There's the American Idol, Singapore Idol, Campus Superstar, and what-have-you Superstar shows... All with the sole purpose of identifying the next superstar...
But what's a superstar? How do we know if he/she is one? Will he/she be one just because he/she has won the Superstar competition?
I saw a SUPERSTAR on 8 April 2006 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium...
鳳飛飛 is, in my opinion, the ultimare superstar...
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Why on earth did I attend her concert in the first place... A simple explanation would be that my mother's a fan of 鳳飛飛 since her teenage years... My sis, being a filial daughter, bought tickets to her concert for the whole family... and there I was, watching the greatest superstar in the Chinese music industry...
The average age of the audience in the Singapore Indoor Stadium was about 45 years old... Everyone has been a fan of 鳳飛飛 for no less than 30 years... It's a funny feeling, to be seated amidst such a senior crowd... very much subdued, very much less passionate... BUT... very much a hard-core fan of 鳳飛飛 otherwise they wouldn't be here, supporting their favourite superstar since 30 years ago...
The concert began... and the magic began as well... I was transported back in time... which I thought I had put them far behind me... It really was magic... ... ... ...
Throughout the entire concert, I hear all so familiar songs and I even know some of the lyrics too, despite the fact that I don't quite know the song titles... 鳳飛飛's voice and stage presence are still as charismatic as the past, and her every move and every action on stage oozes Superstarness...
There's no gimmick... there's no fancy showy stuff... just supreme vocal, singing solid timeless tunes, and with genuine sincerity... 鳳飛飛 has come a long way... and her fans have come a long way with her...
Though it's my mother who's really the serious fan... My sis and I have be nurtured since young to love 鳳飛飛's music too... In fact, I grew up listening to all her tunes... In the days where TV programmes weren't round the clock... in the days where I only listen to Redifusion... in the days where there's no internet... my sole introduction and influence into pop culture was from what my parents and uncles and aunties listen to...
And during the concert, I began to remember many scenes from my past... my childhood... and more specifically, my childhood days up till I was 4 years old...
鳳飛飛's songs reminded me of the days where my parents brought me to the cinema in Toa Payoh, where we lived. It was the days of 林风娇， 林青霞， 秦汉 and 秦祥林. They were the pillars and legend (even up till now) of the Taiwanese movie industry in the 70s... Most of the soundtrack of these movies were sung by 鳳飛飛 and that's why when I hear those songs again, memories come flooding back...
My parents watched these love movies during their courtship days, and I got to go watch them as well when I was just a few years old... I remember that I didn't need to get a ticket to go in because I would be sitting on either of their laps... But I remember quite vividly that I didn't spend my time on their laps most of the time during the movies... I'd be running up and down the aisle or sitting on the steps of the aisle watching the movies...
I also remember outside Toa Payoh cinema, there'd be a fleet of battery operated toy cars for kids to play with. I've never found out how much it cost for a timed ride, but I remember driving on one a couple of times either before or after the movies.
I also remembered the 20 mins walk from my grandparents' flat to the Toa Payoh Central whenever there's a need to go there, either for movies or buying groceries at the NTUC... there were bus services, but my parents would save on the trip and just walk... They told me when I was older that I hated walking when I was little and would always make my father carry me... I still remember the pong pong tress by the side of the road and the smell of the flowers still on the way to the central along Lorong 6... Still vivid... simply magical...
I also recalled those shopping trips at the TPY central NTUC... Amazingly, the trolleys that we now see in supermarkets are of similar designs since back then... There used to be a little foldable seat on the trolley for little kids and I remember sitting on them and having my parents, grandfather, uncle or auntie pushing me around... I really quite miss those lovely days where I was so doted on...
And I felt thankful... thankful to my mother, and my family... for brining me up in such a lovely environment... exposing me to such wholesome music by 鳳飛飛... and I must say that it has laid a major part of my growing foundation...
I took a glance at my mother and father during the concert... They've aged so much... 鳳飛飛's tunes were in the background and I really felt some blessed and gratified that my parents have worked so hard to bring me and my sis up... I know that regardless of what I were to do, I'll never be able to repay fully their unconditional love for me and my sis...
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Coming back to the Ulitmate Superstar... You'll know that you are staring at one when he/she can still be so popular and charismatic for over 30 years... You'll know that he/she is a superstar when he/she has that magical power to bring meaning to the lives of her fans with her songs...
And did I say that I experienced magic during 鳳飛飛's concert?
