Jenny Tseng
Jenny Tseng (Chinese: 甄妮, Yan Nei; born Yan Suk Si (simplified Chinese: 甄淑诗; traditional Chinese: 甄淑詩; pinyin: Zhēn shū shī); 20 February 1953) is a singer, actress and producer from Macau. She is mostly known in Cantonese-speaking regions, and she has been based in Hong Kong for much of her career. Tseng was one of the most popular female singers in Hong Kong during "the Golden Age of Music". Her career has spanned four decades, and she is one of the most successful "canto-pop singers", having released over 130 albums and sold over 10 million records worldwide.
Jenny Tseng | |||||||||||
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甄妮 | |||||||||||
| Born | Yan Suk Si (甄淑詩) 20 February 1953 | ||||||||||
| Occupation | Singer, actress, producer | ||||||||||
| Years active | 1971–present | ||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | |||||||||||
| Children | Melody Tseng (daughter) | ||||||||||
| Musical career | |||||||||||
| Origin | Hong Kong | ||||||||||
| Genres | Cantopop, Mandopop | ||||||||||
| Labels | SonyBMG JenFu Records | ||||||||||
| Associated acts | Roman Tam Sam Hui James Wong | ||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 甄妮 | ||||||||||
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| Yan Suk Si | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 甄淑詩 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 甄淑诗 | ||||||||||
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Early life and career beginning
Tseng's maternal ancestral home is Enping in Guangdong, China and her mother was born in Shanghai. Her father was of Austrian descent. The family lived in Taiwan. After her parents divorced, her mother remarried and relocated to Hong Kong.
Tseng graduated from World News College (世界新聞專科學校) becoming the fourth person to do so in Taiwan. She eventually went to university at the Chinese Culture Institute (中國文化學院; now the Chinese Culture University). In an interview, Tseng stated that she intended to become a stewardess because she loved to travel.
During Tseng's time at university, producers from a movie asked if she wanted to join the cast. She was asked to sing two English songs which eventually became hits. She then went on to release her debut album "心湖" in Taiwan, through Galaxy Records (銀河唱片) in 1971, thus beginning a four-decade career thus far.
Career
Marriage and Hong Kong breakthrough
In 1977 Tseng married Hong Kong martial arts film star Alexander Fu Sheng. The marriage was portrayed as turbulent in the media, however Tseng dispelled all the rumors during the 今夜不設防 interview in 1990 with long-time friend and collaborator James Wong.
In 1978 Tseng released her debut Hong Kong album "奮鬥" which broke records sales by selling 25,000 copies within the first two months, and was ranked top selling album for 12 weeks. According to the IFPI the total albums sales remains one of the highest. Her debut single "明日話今天" was voted a "Top Ten Hong Kong Golden Song", one of the first songs to ever be awarded that status.
Continued Success and collaboration with Roman Tam
In 1981, Tseng and Fu-sheng founded their own independent music production company (JenFu). Within two years Tseng produced two platinum albums (不要再重逢，心聲，憶夢/木頭人) and two gold albums (衝擊，播音人).
In 1983 Jenny and Roman Tam issued the soundtrack to the hit TV series Legend of the Condor Heroes. The songs became instant hits with classics including: 鐵血丹心 and 世間始終你好 . As the drama in the eighties in the provinces broadcast in mainland China, "鐵血丹心" won the domestic pop music critic award as one of the top ten Chinese classics of the twentieth century. These collaborations are still sung and are among the most successful and well-known collaborative songs.
Alexander Fu-Sheng's Death first career hiatus
On July 6, 1983, Fu-Sheng, who was to be filming in Clear Water Bay Road Studios, was in a Porsche 911 which crashed into a mountain, killing him. At the time Tseng was in Japan. On July 8, after returning to Hong Kong, Tseng announced that Fu-Sheng had died, at the age of 29. Tseng stopped all media appearances and flew back to Taiwan for a 15-month-break.
Comeback and Further Success
In 1984, Tseng joined CBS / Sony and launched a new album, "再度孤獨／迷人的五月". The album sales were only matched by Alan Tam with "霧之戀 and 愛的根源" sales-wise finishing third behind him. She became the first ever female artist (second after Sam Hui 許冠傑) to sell out Hong Kong Coliseum where Joseph Koo (顧嘉煇) composed. A live recording was released and sold 200,000 copies. She also made a notable appearance in the hit film 全家福 with Hui where the hit 無敵是愛 was released.
During the Jade Solid Gold Awards (a new award show more developed and recognized compared to RTHK), Tseng won three times including two top-10 songs 再度孤独, 無敵是愛 (with Sam Hui, the first ever female singer of the year, losing to Tam). She would not win again until 2011 with her honour of the golden needle award.
Further Career and Melody Tseng
In 1985 Tseng released 明天會更好 a bestselling charity single. She also returned to the Hong Kong Coliseum to celebrate her 15 years in the industry 甄妮再見十五年演唱会. Meanwhile, she released 為你而歌 a song nominated for a Jade Solid Gold Award.
By the end of 1986 Tseng released the soundtrack of the same name " 海上花". The song became very popular and won a RTHK top-10 song award. Other notable hits from that year included: 最後的玫瑰, 冷冷的秋.
In 1987 Tseng gave birth of a daughter "甄家平 (Melody)", which caused a controversy, with speculation as to who the father is persisting 'til the present, but Tseng has refused to reveal his identity, stating that it is a private matter. During her appearance on James Wong's show 黃霑 she stated that she and Fu sheng had difficulty bearing children and that she had four miscarriages. She also stated that the father is not "marriage material". In 2012 her long-time friend Jessica Chen stated that the father was indeed Fu Sheng. She said "All martial arts film stars back in the days were worried that they might be rendered impotent from shooting accidents. That's why most of them have their sperm stored in hospitals. Alexander was one of them, which is how Melody was conceived,".
Tseng entered Hong Kong Coliseum for the last time until 2000 with the concert 甄妮88演唱會.
Second Career Hiatus
After the image change of Anita Mui and the rise of competition Tseng's appearances and promotions became notably fewer for the majority of the 90s. However, Tseng became one of the highest paid Hong Kong female recording artists in 1991.
With only a few appearances, Tseng made a notable appearance on her long term friends and collaborator Joseph Koo and James Wong (顧嘉煇•黃霑•真友情演唱會), along with many other artists they performed a total of 13 shows in the Hong Kong Coliseum, Guangzhou and Singapore.
Concerts and Revival
In 1999, Tseng was invited to participate James Wong and Joseph Koo millennium show "香港煇黃 2000 演唱會",. A total of 16 performances were completed in Hong Kong Coliseum, followed by performances in Singapore and Malaysia
On 10 March 2000 until 12 March after a 12-year break, Tseng re-entered the Hong Kong coliseum headlining a whole concert named "一份真 演唱會". The concert spawned 2 dated with both dates selling out and attendance rate of 100%.
In 2001 (有你有我演唱會), 2004 (停不了演唱会) and 2006 (自然瘋演唱會), Tseng held concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum, all 3 concerts were extremely successful, but the 自然瘋演唱會 sold out, and furthermore the audience refused to leave. Eventually the showed extended half an hour longer.
Long term collaboration partner Lau-Ka Cheong (劉家昌) invited Tseng for an appearance for the songs that he wrote for her in the "往事只能回味演唱會" concert.
愛SHOW Farewell World Tour and Golden Needle Award
After a 6-year break from doing concerts, Tseng announced her final concert tour which would last from 6 to 9 May at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The tour will through Taipei, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Guangzhou, Singapore and Genting tour. The tour continued all through the year and sold out once again 4 times. One of the dates was her 60th birthday, where over 12,000 people sang Happy Birthday for her.
On 18 August 2013, and on the 19th at the Hong Kong Coliseum for the "century love songs century superstar concert" (世紀情歌世紀情巨星演唱會) finale performances. Wakefield and Ouyang Feifei to join the chorus, the interpretation of songs "熱情的沙漠" became an unexpected climax of the night.
On 2 December 2011, Radio RTHK announced that Tseng was the "34th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs" guest of honour receiving music industry's highest honour of the ‘Golden Needle Award’. She cleared the air by saying it was late but was thrilled. Later in 2011, she also performed a medley of her hits during the ceremony.
Present
It was revealed that Tseng bought a large farm where she would reside after her world tour had finished. However, Tseng frequently holds concerts where she performs songs of her own as well as other artists.
Awards won
RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
1972–1982: 每年的金骆驼奖
1978: 明日话今天 (female artist of the year was non-existent during this time)
1979: 春雨弯刀
1981: 東方之珠, and Female Singer of the year
1983: 世間始終你好
1984: 再度孤獨
1986: 海上花
Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation
1984: 再度孤獨, 無敵是愛 with Sam Hui, Female Artist of the year
2011: Golden Needle Award (金針獎)
External links
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