Concert review: Jay Chou entertained 12 song requests for 45 minutes, many fans moved to tears

Jay Chou Carnival World Tour 2024 – Singapore

National Stadium
Oct 12

Frequent attendees of Jay Chou’s concerts often regard the song request segment as one of their highlights.

That is when fans who manage to attract his attention get picked to ask the Taiwanese singer-songwriter to perform their favourite song on the spot, no matter how obscure the number. They also get to sing along and interact with their idol.

The 28,000 concertgoers at the Oct 12 show got an extra serving of this segment, which ran for 45 minutes of the show’s 165 minutes. It was the second of Chou’s three Carnival World Tour shows in Singapore from Oct 11 to 13.

Among his fans were local singer-actor Rao Zi Jie, 35, who was in the front row with his influencer-hawker girlfriend Phyllis Seah.

When Chou, 45, learnt of Rao’s reputation as Singapore’s Jay Chou, the Mandopop superstar suggested the two sing a duet of Stranded (2004). When Rao was passed a microphone and aced the opening lines, Chou said, “Looks like you can do it”, and joined in.

After the song ended, he also signed an autograph for Ms Seah.

Other fans were moved to tears at the chance to speak and sing with Chou during this segment, which also showcased the diversity of his fans.

One concertgoer, who said he attended Chou’s Incomparable Tour performance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium 20 years ago, took along his 11-year-old son for the Oct 12 gig. Chou commented: “This is a legacy. It goes to the next generation. You can bring your grandchildren next time.”

Then there was a man with a dark complexion, who said in Mandarin that he understood Chou’s songs, and listened to them with his wife. He requested Silence (2001) and sang along enthusiastically in Mandarin.

In addition, the segment showcased Chou’s spontaneous humour. For example, when a Singaporean woman requested A Step Back (2006), Chou took her words literally and retreated a few steps onstage.

It also allowed fans to see a more personal side of the artiste, like when Listen To Mom (2006) came up and Chou revealed that his mother, Ye Hui-mei, was in the audience.

In all, he entertained 12 song requests, the most among the seven Chou concerts this writer has attended since 2016.

At this third run of his Carnival World Tour in Singapore, which was also staged in 2020 and 2022, Chou seemed to pay more attention to his fans.

At the Oct 12 show, he came down from the stage a number of times to give high-fives to those seated in front.

On Oct 11, he said onstage that he had noted feedback from fans who complained about the sound system at his previous concerts held at the National Stadium, and chose not to release seats at the topmost level for sale.

He said: “In the past, people said there was some issue with the sound. And I want all my fans to have a good audio experience. You see the top level? We did not sell those seats because we were afraid people there would not be able to hear the music. So please know that I do read the comments from fans.”

Chou’s current tour, which has been running since 2019, celebrates his more than two decades in the music industry.

Unlike the previous two iterations, which kicked off with Half-beast Human (2002), he opened with the track Golden Armor – off his 2006 Chinese wuxia film, Curse Of The Golden Flower – from a platform, with a pair of massive, elaborate metallic wings positioned behind him.

Another notable update seemed to take a leaf out of K-pop music festival Waterbomb Singapore, which was held in Sentosa in August. Chou’s fans were hit with two sprays of water from water cannon during Nunchucks (2001) and Her Eyelashes (2003).

Fans who have watched Chou’s Carnival spectacles would find much of the show familiar. But the star’s longer-than-usual song request segment at least gave them something fresh to remember the concert by.