august-2011

PEOPLE
the money notes,” she explains,
touching on one of the things that
irked her. “There are people who
are just KTV singers who judge
your prowess by how high you
can belt and I think that for a lot of
Mandopop that’s also true. I guess
I should be grateful because it has
stretched me as singer, but now that
I am doing my own thing I will not
subscribe to that. So I have quite
deliberately not belted on my new
album at all. I told my producer we
don’t need to prove anything, and I
think people get it.”
So what’s next for this dedicated
songbird? Well, Kit’s return on her
own terms
is no less
driven
than
before,
and
already
she has concerts lined up in
Singapore (October 2011) and Hong
Kong (February 2012). Entitled
Xiang Xiang Kong Jian in Mandarin
and The Music Room in English,
these concerts will see Kit treating
her loyal and solid fan base to old
favourites as well as songs from her
new album. “Almost everything
will be something the audience
wants to hear, plus a few surprises,”
she hints. “I also want to do things
that I don’t usually get to do in my
normal performance space, so there
might be something in a diff erent
language or a diff erent genre. I
hope it will be a night where people
deeply experience the music and a
connection with me. After having
watched many shows, I realise
028
that the ones I really
remember are those are
quite emotive. That’s what
I hope to create.” The
Singapore show will
be performed at the
Grand Theatre at Marina
Bay Sands.
Being able to shape
and choose her own work
has been a career- and
life-changing event. “The
motivation is diff erent,”
says Kit. Using the
universal work model of
farming as an analogy, she
elaborates: “Before, I felt
very much
Kit’s return on her
own terms is no less
driven than before
like an ox,
working
when the
farmer
whipped
me. Now I
am the farmer and I quite happily
wake up and work, even when I’m
xing ku (tired). It’s almost like I’m
operating on a higher level.”
And it shows in her music. “It
has become more natural,” explains
Kit. “Everything just happens now,
whereas before I had to make it
happen. The Hong Kong producer,
who last worked with me in the
1990s, said he was surprised at
how much more relaxed I was.
Before it sounded like I needed
eff ort and now it’s eff ortless. It
makes my work easier too, I just
do it.” When asked if she feels that
she has now found her voice, Kit
nods knowingly and with added
earnestness, declares: “Yes, I think
so. Thank you for saying that.”
Kit Chan in concert
with Singapore
Chinese Orchestra,
as part of Huayi -
Chinese Festival
of Arts 2011
KIT CHAN ON TRAVEL
CAMBODIA: I was there on a
trip with World Vision Singapore
about 10 years ago as their
youth ambassador with a bunch
of tertiary students to build
toilets and playgrounds for kids.
At the end, they were all more
appreciative of what they had and
more sensitive towards others.
JAPAN: It’s one of the places I
like to visit best; I never tire of it.
While Japan is homogenous in a
way, it is also very diverse. The
little towns have their local food,
art and customs that they are very
proud of.
NEW ZEALAND: I went there as a
teenager to perform with the World
Youth Festival. I met an old man in
a nursing home called Mr Turner,
whose words moved me to write
a song, which I will be performing
in my concert. The song is called,
simply, “Mr Turner”. PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY