Paula Tsui defined a music genre four decades ago with her husky vocals and elaborate stage costumes that literally lit up the stage. Her influence was felt across Hong Kong, Taiwan, the mainland and the rest of Asia, inspiring copy-cat artistes and millions of fans.

Now, at 63, she is defying time and age with a 2012 tour that will arrive in Beijing on Mother's Day, May 13.

The tour bears the same title she has kept since 1987, Glittering Bright, and Tsui says that yes, age can be cruel, especially to female musicians, eroding voice, stamina and appearance - but, yes, she can still do it.

In all her decades of sell-out concerts, Tsui has remained more a singer than a spectacle. The record she set, with 43 concerts in 37 days across Asia in 1992, has yet to be broken.

Her trademark black-and-white polka-dot dress and vintage curly hair will bolster the expected physical presence of the singer, along with her golden hits, which she used to share with established singers including the late singers Teresa Teng and Anita Mui.

Fans can also expect Tsui's indomitable beat, her improvisational dance and the big bow to the audiences after each song.

"I don't think about retirement. As long as I can reach the high notes I will keep going," she says with a big smile in Beijing recently. "It's still an amazing experience on stage listening to thousands of people singing my classic love ballads with me."

Having been to Beijing 20 years ago, Tsui remembers that she was most impressed by the number of bicycles. In fact, one of her music videos showed the lady riding a bike through the streets of Beijing.

"We didn't plan to make the music video in Beijing and the trip was just for fun," she recalls. "I'd been living in Hong Kong and never seen such a scene. So I wanted to record the experience."

A husky low voice propelled Tsui to fame in 1966 at the height of the Cantopop scene. That year she won a local singing contest with Love Fire, a song made famous by Bai Guang, who was known as the Queen of the Low Voice back in the 1940s in Hong Kong.

Tsui says that she would never forget the night when she won first prize and one of the biggest record companies of Hong Kong offered her a contract.

"The 1980s only seem like yesterday to me. The '90s went so fast. Before you know it, time has flown by," she says. "Now I am a grandma for the young kids."

At the press conference, videos of Tsui's concerts were shown in screen, bringing tears to her eyes.

"You see those voluminous gowns? I cannot fit in them anymore," she says, making fun of herself. "But I will try hard to lose weight for the concerts. Even if my appearance has changed, you will know it's me on stage."

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/08/2012 page15)