PEOPLE MAGAZINE, Issue No. 31 1995 . July
Sorry Heavenly Kings, Emil Chau Is Back!
In
the Winter of 1993, Emil first came to Hong Kong to promote his album. It
was already dark when Emil and his crew came to a hill near Happy Valley.
Standing on the hill and watching the night scene, Emil pointed to a house
and said to his crew: "What kind of music does Hong Kong really want? when
will I be accepted by every Hong Kong family?"
Not after two years, it is safe to say Emil has conquered Hong Kong and where ever there is light, there is Emil. Instead of giving Emil the title "5th Heavenly King," or "Heir of Heavenly King," they gave him an even more powerful title - "Heavenly King Killer."
Emil first came to Taiwan when he was 19, he has already considered himself a Taiwanese. Emil once said, Hong Kong is only a place for me to travel and work. However, everything has changed. Emil is now a superstar in Hong Kong. The way he thinks about Hong Kong should be changed due to time.
Emil worth Hong Kong money 20 million
Last year, Emil Conquered Hong Kong with a TV show hit "Single Pure Music Concert." Starting with it, Emil's Cantonese Albums are selling like crazy, and many movie producers are looking for Emil. Hong Kong media are calling him the "new rich man." They calculate that Emil will earn about 20 million in that year, and there is even news that Emil is going to buy a house cost over hundred million in Taipei. One can see how well Emil is doing in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong, what kind of music market is it?
Will all that money change Emil? "Before, when I look at how much money one can earn in Hong Kong, I do feel jealous." Emil, calling himself "music guy," doesn't like Hong Kong's music society: Short vision on music, appearance is more important than everything, no encouragement for making new style of music, weak culture. Although these have nothing to do with Taiwan, but those performers are taking over Taiwan's entertainment circle. So, many Taiwan performers, including Emil, starts to argue that "Hong Kong has no music," hoping to win over Hong Kong performers.
From when, Emil suddenly becomes a miracle. In one night, Emil has become one of those Hong Kong performers. so, the once "sour grape" feeling is only one of the thing. Those outer change has given Emil a new understanding.
"In Hong Kong, music market is very small." Although Emil's albums sell like crazy in Hong Kong, it is not even compared 1/3 compared to Taiwan. "But Hong Kong is the source of entertainment market." Emil told us, in Taiwan, a singer can only make money from music copyright tax. However, in Hong Kong, even he is really busy working, there is money everywhere: Opening ceremonies, commercials, movies, and most of all - concerts. "Taiwan market is big, but in Hong Kong I can earn double in a short time."
Heavenly Conquerer - Emil's responsiblity
Is it only about earning money? Emil has set this goal for himself -- by 1997, he wants to organize a Chinese market here. Emil's plan is this, every Chinese in the world will use this resource to become a huge market. Emil proudly says, "This work is perfect for me!" First, the language is no problem; second, Taiwanand Hong Kong are very familar to him, and people treat him like family.
"Hong Kong is a place for huge 'exports'." Emil has a special definition and usage for it. "Look at Tianman Square incident, from the media, the happening of the incident, the helping voice, they are all started by HOng Kong. Isn't it scary?" So, Emil has the responsibility to make the connection between Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. After that Emil broke into laughter. Hong Kong call that laugh "Emil Chau's building-destion laugh."
No substitution for Child Hood
Emil once said, from 0 to 20 years old, he is Cantonese. From 21 to 34 years old, he is Taiwanese, Hong Kong is a strange to him. However, this time Emil comes back to Hong Kong again. Everything is different from the past. Emil says Taiwan gives him the memories of growing up, but Hong Kong has preserved his childhood memories.
"Those relatives, neighbors, can not be found anywhere else." One can see, to Emil, "coming back" to Hong Kong is really a wonderful thing. Coming to the place where Emil grew up, one feels that Emil is very close to his neighbor, yet not knowing how to express his feelings. In the car, Emil often happily points to his old house and neighbors, yet when he got out of the car, he tried to convince us not to get too close to his old house. When the car drove by his old house, Emil kept on looking back at it. Emil feels bad for not showing his feelings in from of strangers. Emil knows he cannot hide his feelings, so he changed to a different topic. "Many things are very funny, after I got famous, I don't have to visit all of my old friends ant tell them how I am doing, the media has taken over the job. Isn't it funny!?"
Old friends, wisit or not visit?
The Emil we know is someone who can't hold back on his thoughts. No exception this time. Emil whispers "When I came back last time, the smae place, I saw a classmate from elementary school. I hid behind a pole thinking that he must have saw me. I thought for a while, I decided to come out and greet him. Wrong move, he called everyone in the village to come out and see 'super star singer'. All those I know are people who yelled at my family, giving us a hard time. Everyone is asking me questions for a long time, ah, it was bad!"
However, Emil is a very caring person. Emil says when he sees his old classmate, having children, and never leave that small village. Look at himself, look at others. Emil feels that not visiting would probably be better.
A guitar, brings back the past
When Emil was 14 years old, his brother gave him a guitar brought back from Taiwan. Emil hold the guitar to play and sing. When a child sings, they always jump and dance around. However, Emil is so dull, he sings like he is singing Taiwan folk songs. 20 years after, no child would still play the guitar. However, Emil, when showing up at a TV show last week, was asked to hold a guitar and sing. Just that, audience loves it, believing that he is a rare talented singer. Emil says it feels suddenly he is back to his past, so touching.
"Hong
Kong is too dull, too vacant, no choice." Emil says, "No matter what you do,
there is no point to tell the difference between an idol and a talented singer,
they are simply 'products'."
Emil will have a concert at the end of July in Taiwan, and next year in Hong Kong. Last year, when Emil went to check out the sports arena his concert was held. Thinking about being able to perform in the most famous sports arena of Asia, Emil was so happy and said: "Am I dreaming? I'm going to have a concert here!"
Hong Kong is where Emil grew up, and the place Emil dreams of while in Taiwan. It is also the place that Emil never dreamed of working. Suddenly, Emil bacame the oldest idol. The first married "dream lover," the fresh pure song writer. Hong Kong, finally became Emil's "truest dream."
