Hins Cheung
Canto-pop singer and songwriter HINS CHEUNG is really your boy-next-door. Friendly and sincere, he is down to earth, modest, open and definitely chatty.
Recently in Kuala Lumpur to promote his latest Cantonese album, Love & Living, the 28-year-old, who hails from Guangzhou, China, said that he is now more mature and revealed a nostalgic side to himself.
He also admitted that he is quite old-school in his taste in music and said that his musical influences range from FRANK SINATRA and ELLA FITZGERALD to MICHAEL BUBLÉ. Perhaps that’s why he has chosen to go classic with his latest album, which features such well-known 80s musicians and songwriters as GEORGE LAM, ANTHONY LUN, ALVIN LEONG, PETER KAM, ALAN TSUI, CALVIN POON and more.
What’s the concept behind this album?
I wanted to do some classic love songs. Personally, I like jazz singers like Michael Bublé. Lately, I have not bought any new albums but listened more to the classics like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and NAT KING COLE. I thought of why their albums are still selling after 40 years. That’s what I call classics. So I have invited a group of top musicians and producers to help me with this album. And I hope I can add some really classic songs to my repertoire.
So is this a new musical direction you’re going to take?
Not really, but I’m quite old-fashioned and nostalgic by nature. I love all things in the past. I somehow feel the olden days are happier times. So far, my music has been quite mellow and I have not attempted anything rock or too fast. And this time we didn’t use many variations of instruments but the more basic ones. Although it’s more old-school, somehow it’s not dated.
But why is it in Cantonese?
Actually, I feel singing Cantonese songs has its limitations compared to singing in English. So I wish to bring the spirit of English songs into Cantonese songs and give them more styles. In the early 90s, Cantonese music had more varieties such as hip hop, rock and R&B. But in today’s Hong Kong music scene, the style is getting quite uniform and limited.
Why are you trying to project a more mature image?
I believe that at every stage in life, you should do something different. I may not be that old but I’m not a teeny bopper as well. I think I should have more depth to my music. I think I’m at the age where I want a more stable life. In the coming ten years, I have to be hardworking for the sake of my parents as well.
You have not released a Mandarin album in four years. Are you afraid you might lose some of your fans in mainland China or Taiwan?
It may be true but because of various factors, it’s more expensive to produce a Mandarin album than a Cantonese one. I hope that this album, which we put a lot of time into, can be accepted by all my fans. My Mandarin album will be out next year. At the moment, we are selecting songs.
Will you be coming to Malaysia for a concert anytime soon?
I hope to bring an unplugged concert to Malaysia, hopefully soon. I feel very grateful that my fans still remember me although I don’t come here very often. Consumers have many choices these days as there are so many newcomers.
Besides singing, do you act?
I like acting and have acted in a few movies although not in significant roles. I think I am still not a natural actor. I have always portrayed very timid characters but I do hope to take up roles that are different from my usual image – maybe a psychopathic murderer since I have large eyes which can be quite scary [laughs].
The Hong Kong entertainment industry is very competitive. Do you ever worry about being replaced?
For lazy people like me, I think it’s good to have competition. But at times I feel I am also able to learn from the newcomers. For instance, there’s a new girl called GEM that sings very well. And dancing-wise, WILLIAM CHENG is probably the best in recent years. You always need to set a standard for yourself and I think we need to upgrade ourselves as well.
But you are a composer and songwriter.
Yes, but I also hope I can be a more well-rounded artiste. Besides singing my own songs, I want to show others that I can sing other people’s compositions well also.
You said you’re lazy. Are you really?
Yes, among the artistes, I can be considered quite laidback. I’m not the aggressive type. I actually wish there was more time to relax and play.
Since your album is about relationships, how’s your love life?
So far so good. At least my love life is happening in tabloids and magazines [laughs].
Are you saying you don’t mind rumours?
Actually, I don’t mind so much because to a certain extent, rumours can even be helpful if you know how to handle them. My rumoured girlfriend IVANA and I are actually really good friends and we can laugh at the stories. People seem to like to read them so in a way, we are also bringing entertainment to others. This is how the entertainment industry is.
