Joanna off to a flying start

Smooth and touching; two words that sum up the voice of Joanna Wong, a 19-year-old jazz singer/songwriter whose star is rising after the release of her debut album Start from Here. Some critics and fans have even excitedly announced they've found a Chinese equivalent of Norah Jones and Lisa Ono.

Music fans in Beijing could not ask for a more charming singer than the small, black-haired woman in blue jeans who relies not on a sweet face and hot curves but a captivating voice. On stage, she introduces her music, she taps her foot, plays her guitar and giggles at her own stage patter. Every now and then, she'd whisper: "I love this song!" Nevertheless, her mature voice belies her youth and innocence, and her songwriting skills augur well for the future.

The daughter of veteran Taiwan musician and composer Bing Wong, Joanna was born in Taiwan province but grew up in California, where she studied piano and jazz and idolized British and American legends like the Beatles and Billy Joel.