【義達＊溫馨寶貝的家】

2004/5/11No question, he's a man

No question, he's a man


MOST pop stars are used to hearing the adoring screams of crowds of girls. But when YiDA Huang (Yida) did his morning exercises, the "wows" and whistles all came from other guys.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. The 24-year-old new talent from Sony Music shared a teacher with Stefanie Sun (Yanzi). He also shares Sun's smile, which has earned him the nickname "the male Yanzi".

Once he opens his mouth, though, there is no question that Huang is man. He is only 172cm tall and weighs just 50 kilograms, but his strong and powerful voice can cross the boundaries of rock' n' roll, classical and pop music.

His first album, "Hard to Define" (Wufa Dingyi), which was released last month, is a positive sign of things to come from this Singapore native.

But if a boyfriend of his sister hadn't given him a guitar on his 15th birthday, his talent might never have been realized.

"I was so confused about my future because everyone thought going to university was the only way I would achieve a good life," he said. "But that day, I suddenly realized music should be my destiny. Then I set off on that path."

As he started music so late, Huang had to work hard to catch up with his peers, particularly in playing the piano. The introverted and uncompromising boy spent a whole year alone teaching himself how to use the instrument. He spent hours listening to records and practised playing the tunes until he could play them back.

One year later, he returned to class and astonished all the pupils and teachers with his skills. His talent was discovered by an entertainment company. He hasn't looked back.

He composed most of the songs on his new album, including the two hits "Blue Sky" and "Love Under the Microscope".

The first tells of what Huang saw on a Taiwan beach when he felt homesick. "Love Under the Microscope" is much more complicated, describing the bittersweet feelings of a boy who misses a girl. Its skillful arrangements and emotional changes took three months to produce.