Vivian Chow

Infobox Chinese-language singer and actor
name = Vivian Chow

---

chinesename = 周慧敏
pinyinchinesename = zhou1 hui4 min3
jyutpingchinesename = zau1 wai3 man5
ancestry = Zhongshan, Guangdong
origin = Hong Kong
birthdate = birth date and age|1967|11|10
birthplace = flagicon|Hong Kong|colonial Hong Kong
occupation = Singer, actor, songwriter, Master of Ceremonies
genre = Cantopop, Mandopop
instrument = pianoforte
label = PolyGram
yearsactive = 1989 - 1997
partner = Joe Ngai
ntsawards = 1985 Semifinalist

Vivian Chow is a Hong Kong based Cantopop singer and actress. She is well known for her ladylike stage image as well as her charity works for animal rights.

Unfortunately, along with fame always comes the paparazzi. Vivian could not handle the sudden invasion of her personal life, and once temporarily shut herself away from all types of media.Fact|date=May 2008 After her concert in 1994, Vivian realized that her primary value is her personal life, not fame and glory.Fact|date=May 2008 Therefore, she gradually ceased relationships with Hong Kong's entertainment circle. She retired from the Chinese entertainment scene in the late 1990s when Vivian and her long time partner, Joe Ngai, emigrated to Vancouver, Canada. Though she still makes frequent trips to Hong Kong to visit her family and to support animal-rights charities.

Early life

Vivian was born in Hong Kong and brought up by her mother. Her father died the same year she was born due to heart problems. As a child, Vivian studied at St. Stephen's Church College, passing A-levels (seventh grade) in high school. Her dream was to become a singer and an artist,Fact|date=May 2008 both of which she has accomplished.

Career

Radio years

After high school, Chow entered the Fourth Annual New Talent Singing Awards in 1985 with Yoshie Kashiwabara's (柏原芳恵) song "Saiai" (最愛). The same contest also saw the rise of William So (蘇永康) and Hacken Lee. Although Vivian did not receive any prizes in the contest, this failure did not diminish her hopes of becoming a singer, instead, Chow entered the entertainment business by becoming a DJ in Radio Television Hong Kong in 1987.

As a DJ for RTHK, Chow was the main character in three of the radio dramas, they are "Love in the Summer" (夏之戀) as 'Tung Tung' "The Teenage Period" (青蔥歲月) as 'Fong Ka Yiu', and "Life in Paris" (在巴黎的日子) as 'Joyce'.

Acting

In 1988, Chow made her movie debut in the smash-hit comedy "Heart to Hearts" (三人世界). She played the role of the daughter of Carol Cheng, a single mother who is quite protective of Vivian. They then meet a man played by George Lam. For her role in the series, Chow won the 'Best New Performer' award of 1989.

Music

In the same year that Vivian won the 'Best New Performer' award, she also released her first album, titled by her Chinese name, 周慧敏. This album contained only 4 songs, and its main purpose was to test the response of the people of Hong Kong for the rising star. Sales did not disappoint, and Vivian started to develop her own fan-base by releasing two new albums, 'Vivian' and 'Qing Mi' (情迷), in 1990; 5 new albums (see Discography) in 1991, and 6 new albums in 1992-1993. Vivian had to take Mandarin lessons in order to perfect her pronunciation prior to the release of the Mandarin album, "Liu Yan" (流言). Limited by her good look and genteel demeanor, her performances usually received moderate reviews by critics but she nonetheless attracted a huge and loyal fan-base.Fact|date=May 2008 During the peak of her career, her popularity had a dominating presence among high school students and many of them have remained loyal throughout her retirement.Fact|date=May 2008 In view of her unfaltering beauty, elegance and kindred spirit, the media dubbed her "玉女掌門人", a colloquial term that can be loosely translated as the eternal maiden queen.Fact|date=May 2008

Discography

* "Zhou Hui Min" 周慧敏 (1989)
* Vivian (1990)
* "Qing Mi" 情迷 (1990)
* A Long & Lasting Love (1991)
* Endless Dream (1992)
* "Zhou Hui Min Zhen Qin Jing Xuan" 周慧敏真情經選 (1992)
* "Dong Ri Lang Man" 冬日浪漫 (1992)
* "Liu Yan" 流言 (1992)
* "Jin Zai Bu Yan Zhong" 盡在不言中 (1993)
* "Zui Ai" 最愛 (1993)
* "Xinshi Chong Chong" 心事重重 (1993)
* "Xin Qu + Jing Xuan" 新曲+經選 (1993)
* "Likai You lv De Xi Guan" 離開憂鬱的習慣 (1994)
* "Zhiji Zhi Bi" 知己知彼對唱精選輯 (1994)
* "Gan Qing De Fen Li" 感情的分禮 (1994)
* "Cheng Zheng" 成長 (1994)
* "Hongye Luo Sou De Shi Hou" 紅葉落索的時候 (1994)
* "Zhou Hui Min 1994 Mei De Hua Shen Concert" 周慧敏'94美的化身演唱會 (1995)
* "Duo Yi Dian Ai Lian" 多一點愛戀 (1995)
* "Chu Chu Liu Qing" 處處留情 (1995)
* "Qing Mi Xin Qiao" 情迷心竅 (1995)
* "Shi Jian" 時間 (1996)
* "Re Min" 熱敏 (1996)
* "Zhou Hui Min De Min Gan Di Dai" 周慧敏的敏感地帶 (1997)
* "Hui Yi Cong Jin Tian Kai Shi" 回憶從今天開始 (1997)
* "Wan Qian Chong Ai San Shi Shou" 萬千寵愛30首 (1998)

Filmography

* "San ren shi jie" (三人世界/Heart to Hearts) (1988)
* "Chung tin siu ji" (Path of Glory) (1989)
* "Feng yu tong lu" (風雨同路/The Unmatchable Match) (1989)
* "Lang zhi yi zu" (精裝追女仔(三)/The Romancing Star III) (1989)
* "Happy Together" (相見好, "Xiang jian hao") (1989)
* "Xiao nan ren zhou xian" (小男人周記/Yuppie Fantasy) (1989)
* "Wan ming shuang xiong" (玩命雙雄/Goodbye Hero) (1990)
* "San ren jo shi jie" (三人新世界/Heart Into Hearts) (1990)
* "Chi qing kuai xu" (Fun & Fury 3) (1991)
* "Nu xiao feng yun xie jiao ren qin" (女校風雲之邪教入侵/Angel Hunter) (1991)
* "Saam yan jo sai gaai" (三人做世界/Heart Against Hearts) (1991)
* "Yao mo dao" (妖魔道/Devil's Vindata) (1991)
* "Yes! yi zu" (Yes!一族/Fruit Bowl) (1991)
* "Stone Man" (石頭記) (1992)
* "Fire On Ice" (血染黎明) (1992)
* "Tulips in August" (八月鬱金香) (1992)
* "Laam Gong juen ji faan fei jo fung wan" (藍江傳之反飛組風雲/Arrest the Restless) (1992)
* "The Kung Fu Scholar" (倫文敘老點柳先開) (1992)
* "Girls Without Tomorrow 1992" (現代應召女郎, "Xian dai ying zhao nu lang" ) (1992)
* "Xia ri qing ren" (夏日情人/Summer Lovers) (1992)
* "Feng chen san xia" (風塵三俠/Tom, Dick, and Hairy) (1993)
* "Zou shang bu gui lu" (走上不歸路/No Regret, No Return) (1993)
* "Ching guan nan shen" (清官難審/Family Affairs) (1994)
* "Wo Ai Ferarri" (我愛法拉利/To Love Ferrari) (1994)
* "Top Banana Club" (金裝香蕉俱樂部, "Jin zhuang xiang jiao ju le bu") (1996)

Written works

* Bengal Cat- 我的貓兒子周慧豹 (2004)

External links

*
* Vivian Chow Board http://www.vivian-chow.com/
* Vivian Chow's Place http://vivianchow.info/
* Vivian Chow Unlimited http://www.vivianzhou.com/
* Vivian Chow Back For Love Concert 2006 http://www.fotop.net/slideshow/henryfok/VivianChow2006
* Vivian Chow's Lyrics and Video http://www.geniv.com/ako888/list.php?id=887
* [http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/people.asp?id=562 HK cinemagic entry]