Jacky Cheung


Jacky Cheung Hok-yau is a Hong Kong singer, songwriter and actor. With more than 25 million records sold as of 2003, he is regarded as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" and has been deemed the "God of Songs" of Hong Kong.

Early life

Cheung was born and grew up in Quarry Bay in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island. His father is from Tianjin and his mother is from Shanghai. In 2007, Cheung revealed that the paternal side of his family are mostly seamen, including his father, paternal cousin, and older brother. His first language is Cantonese, but he also speaks Mandarin and English. He sings Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and modern English pop songs. Cheung is known for his rich baritone voice, but also his dramatic vibrato by rapidly moving his pronounced Adam's Apple.

Musical career

Cheung originally started working as a reservation officer for the airline Cathay Pacific. His music career started when he won the Amateur 18-Hong Kong district singing contest in 1984 with the song Fatherland by Michael Kwan. He outcompeted more than 10,000 other contestants. After winning the contest, he was signed by the then Polygram Records, now Universal Music Group. Although encouraged by a bright start, he was not able to achieve immediate supremacy in Cantopop, then dominated by Leslie Cheung, Alan Tam, Anita Mui and Danny Chan. In 1985 he won his first two major awards together with the 1985 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards and the 1985 Jade Solid Gold Top 10 Awards.
In 1991 he released the song "Loving You More Every Day", a translated version of the Japanese Southern All Stars hit, Midsummer's Fruit. The album True Love Expression in 1992, as well as the subsequent release, Love Sparks in 1992, achieved audited sales of over 400,000 copies in Hong Kong alone.
His subsequent albums included 1993 "Me and You" and 1994 "Born to be wild". In the 1994 Billboard Music Awards in the US, he was named the most popular singer in Asia. He received numerous music awards both in Hong Kong and elsewhere, including the best-selling Chinese singer in the World Music Awards for two consecutive years in 1995 and 1996 held at Monaco. Cheung was also elected as one of the world's Top Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 1999.
Amongst his hit songs, some of his most famous were Amour, "Just want to spend my life with you" and "Goodbye Kiss". The album The Goodbye Kiss was one of the best-selling albums of all time, achieving more sales in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia than ever attained before, with more than 4 million copies sold in 1993, making him one of the PolyGram's top 10 artists worldwide that year and he was the first Asian artist to do so. It made him the first singer with non-Taiwanese citizenship to win Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards. The album was also instrumental in helping Cheung break into the mandopop market. Due to these great songs and albums, Cheung is generally considered to be the pre-eminent member of the Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop. He is regarded by some sources as the best singer of the four.
In 1995, Cheung staged his record-breaking 100-show world tour titled "Yau Hok Yau", literally a pun of "friendship Jacky Cheung" reusing the same Chinese characters found in his name. The tour started with 34 shows from 8 April to 9 June at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Then the tour continued at Perth Brisbane Australia and returned to Taipei and mainland China. It then expanded to Madison Square Garden in the US, different parts of Europe, Singapore, India, Malaysia and Japan. He was regarded as the new Michael Jackson by Business Week.
His successful music and acting career has made him one of Hong Kong's icons. Cheung was elected by Time Magazine as one of the "25 most influential people in the New Hong Kong" in 1996.
In 1999, he was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World by JCI, a worldwide federation of young professionals and entrepreneurs. In 2000 he was awarded by RTHK, the Golden Needle Award. This award, the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award, recognised outstanding contributions to the music industry.
In 2004, Cheung released :zh:Life Is Like A Dream|Life Is Like A Dream, an album in which Jacky co-produced with long-time collaborative partner Michael Au, and Jacky composed the melody for all songs, and penned the lyrics for 3 of the songs.
Cheung won the Best Selling Cantonese Album Award in the Hong Kong IFPI Awards of 2005 with his live album, Jacky Live Performance, which he accepted in person for the first time in years. This is despite poor ticket sales due to the concert was meant to be a one-night-only charity concert in nature, and the fact that Jacky attempted to sing mostly songs from other artists for the first time. In the fast-changing scene of canto-pop, Cheung has been able to maintain his popularity and sales power for more than 20 years after his debut, which is unparalleled in the history of Hong Kong pop music.
In 2007, Cheung staged his "Year of Jacky Cheung World Tour 2007". The tour started on 18 February 2007 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. When the tour ended in Hong Kong on 3 February 2008 after touring 58 cities around the world, a total of 105 shows had been given, attracting more than 2 million fans. 105 became the highest number of shows in a tour by a Chinese artist, breaking the previous record of 100, which was also set by Cheung previously. In that same year, he also released a Mandopop album, :zh:在你身邊 |"By Your Side," in which he was the sole executive producer of the album for the first time after Michael Au suddenly left to further his career in Beijing.
In 2009, Cheung recorded "Private Corner", his first jazz album for which he coined the phrase "Canto-jazz". The album was produced by Andrew Tuason. "Everyday Is Christmas", "Which Way, Robert Frost?", "Let It Go", "Lucky in Love" and "Double Trouble" were co-written by Roxanne Seeman in collaboration with Tuason, tailor-made for Cheung. "Lucky in Love" is the end-credit song of "Crossing Hennessy", Hong Kong movie starring Jacky Cheung and Tang Wei, produced by Bill Kong. Nokia's music download service website announced that 'Everyday Is Christmas' was the 10th most downloaded Christmas song in the world in 2010, joining classic hits such as Wham's 'Last Christmas' and Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You". Cheung is the only Chinese language singer to make it into the Top Ten.
In 2010, Cheung started his "Jacky Cheung 1/2 Century World tour". This tour started on 30 December 2010 at Shanghai, and ended in Hong Kong on 30 May 2012. For 1 year and 5 months, his tour included 5 countries 77 cities, overall 146 shows, more than 2,800,000 audiences. 146 became the highest number of shows in a one tour by Chinese artist. Previous record of 105 was also made by Jacky Cheung on his 2007–2008 World Tour. Both 2007 and 2010 World tour was led by Andrew Tuason as Cheung's Musical Director. At the beginning of that year, he also attempted new musical styles. His new album, Private Corner, became his first ever Jazz album in Cantopop history, it also featured other non-mainstream Cantopop styles such as strings quartet, Waltz and Hymn. The special edition also featured a special glass-CD, also a first in Chinese pop history. "Double Trouble" from Private Corner was a featured produced number in the "Jacky Cheung 1/2 Century World Tour".
In "Jacky Cheung 1/2 Century World tour", he set a Guinness World record for the largest combined audience for a live act in 12 months, with 2,048,553 audience members. During the first 12-month of the tour, was ran from 30 December 2010 to 29 December 2011, with 105 live concerts in 61 cities across China, USA, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.
Cheung won the RTHK"金曲35周年榮譽大獎 Honor of Golden song 35th Anniversary Award" in the
2012 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards, as he has the greatest number of RTHK Golden Songs since the award has been started.
In 2018, he earned a new nickname of "Fugitive Bait" or "Fugitives' Krytonite" in China as his concerts attracted wanted criminals in China to purchase tickets to watch his concerts in China. He helped to bring 4 wanted criminals to be captured between April to June, 2018 during Cheung's Chinese leg of the world tour. In June, two ticket scalpers were also captured. This was also part of his 233-show, "Jacky Cheung A Classic Tour" world tour, which eclipses the previous tour record. The entire tour, which lasted for 27 months with performances in 97 cities, ended on 29 January 2019 after a series of 15 concerts in Hong Kong.

Duets

Cheung not only performs solo but often performs duets with female singers. Cheung recorded a duet with Filipino singer and Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez for the song "In Love with You", the song was included in her multi-platinum album "Listen Without Prejudice". In 2008, Cheung and A-Mei, the popular Taiwanese singer, performed Zhu Fu as a duet in a benefit concert for victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Other duet partners include:
In 1997, his work on the groundbreaking Cantonese Broadway-style musical Snow.Wolf.Lake was enthusiastically received by both audiences and critics. Cheung not only played the male lead, he was also the artistic director for this production. The first female leads were played by Sandy Lam in Hong Kong and Nadia Chan in Singapore. Kit Chan played the second female lead. They achieved 42 consecutive full-house performances at the gigantic Hung Hom Hong Kong Coliseum which remains the record today. In November 2004, Cheung and his concert manager, Florence Chan Suk-fan, worked on a revised Mandarin version of Snow.Wolf.Lake so as to bring it to a wider audience. The female leads this time were Evonne Hsu and Nadia Chan respectively. The market budget alone exceeded HK$15 million. The estimated budget for this revised production was HK$100 million and the show premiered on 24 December 2004 in Beijing.

Acting career

While Cheung is better known for his singing, but he has also acted in many films. He received the Best Supporting Actor award in the 8th Hong Kong Film Awards for his work in As Tears Go By as well as the Best Supporting Actor Golden Horse Award for his work in The Swordsman. That same year he also collaborated with John Woo and Tony Leung in the film Bullet in the Head. For his work in July Rhapsody, he also received the Best Actor Award at the New Delhi Film Festival for his portrayal of the protagonist role. His song Perhaps Love, which serves as the theme song for the multi-award-winning film Perhaps Love, also won the Best Song Award at the 2005 Hong Kong Film Award and the CASH Best Song Award at the 2005/2006 CASH Gold Sail Music Awards. He also starred in Taiwanese mini-series called Love Scar with F4 member Jerry Yan and Karen Mok, where he acted as Jerry Yan's older brother. He has never starred in any TV Dramas.
In the 2004 released and Wong Ching-po directed triads drama film, Jiang Hu, Cheung played the role of Lefty, the best friend and right-hand man of a crime boss, Hung Yan Chau, who is played by Andy Lau. The film includes several actors from the cast of Infernal Affairs. As of October 2017, he is one of a handful of Chinese singer-actors who have never starred in a television drama.

Ceremonies and spokesperson

Cheung was named the spokesperson for Hong Kong Disneyland in 2004. He took part in a number of large-scale marketing events organised by The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, beginning with the hosting of a TV program, Magical World of Disneyland. He recorded a multi-lingual song for Hong Kong Disneyland, entitled One. The music video for One was filmed at Hong Kong Disneyland. He also recorded for the.
In December 2006, Cheung performed live the theme song "Together Now" at the Opening Ceremony of the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. He was introduced as "the most popular Asian performer in the world".
In 2010, Cheung, Jane Zhang, and K'naan sang a Mandarin version of "Wavin' Flag " for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
In 2012, Cheung sang "中国节拍·震动世界", the cheering song of China for the 2012 London Olympics.

Personal life

On 15 February 1996 in London, he married Hong Kong actress May Lo Mei-mei, with whom he has two daughters. Cheung is also nicknamed "God of Songs", and he is the second person to hold this title, after former Cantopop singer Sam Hui. In an interview with Ray Cordeiro, Cheung stated that the title was more appropriate for Hui than for him, even when his singing ability is not the best, since he actually wrote and popularised Cantopop songs. He also informally asked Eason Chan, the successor to the title of "God of Songs" and a fan of his, to be his "Master" because Chan had received formal and proper qualification in music and vocal training in England, but Cheung never had, and the main topic was to stretch Jacky's vocal range to a 4th octave including a falsetto range.
He is a Buddhist and a vegetarian.

Community work

In March 2009 he became the first Cantopop/Mandopop artist to contribute items to the Hard Rock franchise memorabilia collection. Items are to be exhibited at the Hard Rock hotel in Macau. A joint donation is also made to donate HK$600,000 to the Children's Cancer Foundation and ORBIS Macau. In September 2009, Cheung, was one of the super ambassadors of End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation founded by Josephine Siao; he attended the charity fundraising event for ECSAF's 10th anniversary in Hong Kong.

Discography

YearChinese NameLiteral English TranslationLanguage
2014:zh:醒著做夢|醒著做夢Wake Up DreamingMandarin
2013:zh:張學友1/2世紀世界巡迴演唱會|張學友1/2世紀世界巡迴演唱會Jacky Cheung 1/2 Century TourCantonese, Mandarin & English
2010:zh: 張學友Private Corner迷你音樂會|張學友Private Corner迷你音樂會Private Corner Mini Concert LiveCantonese, Mandarin & English
2010:zh:旗開得勝|旗開得勝Wavin' FlagMandarin & English
2010:zh:Private Corner|Private CornerPrivate CornerCantonese & English
2008, 2009:zh:學友光年世界巡迴演唱會|學友光年世界巡迴演唱會The Year of Jacky Cheung World Tour 07Cantonese, Mandarin & English
2007:zh:在你身邊 |在你身邊By Your Side*Mandarin
2005:zh:雪狼湖#.E5.9C.8B.E8.AA.9E.E7.89.88.E6.9C.AC|雪狼湖 Snow Wolf LakeMandarin
2004:zh:活出生命Live演唱會|活出生命Live演唱會Jacky Live Concert PerformanceCantonese, Mandarin & English
2004:zh:Black & White|Black & WhiteBlack & WhiteMandarin
2004:zh:Life Is Like A Dream|Life Is Like A DreamLife Is Like A DreamCantonese
2003張學友音樂之旅Live音樂會Jacky 2002>2003 grand finale music odysseyCantonese, Mandarin & English
2002:zh:他在那裡|他在那裡Where Is HeMandarin & Cantonese
2002學友精選2000-2001Jacky Cheung Greatest HitsMandarin & Cantonese
2001:zh:熱 |學友‧熱Jacky FeverMandarin
2001:zh:天下第一流|天下第一流The First Cantonese
2000:zh:Touch of Love |Touch Of LoveTouch Of LoveCantonese, Mandarin & English
2000當我想起你Something Only Love Can DoCantonese, Mandarin, & English
2000Jacky Cheung 15Jacky Cheung 15 Years of MusicCantonese, Mandarin, & English
1999走過1999Running through 1999Mandarin
1999The Best Of Jacky CheungThe Best Of Jacky CheungCantonese & Mandarin
1999友個人演唱會Someone Live ConcertCantonese & Mandarin
1999有個人 SomeoneCantonese
1998不後悔No RegretMandarin
1998釋放自己Release YourselfCantonese
1998友情歌歳月精選Jacky Cheung Greatest Hits Cantonese & Mandarin
1997:zh:雪狼湖#.E7.B2.A4.E8.AF.AD.E7.89.88.E6.9C.AC|雪‧狼‧湖 Snow Wolf LakeCantonese & Mandarin
1997想和你去吹吹風Wanna go for a walk with youMandarin
1997不老的傅説The Never Old LegendCantonese
1996忘記你我做不到I Cannot Forget About You Mandarin
1996愛與交響曲Love and Symphony Cantonese
1996學友情緣十載ConcertQing Yuan Shi ZaiCantonese & Mandarin
1996友學友95ConcertJacky Cheung Concert 1995Cantonese & Mandarin
1995三年兩語Greatest Hits <3 Years, 2 Languages>Cantonese & Mandarin
1995擁友Possession Mandarin
1995過敏世界Sensitive World Cantonese
1995真愛新曲＋精選True Love compilationMandarin
1995一生跟你走作品輯With You All My Life CompilationCantonese & Mandarin
1994這個冬天不太冷This Winter Not Too ColdCantonese
1994偸心Steal One's HeartMandarin
1994張學友非常偵探Special Indicator Mandarin
1994張學友Jacky Cheung 24K Gold 金藏集Jacky Cheung 24K GoldCantonese & Mandarin
1994餓狼傳説 Born to be Wild Cantonese
1994餓狼傳説Born to be Wild Cantonese
1994學與友93演唱會Jacky Cheung Live 1993Cantonese & Mandarin
1993祝福BlessingMandarin
1993:zh:吻別|吻別The Goodbye KissMandarin
1993等你等到我心痛Painfully Waiting For You.Cantonese & English
1993祇想一生跟你走Everlasting Love Cantonese
1993我與你Me and YouCantonese
1993張學友●忘記他Forget HimCantonese
1992愛・火・花Sparks of LoveCantonese
1992真情流露True Love ExpressionCantonese
1991愛你多一些精選The Best Of Loving You More- Selected CollectionCantonese
1991壯志驕陽Bright AmbitionCantonese
1991一顆不變心Neverchanging HeartCantonese
1991情不禁Uncontrolled PassionCantonese
1990張學友的初戀故事・似曾相識Somewhere In Time Mandarin
1990夢中的你Dreaming Of You Cantonese
1989祇願一生愛一人You Will Always Be My Love Cantonese
1989絲絲記憶情歌精選The Best Of Memories Cantonese
1989給我親愛的For My DearestCantonese
1988意亂情迷Crazy for You Mandarin
1988昨夜夢魂中Dream In Grief Cantonese
1987在我心深處Deep In My HeartMandarin
1987JackyJackyCantonese
1987炸彈Love BombCantonese
1986情無四歸Homeless LoveMandarin
1986相愛Fall In LoveCantonese
1986Amour遙遠的她She is AfarCantonese
1985交叉算了The Trusted CrossCantonese
1985SmileSmileCantonese

Awards and nominations

IFPI Gold Disc Award
IFPI Platinum Disc Award
IFPI Top 10 Sales Album
IFPI Top 10 Sales Artist
IFPI Top Sales Album