Which Asian pop singer's singing can be described as *soulful*?

[john-e]

that comment came out of nowhere


btw, I don't think Jolin is anywhere soulful... she is very ballad pop

oh, I just happened to be listening to your "Before I Fall in Love" between you-tube searches and couldn't resist. hope u don't mind that i burned it to a cd.

[john-e]

...and i don't know if anyone's noticed, but this sounds very much like you Sugar. when i play it and your spcnet version, i'd swear it's the same person. hmmm, i wonder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfKufpq5sGw

[GuGu]

the one who won in 2005. She was the manly looking one

http://youtube.com/watch?v=l6ODbAjxcNc

OMG! WTF was that? Stupid!

[Leanna]

hmmm... but an you qi is quite good at acting
besides, the 04 one was really bad.... only the 05 was good
and yes, zhang liang ying is awesome

[Sugar]

...and i don't know if anyone's noticed, but this sounds very much like you Sugar. when i play it and your spcnet version, i'd swear it's the same person. hmmm, i wonder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfKufpq5sGw

it isn't me dear. Hers was much better. FIrst of, she got her pronouncation down and she doesn't strain herself hitting higher notes

ur comments are still flattering

[0-0-0]

it isn't me dear. Hers was much better. FIrst of, she got her pronouncation down and she doesn't strain herself hitting higher notes

ur comments are still flattering

another chinese singer did a rendition of Xian Jian Wen Qing, but i thought it sounded like a cheap karaoke retake and not as good as the original or sugar's version.

to be honest, the lyrics are not that much easier to make out in the original compared to sugar's rendition.

[Leanna]

you guys are acting so fake with the whole "honey" and "dear" stuff
its really bizzare

[oppas4all]

Chinese wise I would say Gary Cao Ge.
I think its harder to sound that soulful in Chinese

I think there are more Korean ones like Hwanhee from FTTS, Eru, J Lim...

[Sugar]

another chinese singer did a rendition of Xian Jian Wen Qing, but i thought it sounded like a cheap karaoke retake and not as good as the original or sugar's version.

to be honest, the lyrics are not that much easier to make out in the original compared to sugar's rendition.

i thought the link he gave was the original Xiao Ren Feng

you guys are acting so fake with the whole "honey" and "dear" stuff
its really bizzare

0-0-0 and I are friends, is there a problem using honey and dear with it?

[0-0-0]

i thought the link he gave was the original Xiao Ren Feng

it is, and it's the version that i like, apart from yours of course
the lyrics in that song are not meant to be completely understood. Like most songs, if you can make out all the lyrics first few times listening, you have a great talent

0-0-0 and I are friends, is there a problem using honey and dear with it?

more commonly, i use DARLING!!!!!!

i don't see anything wrong with dear, darling, honey. I've even been called babe sometimes.

[john-e]

it is, and it's the version that i like, apart from yours of course
the lyrics in that song are not meant to be completely understood. Like most songs, if you can make out all the lyrics first few times listening, you have a great talent

i still think sugar did a great job . i played the xiao ren feng version and sugar's together and there are parts that are near identical. as for lyrics being understood, there are many, many songs where i can't make out some of the lyrics. and some where i can't make out much at all, like almost everything by bob dylan and joe cocker.

...back to listening to "soulful voices".

[Sugar]

i still think sugar did a great job . i played the xiao ren feng version and sugar's together and there are parts that are near identical. as for lyrics being understood, there are many, many songs where i can't make out some of the lyrics. and some where i can't make out much at all, like almost everything by bob dylan and joe cocker.

...back to listening to "soulful voices".

I would say i am more ballad singer than soulful.. I can't belt for Sh*T. And Xiao Ren Feng's version is much better.

[silversnowflake]

If you were to go by the strict definition of what makes 'soul music' -- as a style of popular music developed by African Americans, combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues; or a fervent type of popular music developed in the late 1950s by black Americans as a secularized form of gospel music, with rhythm-and-blues influences, and distinctive for its earthy expressiveness, variously plaintive or raucous vocals, and often passionate romanticism or sensuality -- I think you'd be hard pressed to find any Asian singer or even Asian songs that could fit this category. It's not simply about a certain singer's singing technique or repertoire -- you're looking at an entire personality and identity here.

However, if you can accept the definition of 'soulful' singing as "full of or expressing deep feeling; profoundly emotional" I believe there are many Asian singers that do fit this category. You could probably judge for yourselves who these are; though I believe the best platform of judgment would be their ability to deliver ballad songs since these allow the greatest range of expression. It'd be nice to see some recommendations here of singers who can truly deliver the mood of their songs.

[john-e]

Good definitions SSF.

All my comments were based on "soulful" as opposed to "soul".

[Ken Cheng]

I've neglected to remark that Sammi Cheng delivered a remarkably soulful performance some years ago when she covered Roy Orbison's classic "Crying" live. Orbison had a unique, powerful, and haunting voice that seemed custom-made to convey his sentimental ballads (as well as his growling rock 'n roll). It takes a singer of considerable confidence, skill, and soul to cover an Orbison tune. Sammi Cheng did it surprisingly well.