.
In my song, Besieged From Four Sides. I have lyrics, 'When I reach to the top of the mountain
No one can hurt me'. But some artistes will thank the critics.
Even though I keep on going forward, I don't feel I have reached the top yet. It's like working out for fitness. There's always more to strive for.
As an artiste, you can't keep yourself in a room to look at your own stuff.
Others must understand you; you must have your own style. I want to influence others; not make myself suit others.
(Sammi Cheng told the DJ that she admires his attitude towards fitness which is the more important thing beyond just looking good)
I want people to appreciate how hardworking I am in fitness; and more so, it translates into my music.


Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkn7lthPJ-w&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ7Kfn6bjxfYnd6tDltu3A7S

Vani says he seems to have many friend and not have many enemies.
"I find it difficult to make new friends. Like when I come to HK, it's to meet old friends.
I don't know; maybe it's my cool image. I don't think it's because of my celeb status; I'm just not one of those who will make the first move. My friends have been with me for many years like my choreographer.
To be my good friend, you can't be too superior to me. Because I'm strong-minded and I liken myself to being the tiger amongs the sheep; I like to be the leader. And my friends listen to me. I have a lot of initiative. And I don't like others to have too much initiative. Eg...I have this song and you must have this sort of dance; I tell Vincent I have these lyric ideas and you must have the 'Gong Gong' in them, because it's a memorable line. Also for the 'Huo huo huo huo' in Fearless. If Vincent had his way, he would not write stuff like that. Yes, we must coordinate well together.

My friends who understand my music will enjoy my songs.
Not much criticism from them about my music. For other things, friends will mostly support you.
But there was one instance in which I took the photo of the pappz, thinking it was fun but friends told me I didn't need to do that.
I think I'm kind of child-like a lot of the times.


Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-EjgRLZOzc&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ7Kfn6bjxfYnd6tDltu3A7S

I have my company, my restaurants....staff about a few hundred in all, including the concert crew.
I am happy doing what I do and do not think it's stressful.
Only time is when I worry about whether it's good enough or I don't feel confident about something.
I was very confident about OPUS 12; but still worried if it was good enough.
This Earth does not revolve around me but I do feel that when I've written a good song, if it does well, it does well.
After shooting Pandamen, which involved my friends from NQMM but did not do well, I realised that not everything I did or had ideas about would be successful or liked by others, but I did not regard it as a failure. It was my first time doing a TV series and I wanted the experience. I wanted to help my friends and give them a chance.
NQMM is very quiet now, which I think is a pity. I'd like for them to rise up again; that is my stress.
I also realised that just because they are my friends or colleagues, or they have a connection with me does not imply that they will be equally successful; they still need to rely on themselves.

Talking about love:
"Artistes need love to create more good things. But it's not absolutely necessary. Just using my imagination or listening to other people's stories for inspiration can work as well or even better. My love songs are usually not based on my own life but there was one which I wrote for another singer but is very personal...viz End Of The World.
I wrote many lyrics but most of them are from imagination. Some are cute puns, like in Big Ben.
Family is also good to have. I started thinking about that after I turned 30. My Mum has not stressed me about this. My girlfriend must get along with my Mum and Grandma. She must also be comfortable going out with my friends.
It's difficult having my own private space; we must be able to hold each other together; it's not easy being the girlfriend or boyfriend of an artiste."

Part 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui4htWSaDv4&list=PLbHLPahX3mJ7Kfn6bjxfYnd6tDltu3A7S

"Family must approve of and like her. We should also be good friends first; she must like and understand my music. I want to be the Big Man.
Am I romantic? 70% perhaps.
I will announce when I get married but prior to that, I'm not one to reveal who I'm going out with. I feel that is my own personal matter and want to preserve a little privacy that way.
I'm not like the Westerners, who date each other openly and then breakup openly; to me, that makes things quite awkward when one party gets married and all the previous photos of that party with the former partner get shown.
I prefer my relationships to be low-profile; in a way, it's also to protect the privacy and reputation of my girlfriend.
Marriage should be for life.
I hope to get married not too late in life, so that the age gap between me and my kids will not be too large. We can play together. They can appreciate my music. I should be quite a good father.
I don't think of myself as an idol; I'm a singer and songwriter. Fans should like my music.
I've always been lowkey about my girlfriends, even in school.
There was already gossipy stuff then which I hated.

I hope my fans will accept my work and other stuff.
Romantic gestures like setting off fireworks for my girlfriend...nearly set her house on fire. I think that's quite moving. Quickly left after getting it all ready. Did it for my mother too.

When I'm 60, I will still be singing, playing basketball, maybe friends with Kobe, English will be better.
I'll have my own movie company; do whatever movies I want; scold the newbie if he's not good...like Anthony Wong. ;)
I'll still be in this industry like my godpa.
Perhaps I can't dance much then but I can still make movies. Hopefully, there'll be some young Jay Chous by then, new talents which I have discovered and nurtured.
I'll be a music company boss; maybe even have my own basketball team...cool!"

He ends with "Dreams make life more meaningful".
He'll still have an interview with Vani when he's 60. :)

My thoughts

I love hearing him sing his little ditties for the show at the start of every programme, in that heartfelt voice of his!
I also like what he said about his songwriting being more satisfying as opposed to being a performing pianist and playing classical music, which was written hundreds of years ago.
To me, that is the essence and individuality of Jay Chou shining through.
But I can also imagine that if he had done the professional pianist thing, he would have possibly found new ways and means to interpret the classics or even improvise as he decides. His musicality is just too much to be restricted to mere performing.

He has once again, stated his stand on relationships and why he chooses to keep mum about them. To me, that is a very admirable trait and I respect him all the more for his conservatism in this aspect.


He sounds like there are many more dreams for him to fulfill; I can't wait to see him realise more of them!
Haha...did he say he would have improved on his English when he's older??
Gosh, I look forward to the day he releases an album in English!

GO JAY!

Jay Chou's ADORABLE DIMPLES!

Haha...after all that translation 'work' for his Beijing University lecture, I thought I'd do a more fun and frivolous post before another heavy-duty project (yes, there is another one I'm hoping to do soon!).

Without further ado, here goes!

My heart just melts looking at that composite photo!
Who does not love a dimple, especially on the cheek??
So what if it's considered a defect or deformity in the facial muscle, as according to the anatomical definition??
This is one 'defect' which is THE MOST ADORABLE aspect of His Royal DIAOness' more-or-less perfect face; I swear, seeing its appearance on his left cheek whilst I was watching The Green Hornet for the first time was another major factor which made me fall in love with Jay.
Of course too, since a dimple is almost always associated with a smile, and Jay hardly ever smiles for posed photos, catching sight of it is a happy thing indeed!

Another instance where I saw it and went "AWWWW!" was the part in his 2007 concert after he had finished his drum set and leapt from the seat and smiled with immense self-satisfaction, displaying THE DIMPLE....omg, I was so dead then! (it's at 01:18)

There's a whole thread on multistars forum  dedicated to his dimples:

http://www.multistars.com/forums/index.php?topic=14896.0


And because he smiles more when he takes photos with kids, this thread will also make you go "AWWWW!"

http://www.multistars.com/forums/index.php?topic=14198.0


Some of my fave Dimple pics (actually, any photo which shows his dimple is my fave but I can't possibly post everything here!):

We see more of his left cheek dimple but he has a faint one on the right too!

Back to the left and one of his fave antics...poke that dimple! Which featured prominently in Secret, of course!

 

Hello Kitty and DIMPLE = Cuteness Overload!!!!

That's tonight's post for now.
Hope you guys enjoyed cooing with me as I'm pretty sure it's also your favourite part of his face.
Lemme know in Comments!

I'll cover other aspects of his countenance in future posts. :)