R&B singer Gloria Tang, better known by her stage name G.E.M. (Get Everybody Moving), has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame since releasing her self-titled record two years ago. Raised in a musical family, the 19-year-old singer landed a recording contract after winning a singing competition at the age of 15. She went on to become the first teen to win the female newcomer Gold award at Commercial Radio's Ultimate Song Chart Awards, taking the prize last year, and has since picked up other awards.
The Shanghai-born Tang, whose family moved to Hong Kong when she was four, is also a prolific songwriter, creating a number of chart-topping songs such as Where Did You Go, All About You and Game Over. She recently released a third album, My Secret, apparently a reflection of her inner gloom.
What's the secret in your album title?
The creation of this record was prompted by a secret, but it is not meant to tell people about my private life. During the process of writing the album, there was a lot of unhappiness, pressure and some negative gossip about me. It was a dark period. At the same time, I felt a lot of love around me, which gave me the strength to get through that difficult time. I wrote all the lyrics and six of the tunes. The album is filled with a lot of my own feelings, thoughts and experiences. I hope listeners can draw strength from it.
You started composing at the age of five. What kind of songs did you write at that time?
I didn't like to read scores when playing the piano. As a child, after I had practised playing the pieces assigned by my teacher, I would throw away the scores and play what I liked. I came up with my own melodies, short musical phrases.