She was an ugly but kindhearted cook in Stephen Chow's comedy The God of Cookery, then the handsome policewoman in Keanu Reeves' Man of Tai Chi last year; she gently sang of her sorrow in the hit "He Doesn't Love Me," and reluctantly said goodbye to an unforgettable relationship in "Fruit of Mid-Summer." Most recently, she has explored jazz with an album primarily in English.

 

 

She is Karen Joy Morris, better known as Karen Mok (her grandmother's surname), a long-standing Hong Kong star who is coming to Shanghai on Friday to celebrate 20 years in the entertainment business at Shanghai Grand Stage.

Born in 1970, Mok was launched to stardom when her voice was heard by Hong Kong music producers at an audition in London's West End.

In 1993, she issued her first album, Karen, in Hong Kong, with songs performed in Cantonese.

Since then, she has become one of the most celebrated stars in China, having shot more than 40 feature films and released some 30 albums.

She has been named Best Female Singer at the Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan, Best Female Vocalist and Asia Influential Artist in Singapore, and the Greater China Most Popular Female Singer credited by CCTV & MTV Awards on the Chinese mainland.

In film, she has often been nominated as Best Actress and Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards.

Last year, Mok took aim at a wider audience with the release of her jazz album Somewhere I Belong, which includes two retro-style Chinese songs and 10 English covers of songs by The Beatles, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Bille Holiday, among others.

Mok, who was highly involved in the arrangements of the songs, has produced a captivating, charismatic sound, which includes traditional Chinese music instruments.

"I don't want to confine myself to singing in Chinese just because I am from Hong Kong … I want to reach out to different people … I want to conquer the world," said Mok - who speaks English, French, Italian, Cantonese and Mandarin - in an interview with mandarinoriental.com.

The upcoming Age of Moknificence concert will see the veteran singer bring a grand, Broadway theater-style to the stage as she celebrates her career with her fans.  

Karen Mok on stage during her Age of Moknificence tour Photos: Courtesy of the event organizer

The Global Times talked with the star in the run-up to her Shanghai concert.



GT: What were the major challenges you faced when recording the new album, compared to your previous Chinese and Cantonese albums?

KM: I've longed to become a jazz singer since I was at school.

Today, jazz music is still my favorite genre, as it allows great freedom for musicians to express their feelings and ideas.

This album is mainly covers of classic songs. It was a huge and difficult task to choose the songs, because there were so many works that I wanted to do.

This album has taken the longest to prepare for. It took 22 months to finish, but it has kept me thrilled until now.

GT: You've previously said you want to "conquer the world." How do you prepare yourself to sing for a global audience rather than just for Chinese?

KM: I believe that music can transcend the borders of countries and overcome the barriers of different languages. As I went to study abroad at a young age, I don't feel there is a cultural gap for me. The most important thing for me is creating a favorable ambience at the stage and communicating with the audience through interaction at my show.

GT: You've mixed Western songs with Chinese musical instruments. What was the experience like in making that happen, and will you continue the style on your future albums?

KM: Most people think jazz is the music of Westerners, and if you do jazz, you should mimic Westerners and use Western elements. However, it is not true. Jazz is for every one. When I'm doing jazz, I feel that I must do it according to my own understanding of jazz, which is to infuse Chinese elements.

The next album will be a Mandarin album of love songs in the distinctive Mok-style, and it will come out later this year. I've been working with Soichiro Arai on the composition, and I hope the album will have a different feel.

GT: Will you turn your eyes to the international stage in the future by working on English albums and films?

KM: So far, I have no clear plan to explore the overseas market, and I will keep focused on China and present more works that feature oriental culture. As for films, I really want to try a musical film. Bollywood musicals are doing great nowadays, and I think China offers a vast market for great musicals too.

Date: Friday, 7:30 pm

Venue: Shanghai Grand Stage

上海大舞台

Address: 1111 Caoxi Road North

漕溪北路1111号

Tickets: 380 yuan ($61.56) to 1,280 yuan