N E W S  A B O U T  S H O W

GoSsiPs, RuMoUrS, UpDaTeS... NaMe iT!!!

Some news articles from Singapore Online Paper and others...

He dances at Orchard Crossing

Taiwanese singer-host Alan Luo re-enacts poses on CD sleeve of his new album for The New Paper 

TAIWANESE singer-host Alan Luo Zhi-xiang meant business when he named his first solo album, Show Time.

Just look at him, showing off in the middle of the traffic junction between The Heeren Shops and Mandarin Hotel last Saturday.

For a few heart-stopping minutes, he executed a one-hander - a breakdance move that requires him to flip his legs up in the air while supporting his body on one hand.

He did it not just once, but four times. 

Several motorists gawked in surprise.

Even screams that erupted from dozens of teenage girls gathered nearby, who obviously recognized the suave star, did not distract him.

But why did Alan pull such a stunt in the middle of Orchard Road?

Well, he was posing for The New Paper.

He was in town last week to promote his new album, and we challenged him to replicate three of the most daring pictures found on his CD sleeve.

Heeren was the place to go, since it's the local equivalent of Tokyo's hip districts Shibuya and Harajuku, where Alan shot his photos last September.

The good sport he was - or show-off, depending on how you look at it - Alan gamely went the extra mile.

Once we explained the concept, he bolted out of his seat and shouted in English: 'Let's go!'

Pose 1: Balancing act  

In Tokyo: Alan said he was just standing on a metal railing in Harajuku when the photographer asked him to pose.

'So I posed like I was on a skateboard!' he said in Mandarin.

In Singapore: We found a 1m tall railing behind Heeren, but Alan hesitated, saying it'll be hard to balance himself on the top metal bar.

The one in Harajuku was flat, he added.

'I'm not Jackie Chan!' he joked in English.

But he still agreed to try, and niftily hoisted himself on top of the railing.

He posed with his left fingers never leaving a nearby pillar.

When our photographer tried to coax him to let go for a moment, he protested laughingly: 'I'm only 24 years old! I'm not married yet!'

Still, we must say he looks pretty good.

Pose 2: Big sweep 

In Tokyo: Alan and his entourage were just scouting Harajuku for locations one morning, when they spotted two trendily-dressed guys sweeping the streets.

'Wow, even cleaners were dressed so fashionably, so we asked them to pose with me,' he recalled.

In Singapore: We approached a male cleaner inside a boutique in Heeren, but he declined to be photographed.

So we settled for the next two guys we spotted. One was a lanky fan who had been following Alan together with a handful of his female friends, and the other, a rather hunky passerby.

A broom, two dustpans and two chairs borrowed from the shops completed the picture.

Alan gamely plunked himself on the floor.

It didn't matter that a group of around 30 fans, mostly teenage girls in school uniforms, were busy ogling.

The friendly star kept smiling and waving at them, and even shook a few hands.

Pose 3: Stop traffic

In Tokyo: Alan had to lug a silver chair bearing the words 'Show Time' around Shibuya, and he posed sitting on it in the middle of the famous four-way traffic junction.

'Everyone thought I was crazy!' he recalled with a laugh.

'One motorcyclist even lifted his helmet visor to stare at me. It was so embarrassing!'

In Singapore: We were unable to borrow such a chair at Heeren, so Alan said he'd dance for us in the middle of the traffic junction instead.

Once the green man came on, he dashed to the middle of the road and started mimicking Michael Jackson's signature robotic moves.

After a few shots, our photographer beckoned him back.

But, to our surprise, Alan signaled him to follow him, and then, out of the blue, he executed a one-hander.

He even repeated it three times so that our photographer could get a good shot.

When asked why he had suddenly pulled the stunt, Alan said: 'If I want to dance, I must give it my best shot.

'I must let people see how li hai (Mandarin for formidable) I am!'

Fans, are you convinced?

·  Alan's new album, Show Time, is out in stores.

He wants all eyes on him

 Affectionately nicknamed Xiao Zhu (little pig in Mandarin, as he was a fat child), he had his break when he joined a Heavenly King look-alike contest nine years ago, and won for mimicking Aaron Kwok.

Fame beckoned after he formed a boy band, coincidentally called Four Heavenly Kings. But the group soon split up - leaving him and another member, Eddy Ou Han-sheng, to form a duo, Romeo.

Alan went on to dabble in acting (Working Girl, opposite Jolin Tsai) and hosting, and soon made a name for himself as a wise-cracking motor mouth willing to try anything in variety shows like TV Musketeers and Winning Go!.

And now, he's gone solo with his first album, Show Time, crooning mostly J-pop-influenced hip-hop and R&B tunes. He even wrote his own rap in Japanese for the title track.

The wispy-haired star said he came up with the title himself as his Japanese name is Show, which is the Japanese pronunciation of the last character in his name ('xiang').

'The idea is to get all other artistes to step aside and let me perform, so that all eyes will be on me,' explained Alan, otherwise known as R&B prince Jay Chou's best buddy.

On going solo, he said: 'I'm very happy that people can finally focus on me, and not one whole group. I want people to notice me, my image, my moves.'

Song of the Day

Alan Luo, or Luo Zhi-Xiang, is a popular name in Taiwan's show-biz circles. We've seen him in TV serials, commercials and, well, more TV shows.But we can also hear his unique voice on his second album "Expert Show". 

Alan Luo, or Luo Zhi-Xiang, is a popular name in Taiwan's show-biz circles. We've seen him in TV serials, commercials and, well, more TV shows.

But we can also hear his unique voice on his second album "Expert Show". Still brimming with dynamic hip-hop energy, Alan extends more of his Smiling Race flair to all his fans.

"Expert Lover", one of the principle tracks, overshadows other songs. Alan invites his friend Xu Xi¨CDi, better known as Xiao S to sing with him. The melody is quite relaxing with strong R&B flavour and their chorus is harmonious. In the MV for "Expert Lover" Alan can be seen next to the tempting Taiwanese talent Xu Xi-Di, like any other guy chasing after romance.

But now let's have a listen to the song "Expert Lover" by Alan Luo!

*Note: the position of the pictures and the sizes were altered from the original. Some pics were not included.

MoRe>>

Show Show Show Show Show Show Show Show Show Show