Taiwanese singer Chao Chuan received news of mother's death right before heading onstage
Taiwanese singer Chao Chuan said he recently lost his 100-year-old mother, just a week before Mother's Day.
The 63-year-old wrote on Facebook that he received news of her death on May 2, right before he was slated to perform onstage for a concert held in the Taiwanese county of Pingtung.
Chao said in the post made on May 3 that he soldiered on with the performance. He wrote: 'Last night, before my Pingtung show, I got a call from my older sister who told me that my dearest mother has passed away. I calmed my emotions, went onstage to finish my set, waved goodbye to my fans, then swiftly took the train back home.'
He also said in his tribute: 'My warmest, most loving mother, who always quietly supported my show-business career, thank you for loving and putting up with me. Thank you for your unconditional support. I'll keep singing, so I can be a son you're proud of.
'My mother was 100 this year, she has lived a full life and is now in heaven to accompany my father. Rest well there, I love you.'
Chao's father died in November 2023, at the age of 94. In a sombre coincidence, his father died while he was on a concert tour in China.
He said in a tribute post on Facebook to his father then: 'Thank you for loving me so much, for gifting me with a good voice, and for letting me do what I love. Thanks for dedicating your life to giving us a warm home.'
The veteran singer is known for Mandopop classics like I'm Not Good Looking But I'm Very Gentle (1988), and the numbers The Silence Of The Lambs and How Could I Tell You That I Love You – which served as the opening and ending theme songs respectively to the first instalment of beloved Singaporean drama series The Unbeatables (1993).
His most famous song is arguably A Tiny Bird (1990), which was recently spoofed by Singaporean political candidate Samuel Lee from the People's Power Party.
During a press conference to introduce himself during the general election campaign, Mr Lee filled the song with English lyrics, lamenting the struggles faced by Singaporeans in securing a job. In a viral moment, he sang: 'I look left, look right, look left, look right, for a career path. Is this a request too high?'
The song's original Chinese lyrics translate to: 'I search and search for a warm embrace. Is that too much to ask?'
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