Vic Zhou, who is pursuing a solo singing career,
updates LI EE KEE on his upcoming projects.
IT WAS 10 on a bright Sunday morning. Despite
appearing like he had just woken up with droopy eyes
and dishevelled hair, Vic Zhou Yu Min looked
absolutely adorable, especially with his goofy grin.
It had been a hectic two days for the singer who is
affectionately called Zai Zai. He had performed at the
Xin Shi Dai Yan Chang Hui (translated as the New
Generation Superstar Concert) in Singapore with
artistes such as Penny Tai, Qiu Ge and fellow F4
member Jerry Yan before his stopover in Kuala Lumpur.
He also held a showcase and autograph-signing session
at Sunway Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon, Selangor.
About 4,000 fans, including some from Indonesia,
Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore attended the
showcase. Even the Hong Kong media were present.
Zhou was here to promote his new Mandarin album
Remember... I Love You. It is his highly anticipated
second album after his debut release Make A Wish
(2002). An easy-listening record, it features 10
breezy and romantic ballads.
When asked if he has improved vocally, Zhou said he
feels he has and elaborated: “It is based on feedback
from fans and the record company. The producers also
agreed that I have improved.”
Zhou expressed interest in writing his own lyrics. “I
will not be doing it in the near future as it requires
experience.”
Many would remember Zhou as one-fourth of Taiwan’s
popular boy band F4. And who can forget the craze they
generated with their TV serial Meteor Garden three
years ago? Thanks to the overwhelming success of the
show, Vanness Wu, Ken Zhu, Yan and Zhou became
overnight sensations.
Their first Mandarin album, Meteor Rain, was released
in 2001. While the group has not disbanded, each of
them has embarked on a solo career.
Zhou had been busy filming TV serial Zhan Shen (God of
War) in the past six months. For the second half of
the year, he will be fulfilling commercial and filming
engagements.
On his solo singing career, Zhou said: “During
promotions, it is just me and I have to do everything
on my own. But if it were the four of us together
(referring to F4), it would be more fun.
“That is why at the moment I prefer acting because it
is not a solitary job, there are the director and
crew.”
The 23-year-old revealed there are plans for the F4
members to work together again.
At the Persatuan Wartawan Hiburan (Entertainment
Journalists’ Association) music awards in October, his
song Ai Zai Ai Ni (My Love for You) from his Make A
Wish album as well as F4’s Jue Bu Neng Shi Qu Ni
(Can’t Lose You), taken from their Fantasy 4ever
album, have been nominated for best original song.
“It is great that all four of us are nominated because
we rarely get the opportunity to be together. If we
could all come to Malaysia, it will definitely be
fun.”
Zhou is rumoured to be dating Sammi Cheng. When asked
if he would attend her concerts in Hong Kong later
this month, he coyly replied that he would if his work
schedule permits “because watching shows by other
artistes would help me become a better performer”.
But is he hoping to be a guest artiste?
“I think Jerry Yan would be a better choice since they
had collaborated before (Yan starred opposite Cheng in
Magic Kitchen). I will just stand by the side and
watch,” he quipped.
Credits to Hermaning of onlyjerry
Thanks to JENNY PHANG of THEF4