Vivian Chow
Encyclopedia
Vivian Chow is a Hong Kong
based Cantopop
singer and actress. She is well known for her ladylike stage image as well as her charity works for animal rights
and breast cancer awareness
.
She retired from the Chinese entertainment scene in the late 1990s when Chow and her longtime partner, Joe Ngai, emigrated to Vancouver
, Canada
. However, she still makes frequent trips to Hong Kong to visit her family and to support animal-rights charities.
and brought up by her mother. Her father died the same year she was born due to heart problems. As a child, Chow studied at St. Stephen's Church College
, passing A-levels (thirteenth grade) in high school.
in 1985 with Yoshie Kashiwabara
's song Saiai (最愛). The same contest also saw the rise of William So
(蘇永康) and Hacken Lee
. Although Chow did not receive any prizes in the contest, this failure did not diminish her hopes of becoming a singer, instead, Chow entered the entertainment business by becoming a DJ
in Radio Television Hong Kong
in 1987.
As a DJ for RTHK, Chow was the main character in three of the radio dramas, they are "Love in the Summer" (夏之戀) as 'Tung Tung' "The Teenage Period" (青蔥歲月) as 'Fong Ka Yiu', and "Life in Paris" (在巴黎的日子) as 'Joyce'.
, a single mother who is quite protective of her. They then meet a man played by George Lam
. For her role in the series, Chow won the 'Best New Performer' award of 1989.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
based Cantopop
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
singer and actress. She is well known for her ladylike stage image as well as her charity works for animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
and breast cancer awareness
Breast cancer awareness
Breast cancer awareness is an effort to raise awareness of breast cancer and reduce the disease's stigma by educating people about its symptoms and treatment options...
.
She retired from the Chinese entertainment scene in the late 1990s when Chow and her longtime partner, Joe Ngai, emigrated to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. However, she still makes frequent trips to Hong Kong to visit her family and to support animal-rights charities.
Early life
Chow was born in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and brought up by her mother. Her father died the same year she was born due to heart problems. As a child, Chow studied at St. Stephen's Church College
St. Stephen's Church College
St. Stephen's Church College, 聖士提反堂中學, is a secondary school attached to the Anglican St. Stephen's Church. The school is located between Bonham Road and Pokfulam Road in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong...
, passing A-levels (thirteenth grade) in high school.
Radio years
After high school, Chow entered the Fourth Annual New Talent Singing AwardsNew Talent Singing Awards
New Talent Singing Awards or NTSA for short, later re-organized into New Talent Singing Awards International Finals or NTSA International Finals for short), and most currently re-named TVB8 International Chinese New Talent Singing Championship is an annual singing...
in 1985 with Yoshie Kashiwabara
Yoshie Kashiwabara
is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter, model, movie, television and stage actress.- Biography :Born in Osaka, she rose to fame in 1980 as a teen idol, making her debut with the song "No.1". Other hits include: "Karin" and "Haru nanoni"...
's song Saiai (最愛). The same contest also saw the rise of William So
William So
William So Wing Hong is a Hong Kong actor and a cantopop singer. He began his musical career by participating the New Talent Singing Awards in 1985 and won the competition as the first runner up. His performance at that event earned him a record contract with Capital Artists...
(蘇永康) and Hacken Lee
Hacken Lee
Hacken Lee Hak Kan is an award winning Hong Kong based Cantopop singer and lyricist, actor, Master of Ceremonies and Association football sportscaster.-Early years: 1985-1995:...
. Although Chow did not receive any prizes in the contest, this failure did not diminish her hopes of becoming a singer, instead, Chow entered the entertainment business by becoming a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
in 1987.
As a DJ for RTHK, Chow was the main character in three of the radio dramas, they are "Love in the Summer" (夏之戀) as 'Tung Tung' "The Teenage Period" (青蔥歲月) as 'Fong Ka Yiu', and "Life in Paris" (在巴黎的日子) as 'Joyce'.
Acting
In 1988, Chow made her movie debut in the smash-hit comedy "Heart to Hearts" (三人世界). She played the role of the daughter of Carol ChengCarol Cheng
Carol Cheng , commonly referred to as Do Do, is an actress and host from Hong Kong.-Biography:Cheng began her career in the 1970s working on a number of Television Broadcasts Limited series. She also hosted the Hong Kong version of the game show The Weakest Link from 2001-2002...
, a single mother who is quite protective of her. They then meet a man played by George Lam
George Lam
George Lam Chi Cheung, also known professionally by his surname Lam, is a Hong Kong-based veteran Cantopop singer and actor of Xinhui area origin. Lam studied at the Diocesan Boys' School in Kowloon, Hong Kong...
. For her role in the series, Chow won the 'Best New Performer' award of 1989.
Music
In the same year that Chow won the 'Best New Performer' award, she also released her first album, titled by her Chinese name, 周慧敏. This album contained only 4 songs, and its main purpose was to test the response of the people of Hong Kong for the rising star. Sales did not disappoint, and Chow started to develop her own fan-base by releasing two new albums, Vivian and Qing Mi (情迷), in 1990; 5 new albums (see Discography) in 1991, and 6 new albums in 1992-1993. Chow had to take Mandarin lessons in order to perfect her pronunciation prior to the release of the Mandarin album, Liu Yan (流言). In view of her elegance the media dubbed her "玉女掌門人", a colloquial term that can be loosely translated as the "eternal maiden queen".Discography
- Zhou Hui Min 周慧敏 (1989)
- Vivian (1990)
- Qing Mi 情迷 (1990)
- A Long & Lasting Love (1991)
- Endless Dream (1992)
- Zhou Hui Min Zhen Qin Jing Xuan 周慧敏真情經選 (1992)
- Dong Ri Lang Man 冬日浪漫 (1992)
- Liu Yan 流言 (1992)
- Jin Zai Bu Yan Zhong 盡在不言中 (1993)
- Zui Ai 最愛 (1993)
- Xinshi Chong Chong 心事重重 (1993)
- Xin Qu + Jing Xuan 新曲+經選 (1993)
- Likai You lv De Xi Guan 離開憂鬱的習慣 (1994)
- Zhiji Zhi Bi 知己知彼對唱精選輯 (1994)
- Gan Qing De Fen Li 感情的分禮 (1994)
- Cheng Zheng 成長 (1994)
- Hongye Luo Sou De Shi Hou 紅葉落索的時候 (1994)
- Zhou Hui Min 1994 Mei De Hua Shen Concert 周慧敏'94美的化身演唱會 (1995)
- Duo Yi Dian Ai Lian 多一點愛戀 (1995)
- Chu Chu Liu Qing 處處留情 (1995)
- Qing Mi Xin Qiao 情迷心竅 (1995)
- Shi Jian 時間 (1996)
- Re Min 熱敏 (1996)
- Zhou Hui Min De Min Gan Di Dai 周慧敏的敏感地帶 (1997)
- Hui Yi Cong Jin Tian Kai Shi 回憶從今天開始 (1997)
- Wan Qian Chong Ai San Shi Shou 萬千寵愛30首 (1998)
Filmography
- Heart to Hearts (三人世界) (1988)
- Path of Glory (1989)
- The Romancing Star III (精裝追女仔(三)) (1989)
- Happy TogetherHappy Together (1989 Hong Kong film)-Cast and roles:* Cherie Chung * Vivian Chow * Lowell Lo * Chingmy Yau * Lawrence Cheng * Kenny Bee-External links:* *...
(相見好) (1989) - Xiao nan ren zhou xian (小男人周記/Yuppie Fantasy) (1989)
- The Unmatchable Match (風雨同路) (1990)
- Goodbye Hero (玩命雙雄) (1990)
- Heart Into Hearts (三人新世界) (1990)
- The Perfect MatchThe Perfect MatchThe Perfect Match is a British comedy-drama television film written by Mike Bullen and directed by Nick Hurran. It stars Saskia Reeves and Con O'Neill as Bridget and Phil, a couple whose marriage proposal is broadcast to football fans. It was first broadcast on the ITV network on 6 September 1995...
(1991) - Devil's Vindata (妖魔道) (1991)
- Fruit Bowl (Yes!一族) (1991)
- Fun and Fury (1992)
- Heart Against Hearts (三人做世界) (1992)
- Stone Man (石頭記) (1992)
- Fire On Ice (血染黎明) (1992)
- Tulips in August (八月鬱金香) (1992)
- Arrest the Restless (藍江傳之反飛組風雲) (1992)
- Girls Without Tomorrow 1992Girls Without Tomorrow 1992Girls Without Tomorrow 1992 is a 1992 Hong Kong film directed by David Lam Tak Luk and Wong Chi. It is a sequel to the 1988 film Girls Without Tomorrow.-Cast and roles:* Pauline Chan - Eva...
(現代應召女郎) (1992) - Summer Lover (夏日情人) (1992)
- Angel Hunter (女校風雲之邪教入侵) (1992)
- Rage and PassionRage and PassionRage and Passion is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novels The Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes. It was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1992.-Plot:...
(中神通王重陽) (1992) - The Kung Fu Scholar (倫文敘老點柳先開) (1993)
- Tom, Dick, and Hairy (風塵三俠) (1993)
- No Regret, No Return (走上不歸路) (1993)
- Family AffairsFamily AffairsFamily Affairs was a British soap opera broadcast on Five, from 1997 to 2005. It was the second programme to be broadcast on the channel on 30 March 1997, the channel's launch night...
(清官難審) (1994) - To Love Ferrari (我愛法拉利) (1994)
- Top Banana Club (金裝香蕉俱樂部) (1996)
- All About LoveAll About Love (2010 film)All About Love is a 2010 Hong Kong film directed by Ann Hui.The plot concerns two lesbian women who had been lovers in the past and re-meet through a service for single pregnant women.-Cast:* Sandra Ng as Macy* Vivian Chow as Anita...
(得閒炒飯) (2010)
External links
- Vivian Chow Board http://www.vivian-chow.com/
- Vivian Chow's Place http://vivianchow.info/
- Vivian Chow Back For Love Concert 2006 http://www.fotop.net/slideshow/henryfok/VivianChow2006
- Vivian Chow's Lyrics and Video http://www.geniv.com/ako888/list.php?id=887
- HK cinemagic entry
- Vivian's music