Music and Zhang Zhen Yue

Listening to Zhang Zhen Yue's songs now, the memories of his unplugged concert at the Esplanade almost two months ago come flooding back. He has never been one of my favourite singers, so I put it down to a bout of nostalgia when I decided on a rather last-minute whim to attend the concert. After all, I have "witnessed" his transformation from a newbie pop singer to a respected but often controversial rock artiste.

But I must say it was a decision I didn't regret - despite being unfamiliar with his newer songs, it was soothing listening to his trademark love ballads and fun tapping my feet and clapping - sometimes even swaying - to his rock and rap tunes. (It may be an unplugged concert, but it wouldn't be authentic Zhang Zhen Yue if he didn't sneak in a few of his less saccharine numbers!)

Thinking about it now, however, it may not be pure sentimentality that prompted me to turn up for the concert. Ah Yue is a singer with distinctive vocals who warbles with attitude - reminding me somewhat of Rene Liu, who may not have excellent technique but speaks to the listener through her songs, or Guang Liang, whose voice is not fantastic but somehow has a very earnest quality that draws the listener.

Ah Yue's voice is pure, his delivery sincere, and his songs - many of which are composed by him - seldom boring. In fact, I think he is possibly most similar in style to sodagreen's lead singer Qing Feng, of whom I am also quite a fan. It is probably for reasons such as these that Ah Yue has had such considerable staying power in the notoriously fickle Chinese music scene.