Thursday, November 17, 2011

Irene Yap Singing At 11 With 10 Albums By 14: Part 1

UP TO 1,600 VIEWS; 40 COMMENTS

In 1966 when Irene Yap (image: 1,2) was only 11 years young she was asked by a Mr Heng to sing with a Singapore guitar group called The Sandboys while watching them during a rehearsal. According to Irene, the gentleman was affiliated with White Cloud Records (more popular with the production of Chinese pops) and signed her up for a recording contract after listening to her voice.

Irene made her first vinyl singing the very popular Pretty Ribbon by Engelbert Humperdinck. But her version was different because she sang it in both English and Chinese. It was a hit and sold about 8,000 copies! She carried on with White Cloud and in the next four years, up to the time she was 14 in 1970, Irene had released seven EPs and three LPs.

Irene recalled that before the singers had final recording sessions they had to be properly trained. She continued, "So when I was only eleven Mr Heng sent me for vocal training by Liang Pin a famous Hong Kong singer then. Besides singing scales, I had to do the Por por mor fer, a Chinese pronunciation course."
As her popularity peaked, Irene was well publicised by the local English papers. Stories about this youthful singer, her recordings and pictures appeared in The Straits Times, New Nation, Singapore Herald, Eastern Sun and other vernacular newspapers. Within the short span, she had appeared on the little home screen during Chinese Variety Show produced by RTS (Radio Television Singapore) and other programmes like Take Four, The Guthrie Hour and on the Malay Variety channel.

With such a success story and because she wanted to pursue her love for singing Irene made a decision to turn professional and it was during her school holiday in 1971 when Irene decided to...

(More about Irene in the next posting and what the newspapers say about her and the special licence she had to obtain to perform because of her age.)

Do you remember Irene and her White Cloud recordings? Tell us.

PART 2 BELOW:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/11/from-records-to-night-spots-irene-yap.html


Images: Irene Yap Collection. Copyrights Reserved.

Article: by Andy Lim as told by Irene Yap.

7 comments:

IRENE YAP said...

Thank you Andy! This is so kind and wonderful of you. I don't even have some of my records. The one most dear to me is my first released "Pretty Ribbon". Thank you, again.

FACEBOOK OF IRENE YAP said...

Evelyn Lim Mh Irene ah irene y makeup orh lu lu
Like · Reply · 1 · 5 hrs
Irene Yap
Irene Yap Evelyn Lim Mh, ah, It is the photograher's fault. Back than we only use one particular studio for record cover. I really don't know why it turned out so dark. No make up at all. I was 11 years old.
Like · Reply · 4 hrs
Irene Yap
Irene Yap Buay heow pan make up leh
Like · Reply · 4 hrs
Dicky Low
Dicky Low Wow great Irene
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs
Evelyn Lim Mh
Evelyn Lim Mh walau 11 only... u very can
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs
Irene Francis Rogers
Irene Francis Rogers So cute 😜
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs
Irene Yap
Irene Yap Thank you ah, Dicky, u so kind!
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs
Irene Yap
Irene Yap Thanks Irene Francis Rogers. U also cute back than. Now we even cuter hoh?? Hehe
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs
Irene Francis Rogers
Irene Francis Rogers I agree. Lol
Like · Reply · 1 · 4 hrs
Dicky Low
Dicky Low Hey Irene and Irene. Don't stretch it. Hahaha
Like · Reply · 1 · 3 hrs
Irene Yap
Irene Yap Dicky, when you get to this age, every chance you can leh.....hehehe
Like · Reply · 3 hrs
Teresita MagnoPapa Kong
Teresita MagnoPapa Kong So nice to share this! You looked beautiful then and more so now my dear Irene!
Like · Reply · 1 · 3 hrs
Irene Yap
Irene Yap Thank you so much Tez. You are too kind. Pls check out the above Singapore60smusic.blogspot by Andy Lim. He writes beautifully on 60s music era. His blog has hit 1 million mark. Yet, he is so humble. No advertisements.

FACEBOOK OF IRENE YAP said...

Charlie Yap Locomotion
Ebel Tan
Beverly Lim Morata
Mervyn Nonis
Kim Kool
Emily Tan
Lim Huimin
Teresita MagnoPapa Kong
Henry Heng
Andrea Low
Irene Francis Rogers
Evelyn Lim Mh
Dicky Low
Wang Doma Bhutia
Thomas Ee

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Stephen Han
A young recording artist

Andy Young
Stephen Han yes indeed. She was also singing in clubs, etc.

Irene Yap
Oh wow!! Thank you so much, Andy!! Seems like such a long time ago and again seems just like yesterday! How time flies!!

I will be on a show organised by NAC (National Arts Council) on 26th September 2021 Sunday. Under Oldies but Goodies! Half online and the other half at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre with some good friends who are well known in the entertainment line! Songs are mainly in Mandarin but I will be singing in English!! Timing to be confirmed!!

Hope to see you all around.
Would love it if u drop by and say hello! 🥰🥰😍😍

Andy Young
Irene Yap I'm glad you'll be singing again. Will try to attend. CHEERS.

Irene Yap
Andy Young thank you very much.
This concert has been postponed twice due to the pandemic!!
Now to half live and half online!!

⁠Alphonso Soosay
Our Talented Singapore’s Icon.

Irene Yap
Alphonso Soosay you are just too kind dear!🥰

Alphonso Soosay
Irene. Memories of your Recordings will always last forever.

Irene Yap
Alphonso Soosay thank you very very much Alphonso!
Really appreciate your kind words! You are an icon yourself! One of the earliest pioneers in our Singapore music!!

Alphonso Soosay
Irene Yap Those were the exciting days Recording, performing and entertaining our Fans.
I remember You were very very popular too.

Irene Yap
Alphonso Soosay those were the days that will always stay with us!!

Alphonso Soosay
I Totally agree Irene.

Freda Hanum
You are such a pretty and talented girl when I first saw you, really admire you greatly dear Irene Yap, Salute to our S'pore Icon.

Irene Yap
Freda Hanum Thank you so much dearest Freda! You are just so so kind being one of our own pioneers yourself! I Salute you back my dear.

Andy Young
Hi all, thanks for your tremendous support for IRENE YAP.
Many folks are not aware that we have a long string of Singapore recording artistes, back up musicians, producers, etc. that have never been recognised.
I am glad to see more music makers on YouTube and other onstream media facing the camera to be interviewed and acknowledged by a younger generation.

IRENE YAP RECORDING ARTISTE said...

Andy Young thank you very much, Andy!

Thanks to all your beautifully written articles of all the past singers, musicians, music makers, entertertainers! They help us to reconnect with each other again after so many decades. Thank you and thank you to all the readers who share their thoughts and memories here! Memories so many of us treasure!!❤️❤️🎶🎶

FACEBOOK said...

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING IRENE YAP

Davy Chan
Yen Chow
Hiroshi Deguchi
Tan Soo Khoon
Charlie Yap Locomotion
Alphonso Soosay
Rose Khoo
Ho Victor
Foo Jong Fook
Yip Dick
Chow Wen Hing
Stephen Han

FACEBOOK CHATS said...

She has style with a star look...
Agreed guys xxxxx!!!!

Andy Young
Koh Sui Pang , yes she has.
Thanks Sui Pang.