Sunday, January 10, 2010

Tracy Huang: Soft, Sweet, Sophisticated, Stylish

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Tracy Huang is one of the 300 singers selected to appear and sing in this year's National Day Parade Theme Song for 2019. Question is. Is she Singaporean?  Anyway, here's a look back at Ms. Huang when she was a pop queen in 70s Singapore.


She was the singer with the most beautiful face and was Singapore's sweetheart in the 70's drawing sitting room audiences during her shows on local television singing love ballads. With her beautiful face, soft, sweet voice and sophisticated appeal, Tracy Huang (黃露儀) became a hit with Singaporeans. She became a good friend to all her fans interpreting their joys and sorrows on TV and on vinyl.


In the 70s, when the EP was in less demand, her Long Play (LP) records filled the vinyl shops along North Bridge Road. I remember seeing her albums dominating the shelves in the 70s and were beside Teresa Teng's bit hits.


Huang has two names. In Singapore, she is known as Huang Luyi, but back home in Taiwan, she is Huang Ying Ying. She became a popular singer at the exclusive American Club where audiences were necessarily limited, but enthusiastic. Her specializing more in English songs than in Chinese ones earned her a fan base with local Singaporeans who do not understand Mandarin.

Tracy Huang: Hello Darling 
YouTube Video from Michael Lim

When she came to Singapore, the local television organisation contracted her as a compere for the Chinese Variety Show series. As an example, in one of the shows in April 1978, Tracy was the MC for Musical Showcase for Channel 8  and featured singers, Mimi, The Tang Sisters, Pai Sar, Ai Loon and the popular Ching Wai and Chopstick Sisters. She did well professionally and at that time also signed on with EMI to do covers of English songs.


Her popularity soared and she completed many albums up to the 80s. Name a chartbuster of yesteryear and she would probably have covered it. In fact, she has an album that covered only the sixties biggest hits like San Francisco (Flowers In Your Hair), Fool On A Hill, Hurt So Bad, To Sir With Love, If We Are Only Friends, Rhythm Of The Rain, Sound Of Silence and more.

No Singapore singer can be so demure and enchanting.
Many of her EMI vinyl was produced and arranged by The Quests' top gun, Reggie Verghese and engineered by Vincent Lim. Singapore's ability to produce vinyl of quality in the 70s brought many Asian artistes to our shore to record.


Her first English album Feelings was rewarded with a Hong Kong Gold Disc Award for outstanding sales and a similar trend followed with Mississippi and I Don't Want To Talk About It. She also became a hit in Australia.


Tracy Huang didn't forget her Mandarin followers and the quality recordings set new standards too. Her albums succeeded in the most difficult of markets and she soon became a household name in this region. Slow numbers or fast ones, her sophistication remains. And she has covered many songs, both in Chinese and English.


And if anyone doubted Huang's singing ability just listen to her with, On My Own a 1987 recording where she displays her vocal range, especially at the end of the song. Since 1974 Tracy Huang has recorded 49 albums.


Just wondering where she is today? Anyone?
Images: Google.

Original article: Andy Lim.

21 comments:

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

A comment has been deleted because of certain constraints.

Lam Chun See said...

I think she also did a no. of Abba songs, but cannot recall which ... maybe Dancing Queen.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, she did quite a number of Abba songs which included, Dancing Queen, Fernando and S.O.S.

The idea was to exploit the market and record the most popular songs then, to achieve the highest possible sales.

She was very popular then because of her image. Perhaps her voice too?

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

I was asked on my private e-mail why I deleted the first Comment on this posting.

There were connections to sites that promoted topics that's best left to individuals who are interested in them.

Teoh said...

Andy, I listened to many of her English songs and Chinese songs in the 80s. I bought several Tracy's albums too.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, she is definitely very popular in the region with her soft image and delectable voice.

Tracy Huang is an icon in the 70s and with Reggie Verghese's arrangement/production and Vincent Lim's engineering her albums are pretty successful.

Teoh said...

Andy, did she sing Olivia Newton-John's song, "Have You Ever Been Mellowed?" I think I listened to Tracy Huang's version before. That was a song I liked so much.

Victor said...

With reference to BC Teoh's comment, I am not sure if Tracy sang Have You Ever Been Mellow which was popularised by Olivia Newton John (ONJ). However, I am quite certain that Tracy sang Come On Over which ONJ also sang. It's also a song that I like very much.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi BC,
I am not sure whether Tracy Huang has covered "Have You Never Been Mellow" but another EMI artiste, Teresa Carpio recorded it under her "Greatest Hits" album. But you may be correct. I will try to look it up.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Victor,
Tracy Huang covered "Come On Over" in her album, "Tracy - Feelings". It is her debut album if I am not mistaken.

Teoh said...

Thanks Victor and Andy for your comments.

I think I have mixed up the 2 singers.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Well it looks like mid-70s singers like Tracy Huang are very popular, especially with Asian listeners. I guess it's also the age group of the fans?

But she's good, not great but like someone told me, "Pulls the heartstrings when she sings."

I am not too sure.

Isle of Women said...

Hi Andy, I would like to get in touch with you? Can't find an e-mail address on your blog. This is regarding the swallows.

Unknown said...

i could not find any music video from tracy huang 你怎麼可以不愛我
anybody can help me to find it, thanks
tee from bkk

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Tee, Key in: 'You Tube Tracy Huang' and they're all there.

Anonymous said...

Tracy Huang held a concert over two nights in Taipei on 16 and 17 May 2015. Look out for her concert in Singapore, probably next year.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you Anon for the information. We are all waiting.

Unknown said...

Has been almost a year since Tracy's concert in Taipei in May 2015. Any news as to whether there will be one in Singapore soon?

Will be among the first to q for tickets!

Cheers!

FACEBOOK said...

Andy Young
TRACY HUANG is one of the 300 singers selected to appear and sing in this year's National Day Parade Theme Song video for 2019. Here's a look back at Ms. Huang when she was a pop queen in 70s Singapore. If you've seen her in concert, pray tell... (forgot to post earlier :-) )

Stephen Han
Wow glad to know Tracy Huang is Singing, I love her enchanting voice. Her singing of the Mississippi is astonishing

Peter Cheong
Stephen Han, I love her Mississippi too.

Andy Young
Peter Cheong and Stephen. Yes, a favorite of mine too.

Foo Jong Fook
Andy Young-oh yes we all love her soothing songs.
This CD in 2002 is truly a collection of her popular songs.
Nostalgia but classic.

Andy Young
That's a nice selection Fabian. She's great on stage too.
Sweet lady.

FACEBOOK CHATBOX said...

SALIM MOHD.
I have this CD

Jennie Law.
She is one of my favourite female singers too

Andy Young
Hi thanks, Jennie for sharing. Cheers.

Andy Young
Thanks, guys for the LIKES. Appreciate.

Michael Lee
Hi Andy, I remember her at the lady singer from Taiwan with a velvety face and voice who sang many English songs. Cheerio

Freda Hanum
Definitely agreed with you Andy about your write out on Tracy Huang.
I 've met her during her recordings days at EMI.
She's wonderful in every way.
I loved most of the songs she sang.
Wow, that is so wonderful she singing for this year's National Day Parade.
Will watch out for it...
Thanks, Andy for the info

Andy Young
Hello MICHAEL and FREDA, you're both so full of information about our local stars.
Thanks for the comment,
Mike. Yes, she has a velvety voice.
And Freda, appreciate you telling our FB friends about your recording experience with her.
I'm just glad my blog postings are being read and shared with more people.
Thanks all for the thumbs up.

Andy Young
And FREDA thank you for sharing this post.

Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Icon

Andy Young
Thanking all the 15 FB friends who LIKE this post.

Fred Ching
Oh my gosh! This sultry asian iconic diva is ageless!!!
When I first bought this album back in 1977, I knew she certainly has star quality.. she’s great!
The stuff of fantasies and with a long list of all time favourites, I can enjoy this album “Mississippi” all day long!
Her breathless singing voice and appearance are so sweet and graceful that I feel my soul melting away.
I remember seeing her during a centenary lucky draw show that was telecast live over channel 5, way, way back in 1977. So fortunate to watch her again during her World Tour concert in Singapore with a great guest singer, Sky Wu. Tracy’s rendition of old classics are beautiful and meaningful, nothing like that around anymore.
Great to read this again Brother Andy!
Thank you for posting!😀

Andy Young
Your informative and nostalgic comment about TH has certainly pulled many heartstrings. A friend just called to tell me about it and he felt HIS "soul melting away" too, Fred, after reading the above.
Now we know. Even men can experience heartstrings bursting and that's just listening to her songs and acknowledging your paragraph. :-)
THANK YOU.

Audrey said...

I love her rendition of Kiss Me Goodbye!! My all-time favourite when I was growing up!