BY SETO KIT YAN
The Taiwanese singer proves to be a feast for the eyes and ears.
Jay Chou has been to Malaysia four times this year, but his fans still can’t seem to get enough of the King of Mandopop. The Taiwanese pop star is a man of few words, but every statement he makes seems to always be followed by a round of frenzied screaming.
Back for a sequel to his wildly successful Opus Jay 2013 World Tour, the multi-talented singer-songwriter was gleefully greeted by a pink revolution as his adoring fans chanted his name and waved bright pink glowsticks in unison during the first night of his two-day sell-out Opus 2 Jay World Tour gig in Bukit Jalil Indoor Stadium on Friday night.
Opening with an all-new futuristic space set, the Asian pop icon descended from the stars in a glittering diamante robe, belting out Exclamation Mark. Then he emerged from below, rocking Dragon Fist while traditional flag-dancers took to the stage; and followed that with Final Battle, as a pair of musclemen sparred with sabres as if they were in a Chinese online fantasy game.
Then, a huge gasp from the audience as a misty curtain suddenly jetted out in front of the stage and Jay Chou disappeared from view. After making close to a dozen movies and numerous music videos, it appears that Chou now possesses an amazing grasp of cinematic and theatrical elements, which he puts to good use in his stage shows.
The props then swiftly rolled in to set the stage for a musical sequence, as Chou once again roped in his buddies Cindy Yen, Gary Yang, Darren Chiu, and Nan Quan Mama for a rollicking six-song action-comedy act set to a carnival atmosphere that included tunes like Free Tutorial Video and Mr Magic.
Chou’s mother, Ye Hui Mei, who practically follows him everywhere, was seated at the back of the hall as Chou sang Listen To Mama, one of two Chou songs (the other is Snail) which have been incorporated in China’s school syllabus to inspire motivational and filial attitudes.
Together with his guest performers, Chou wowed fans with more than 37 songs, including an unprecedented triple encore complete with change of props and costumes. Ever the crowd pleaser, the man always has something extra up his sleeve.
Addressing his adoring fans, Chou wished aloud that he could visit Malaysia every year and play to his supporters here. “I always feel very relaxed here. And this time it’s like a vacation to me as I’ve just completed my 13th album.
I have 12 new songs to share with everyone,” said Chou who is set to release his album next month. Chou who once said he would get hitched at 35, is now said to be preparing to wed model Hannah Quinlivan, his 21-year-old girlfriend of Australian-Taiwanese-Korean descent, before he turns 36 in January.
It looks set to be a very busy time for Chou, who has also signed on to his second Hollywood movie after his entertaining turn as the crime-fighting Kato (made famous by the late Bruce Lee) in the superhero action comedy The Green Hornet (2011).
The singer-songwriter, who is well-known for his fondness for performing sleight of hand magic tricks, recently confirmed he will be appearing on Liongate’s Now You See Me 2 alongside A-listers such as Morgan Freeman, Daniel Radcliffe and Mark Ruffalo.
The Kuala Lumpur leg of Opus 2 Jay 2014 World Tour was organised by Speedy Entertainment and presented by Mah Sing Group.
