Huang Yida Campus Concert

By Poon Shumin • UrbanWire
• email reporter • email story • printer friendly

Could a scrawny 24-year-old guy with semi-long locks be responsible for the snaking queues that formed outside Ngee Ann Polytechnic's (NP) Cultural Theatre, LT 26, on July 27?

He may look just like any of the NP students eager to see him in action, but this happens to be the hottest local music sensation now, an accomplished singer who writes and produces his own songs, as well as plays both the piano and the guitar.

Dropping by NP for his first campus concert, Huang Yida's has been nominated for 4 awards in the upcoming Singapore Hit Awards 2004, namely Best Local Music Composition, Best Local Music Arrangement, Best Local Artiste, and Best New Artiste.

The fans speak
Bring on the music
Happy Birthday, Yida
The finale

The fans speak

"His songs are very nice. He's very talented, he came up with his own songs even before entering the industry!" gushed 19-year-old Jessica Chong, a year 3 student from the School of Business & Accountancy (BA).

Veronica Tan, 16, from Zheng Hua Secondary School found out about the campus concert from listening to Yes!933. A member of the fan club, Only Yida, Veronica, was among the first to start queuing at 4.30pm alongside fellow club members from other tertiary institutions and secondary schools.

"I like his songs! He looks so friendly, he doesn't put on any airs, like a guy-next-door," said a beaming Veronica. [^top]

Bring on the music

Amid frenzied screaming from the mostly female crowd, Yida kicked off the concert at 7.40pm. Singing the 3rd track from his self-titled debut album, a dramatic ballad entitled 'Love Under the Microscope', Yida was a picture of snazzy style with a bright yellow shirt and fashionably ripped jeans. The audience went high as Yida ran from one end of the stage to the other, throwing posters at them.

After performing his 1st number, Yida chatted affably with emcee, Yes!933 DJ and NP alumna Tan Liyi, showing his easy-going and friendly character. Revealing his thrifty yet creative ways, he said that he had created the tattered and ripped up look of his jeans himself, after learning that buying a pair tattered jeans from a store would cost him at least $200.

Yida confessed that as a student at Presbyterian High School, he was mischievous. With a cheeky smile, he admitted that he often had to move his table from the back all the way to the front, next to the teacher's table because of his misdeeds, prompting laughter from the audience.

Yida then went on to sing his album's 4th track, 'Online Game'. At this point, the audience almost went crazy and the whole theatre was filled with high-pitched screams. Smiling, Yida appeared to be enjoying himself and was soaking in the energy that was rampant in the theatre. After the song, some members of the audience started to chant the title of the 5th song from his album, 'My Anonymous Babe', and being the true star he was, he obliged them by singing the song and racing around the theatre, shaking hands with his fans. What probably earned him brownie points from his fans was the fact that as he was shaking hands with them, amid the pushing and shoving, he said not once, but several times, in Mandarin, "Be careful, be careful. I'll come to you."

As the concert eased into an unplugged session, 3 fans were chosen from the audience. After introducing themselves, they had to stand next to Yida and sing with him, accompanied only by his guitar. Singing 'Subway', the 1st song from his album, Yida and his fans engaged in casual banter, with joking and laughter all round. When 1 male fan commented, "Stress lah...", Yida looked over at him, amused, and went on to say "I haven't spoken Singlish in a long time." He then gave his fan a reassuring pat on the shoulder and said, "Benjamin, no stress at all!"[^top]

Happy Birthday, Yida

Towards the end of the concert, a group of fans surprised Yida by wheeling out a huge cake in the shape of a guitar. Almost instantly, the theatre launched into a birthday song for him. Yida (whose birthday falls in August) stood with his eyes transfixed on the cake and his face radiated child-like happiness. With his eyes closed, he made 3 wishes. The first was wishing that all his fans would remain in good health and do well in their studies. Secondly, Yida wished for world peace, as there was too much bad news in the papers every day. As for his 3rd wish, he decided to keep it a secret. According to Iris Teo, 14, from Zhonghua Secondary, the cake in the shape of a guitar cost her and a few friends $78. "His birthday is on the 11th of August, but by then he'll be in Taiwan," she said on their early celebrations. [^top]

The finale

As a poignant finale, Yida performed the unplugged version of 'Blue Sky', his claim to fame. As he strummed the guitar and sang, his fans sang along and swayed their arms from side to side. To rousing cheers and shrieks, Yida left the stage, undoubtedly leaving an indelible impression on the audience.

A promising newcomer with lots of talent to boot, Yida's star seems to be rising.

This event was organised by Radio Heatwave.

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