Taiwan Mandopop superstar Jay Chou confirmed the birth of his son, his second child, in a post on his Facebook page yesterday morning. In it, he shared a photo of his wife, Hannah Quinlivan, 23, kissing their sleeping newborn, who was lying next to their two-year-old daughter, Hathaway, in bed.

In Chinese, Chou, 38, wrote: "Haha, jie jie's (older sister) song Lover From A Previous Life did not get nominated, so we will have to rely on mummy's lover from a previous life to fight on her behalf. I probably won't be able to attend the Golden Melody Awards. Thanks to all my fans for their concern. Watching the Golden Melody Awards from the confinement centre with mummy and child will be quite special."

It is not known at press time if the newborn has been named.

Even though Lover From A Previous Life, which was partially composed by Hathaway, was not nominated at the awards to be held on Saturday, Chou is nominated for three other prizes: Best Mandopop Male Singer, Best Music Video for his song Bedtime Story and Song Of The Year for Love Confession.

The term "lover from a previous life" is a play on Taiwanese parlance, in which daughters are described as their fathers' lovers from their past lives. The term "mummy's lover from a previous life" would, thus, reference a son.

In the same Facebook post, Chou also referenced an old Taiwanese saying which indicates that a person will enjoy much good fortune just before marriage, as well as just after having a child.

Referencing the Golden Melody Awards, he said: "My gambling luck will be better... Haha, no, what I mean is, I will have more luck."

Yip Wai Yee