Elva makes a limping return

POOR Elva Hsiao.

The Taiwanese singer has had a bout of bad luck recently - a long-delayed comeback, an untimely leg injury, a tearful album launch and being named in a celebrity junkie expose.

It sounds as if her return to the Mandopop scene is jinxed.

Fans had earlier lambasted her new record label, Warner Music Taiwan, for delaying her album for three years. It was released on 22 Dec.

But some industry sources are now speculating if the 28-year-old songbird was indeed unlucky or if she brought her misfortunes upon herself by being a diva.

Take her album delay.

A reliable insider, who declined to be named, told The New Paper that Elva's own demands and refusal to compromise had impeded the album's release.

When we checked with Warner Music Singapore's marketing director, Mr James Kang, he said Elva's album was delayed due to 'varying views' on how to put together a 'super' comeback album.

There were at least four parties involved - Elva, her management company, Warner Music and a music production house appointed by her management.

The insider said: 'There were so many interruptions because there were too many chefs in the kitchen. There were a lot of differences in musical direction and nobody could agree.

'SELF-INDULGENT'

'Elva is too self-indulgent and obsessed with her own high expectations.

'She wants the best of everything and she has more demands than other artistes, like her dance choreography, makeup and clothes.

'She is more difficult to handle because she would insist on her own beliefs. But she also needs to trust her record label, which has its own business considerations, especially now that the (Mandopop) market is not doing well.'

However, one may argue that an artiste of Elva's stature - she was hailed the next Dancing Queen after Coco Lee and used to rank alongside Jolin Tsai in the popularity charts - should not have to settle for second-best.

Miss Koh San Chin, a former EMI Singapore employee who worked closely with Elva on her previous albums, defended the singer.

'I won't say she's difficult, but she has her own expectations and she doesn't settle for less. She has her own mind. She'll ask why. But if you can give her a good reason, she accept it.

'There's a lot of pressure on her now. People are bound to compare her with Jolin Tsai, who made a successful comeback. Elva, being the sort who craves to win, will naturally want to excel too,' said Miss Koh.

However, Elva's problems were not over with the completion of the album, named 1087 to signify the number of days she had been away.

A week before its release date, the singer tore a ligament in her left leg while doing a dance scene for a music video.

She ended up attending her album launch press conference on crutches, her leg in a cast.

The way she flaunted her bandaged leg and how she burst into tears while talking about the injury made some members of the media wonder aloud if it was a publicity stunt.

However, we understand from various sources that Elva's injury is genuine and considered 'very serious'.

Miss Gillian Tan, marketing manager of EMI Singapore, who has worked closely with Elva for years, said the singer would not joke about her own career at such a crucial time.

'My heart aches for her. She's so hardworking, but why so suay (Hokkien for unlucky)?'

Still, some quarters felt it was not necessary for Elva to cancel all promotional activities after her injury.

Although she seemed capable of performing from a chair during a fan gathering held the day after she tore her ligament, she has been resting at home - supposedly under her mother's strict orders.

One insider felt that Elva was acting like a diva, saying: 'She only injured one leg. It's not as if she had no voice. Not that I'm cruel, but after she went through so much turmoil for her comeback and her label spent so much money, the leg injury is a poor excuse.

'At most, she cannot dance, but you can plan other alternative promotional activities for her.'

In contrast is Taiwanese singer Fan Wei-chi, who broke her leg last July yet flew to Singapore to meet fans - appearing in a wheelchair - because she did not want to disappoint them.

Elva's absence can already be felt on Taiwan's G-Music Chart. The album 1087, which debuted at No 1, has slipped to second place.

Warner's Mr Kang said that artistes who reduce their promotional activities during the period of their album launch should expect some negative effect on sales and exposure.

But, he added: 'When you sustain a serious injury, there's no two way about it. Health is most important and if the album is strong enough, it should sustain its selling power.'

Elva has reportedly started doing phone interviews last week.

Her run of bad press has not ended yet, though.

She was recently named in a major celebrity junkie expose that has been hogging headlines in Taiwan recently.

It also involved actress Suzanne Hsiao, who reportedly tested positive for cocaine, and singer-host Show Luo, who proved his innocence with a negative drug test.

Elva refuted the reports and got an apology from a China publication.

But she has yet to decide on her next public appearance in Taiwan.

Fans here will be disappointed to know that no promotional visit to Singapore has been scheduled.

Mr Kang said: 'Let's talk about it when her leg heals. We do wish her a speedy recovery.'

Reported by The New Paper