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Born
in Hong Kong but college educated in Taiwan, Emil Chau Wa
Kin is a singer, actor and entrepreneur who has captured everyone's
heart. He learned to play the guitar when
he was 13 or 14 just for fun. He went to college in Taiwan in
1979. At that time,
there was a popular tradition of "campus folk singers"--
singers and songwriters who performed in coffee shops. Here, Wa Kin learned to sing in Mandarin
which was to prove an important step for his future in Taiwan.
Hoping to start a career as a recording
artist, he began to meet people in the recording industry
without success. He decided
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to become a record producer and gave up the dream of being a singer.
He joined Rock
Records as an assistant producer and also wrote songs for
other singers. Almost by chance
he got the opportunity to sing jingles for advertising. One, for a car commercial, caught
the attention of his boss at Rock Records who said, "Is
that your voice? Why don't you release an album?" So in 1987 he released his first
Mandarin album at Rock Records. As he struggled to become a singer he ended up as a record producer,
and when working as a producer he became a singer!
During his years as a producer, he had also met his future wife,
Constance who is from America. They started dating, then got engaged and
about a year later, in 1986, they got married. Wa Kin said, "She's the kind
of wife that brings you luck." Certainly Wa Kin's career has taken off
since he's got married. Since 1987, he has released about 30 albums in Mandarin,
Cantonese and English. His platinum albums
such as "You Make me Happy and Sad", "Flowery
Heart", "Music Brings Us Together", "Emil & Friends"
have brought him numerous awards both from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
His international
popularity has made him start touring and doing concerts. His concerts are
simple by Asian standards. No mirrors, swirling smoke and lights, just the singer, his
guitar and the backing musicians. Besides his singing career, Wa Kin has
appeared in movies and has hosted several TV shows both in Hong Kong and
Taiwan. His clean-cut image,
friendly disposition and passion for music have made him one of the most
admirable idols in the industry.
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