WHEN Sally Yeh appeared on stage at the Arena of Stars in Resorts World Genting for the first of her two-night shows on Oct 26, it felt as if she has never left the industry.
Right off the bat, the consummate performer showed she owned the stage, striking a dramatic pose in a flowing gown complete with wide-brim hat in her first number that night, Wan Quan Shi Ni (Totally Yours), and proceeded to vow the crowd.
In a performance that lasted some three hours and ran through a gamut of over 40 songs that covered both Cantonese, Mandarin and English numbers, Yeh proved that she has gotten better with age.
She literally set the stage ablaze with some sizzling Latin moves to the tune of Cha Cha Cha and La Isla Bonita in the Latin segment of the concert.
Yeh was shaking her booty as good as her group of dancers and even added a little Irish jig to the latter song just to spice things further.
The Latin moves took her over a year to master in the two-year run-up to this world tour, which officially kicked off with four shows at the Hong Kong Coliseum in September. Malaysia was her first overseas stop after Hong Kong.
Naturally, she didn’t forget the romantic ballads and uplifting folk classics that she is still well-known for such as Siew Sa Jao Yat Wooi (Going Out in Style), Tim Yin Mutt Je (Sweet Talk) which she performed complete with fluttering eyelashes, and Ching Yan Chi Kei (Lovers and Soulmates), among many others
At one point during the concert, she excitedly zeroed in on one of the audience members who turned out to be none other than our badminton ace and World No.1 Datuk Lee Chong Wei and soon-to-be-wife former national shuttler Wong Mew Choo.
It was a case of star turned fan as the badminton-mad Yeh had Lee up on stage taking photos with her and her music director, who is another badminton fan. The singer later dedicated the song, Juk Fuk (Blessings), to the couple for their impending wedding.
Yeh also didn’t forget her legion of faithful fans who have continued to support her every concert appearance. To her Malaysian fans, she promised a hot show because “Malaysians are so warm”.
She also braved the masses not once but twice, the second time, literally wading through the upper terraces to touch bases with the cheering crowd.
At the closing stage of her concert, she encouraged the crowd to sing along and batted a boxful of shuttlecocks to the lucky few near the stage, finally ending the night with I Will Always Love You.
Even before the lights had dimmed, the crowd was already chanting encores. And Yeh, of course, graciously complied with a set of uplifting numbers, including Fuk Hei, her special dedication to the crowd, as well as the English number, Tell Me That You Love Me.
She finally ended the night with the Bee Gees’ Dancing Queen, but not before going into the crowd to personally thank her fans.
For an artiste who has been named most popular Hong Kong female singer four times as well as the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Chinese music industry, Yeh remains down to earth and humble.
This is one artiste who thanked practically everyone who had a part in the concert, even her hairdresser and the girls who helped her change backstage!
In short vignettes of her life and dreams as told from the perspective of family members and close friends, which were aired between sets, the audience was given a glimpse into the private life of this artiste.
Yeh admitted in one vignette that she would never retire as long as she could still sing and dance, and her fans still want her. And by their enthusiastic response to her performance here, she is still wanted.
The Sally Yeh is Intimately Yours concert was organised by Star Planet and jointly presented by MednSpa and Kenanga Investment Bank.
theSundaily | November 2 , 2012