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 Anita Mui: Number One and Only
Known as the everchanging queen of Cantopop in the 1980s, Anita Mui carved out a reputation as the “Madonna of Asia” as well as Hong Kong's answer to Greta Garbo. Anita rose to fame with Leslie Cheung and Alan Tam during the 80s, and the three of them brought on an idol craze that was never seen before in the short life of Cantonese pop. While female fans wanted to date Leslie, they wanted to become Anita and embrace every one of her personalities. Anita's songs gave a voice to rebellious teens. Little girls mouthing the lyrics to Anita's steamy single "Bad Girl" were punished by their sacrosanct mothers. Older women serenaded to Anita's ballads on unrequited and forbbiden love. For fans, Anita was an outlet of female expression and she stood for something. Teens looking up to this idol knew they could be whatever they wanted to be. When Anita died from lung failure due to cervical cancer on December 30, 2003 at the early age of 40, the people of Hong Kong felt they had lost their "daughter" , who they knew was a brave warrior.
Anita gave thirty five years of her life to showbiz. At a tender age of five, Anita broached into the show business career by performing Chinese opera and pop songs with her sister at nightclubs and restaurants, taking on everything from being the master of ceremonies to the drummer to the singer. Anita left school to perform to support her family, and it was during this time when she had most of her music and dance training. By the time she reached 18 to win the New Talent Singing Contest, Anita already had 13 years of experience onstage, and a charisma, a poise and an ease that none of her peers could emulate. After defeating three thousand contestants to win the top honors, Anita signed with record label Capital Artists and released her debut hit "Homecoming". It was said that composer and lyricist Joseph Koo and James Wong worried about the young starlet's ability to perform a song that required such deep emotion. After the first recording, Koo and Wong knew she was the perfect fit. Koo, a judge for the New Talent Singing Contest, reportedly scored 99 points for Anita, the highest praise he's ever given anyone. Nearly 30 years after they first met, Anita guest performed at Joseph Koo's concert and sang "Homecoming" with effortless emotion and a radiant glow that one could only attribute to perseverance and success.
It wasn't until her signature hit, "How the Years Went By" when audiences and insiders fully embraced this emerging star. Anita rocketed to superstardom when she released "Bad Girl" in 1985 and was then recognized as the Big Sister of entertainment from then on. Breaking album sales records, Anita also went on to hold a then record-breaking 28 consecutive concerts from 1987 to 1988.
Anita’s greatest onscreen achievement was perhaps her unforgettable performance as a tortured ghost in Rouge, co-starring Leslie Cheung, which earned her the prestigious Taiwan Golden Horse Award in 1987. She also collaborated with Jackie Chan on the action movie "Rumble In the Bronx", which was released theatrically in the United States. Following Leslie Cheung's retirement, Anita announced her own in 1991, but kept re-emerging to more records, concerts and movies.
The price Anita had to pay for fame, however, was enormous. It's been said that Anita's poignant acting and singing ability comes from the personal sufferings she's endured since as a child. Her sister, Mui Oi Fong, passed away from cervical cancer. Her family depended on Anita for financial stability. And Anita always found herself heartbroken with the wrong man. The magazines were unforgiving. Rumors never ceased to plague the star, who was accused of being addicted to drugs, undergoing plastic surgeries, being suicidal, being linked to the death of a triad leader, and the list went on.
Despite her success, Anita was not jaded by her stardom. She once said, “Many people have asked me which one I want to be: a happy ordinary person or an eminent star. If I could, I would choose to be a happy ordinary person.” As much as she wanted live a normal life, Anita knew she had too many people to feed and couldn't remove herself away. Even with her superstar status, Anita is always ready to lend a helping hand to her mother and friends, which was shown by the hundreds of close friends that were by her deathbed and at her funeral. It was known that Anita once gave a dear friend a blank check so that he could treat his mother's illness. Anita also took numerous apprentices under her wing, from Andy Hui, Edmond Leung and the Grasshoppers to Denise Ho, never ceasing to give back and contribute to the business of Cantonese pop. With Anita, everyone deserved a chance. As the big sister, Anita brought on pressures to herself to solve others' needs before her own. She felt a strong commitment to the younger generation, her fans and the public.
In 2003 under the pressure of the media, Anita finally announced that she was fighting cervical cancer. She chose to end her memories with her fans with her final live glamour on stage in December 2003, when she held eight concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum. By the time Anita passed away, she felt she already lived a full life, with perhaps more drama and challenges that others wouldn't have been able to handle. She chose to give the world her best moments. With every aching muscle and every pain in her heart, Anita fought back her fears and got out from bed to get married. Just shortly before she passed away, this legend married the one and only companion who's given her what no else can. Anita married the stage.
Career Highlights
• Released over 40 albums
• Made over 35 domestic films
• 1993 - Established the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild
• 1990 - Announced retirement from the stage and a farewell concert with 33 consecutive shows
• 1988 - Best Actress for Rouge
• 1987 - Held a record-breaking 28 consecutive concert shows
• 1986 - Fourth Album "Bad Girl" achieved 8 time platinum selling record.
• 1985 - Holds first concert with 15 shows
• 1984 - Best Supporting Actress for Rumble In The Bronx
• 1982 - Won New Talent Singing Contest with the song "Season Of Wind"
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listener reviews
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 Life story of Rags to Riches
Jillian Harmoni on October 7, 2005
Putting aside all the glamour and worldclass stage performing, singing and acting skills, Anita Mui is yet just any other being like us.
What I find most impressive of this person is her courage to admit her willfulness and transform it into energy (desire + persistence) to drive her to live life "HER WAY" and to the fullest.
Despite her poor past, she has kept up with her own dreams thru determination and self-motivation. This is extremely tough for females to stay in high prestigious position in this materialistic male-dominated society. She has to build on her internal values, charisma and other skills overcoming the disadvantage of not being 'pretty'. That's the real reason why her presence is always so captivating and breath-taking and she is even more beautiful than just physically pretty, isn't it? Its amazing that she has been successful in achieving the high common concensus that people feel that she is very "REAL" (not hypocritical or obnoxious), street smart and has a BIG HEART. This is a 20 year journey of consistent hard work and focus.
Its a dramatic female version of rags to riches success story. Its most wonderful to realise that she had not lost her soul to the devil as she climbed to position of power and prestige altho some mistakes were made along the way like any human being would.
Anita's success proves that it's perfectly 'ok' to make mistakes along the way in life. Just make sure that each time one falls, its important to motivate oneself to stand up, then walk again. So she made mistakes, learnt the lessons and make changes to improve. So Anita used the historical method of success and it works!(no magical success)
She is one Successful, Hardworking, Generous and Chivalrous Chinese Female with a Strong Mind!
May Anita's life story be a positive motivation for anyone who wants to live fully and achieve success (big or small) along the way.
Happy Birthday Wishes for our Super Star
BeepBeep from Vancouver, Canada on October 3, 2005
Happy Birthday Anita!
There are lots of things that you should be happy about.
1)Earlier this year, your "Classic Moment" CD was awarded the Best Selling CD for 2004.
2)In November, Hong Kong post office will issue stamps in memory of you and other artistes.
3)You are still considered an icon, the Gold Standard, and #1 in the Hong Kong entertainment world.
As you have mentioned before, a person is not considered truly successful unless one can withstand the test of time.
You were irreplaceable for over 20 years when you were here, and you are still irreplaceable.
To this day, there is still no other entertainers who come anywhere close to your status with respect to your singing, dancing, and acting abilities, or the way you took on a leadership role in the industry.
4)You continue to attract more and more fans from around the world. Many of them are foreigners who do not even understand the lyrics, but are still touched by your singing. Some are attracted by your performance in movies, and only learn from various websites that you have left us already for an early retirement. People are not only impressed by your artistic talents, but even more so by your selfless character, always giving and caring for others.
As a result of your inspirations, many people have learnt to cherish what they have, to be generous to give whenever they can, and just become a better person overall.
With all these things to be proud of, you have every reason to enjoy a Very Happy Birthday!
We wish you HAPPINESS not just on your Birthday, but also Every Single Day of your new carefree life in the other world!
Always my best singer and artist
Anonymous on September 18, 2005
I was impressed by her first song, Heart Debt some 20 yesrs ago, following by many good songs thereafter, including Years Flow by like Water, Dream Partner, Rouge, Sunset Melody, Old Friends Coming, Love to go nowhere, Women's Heart, Women's Flowers....I'm a mean person and I did not rate her the best until her last song (hidden track in the Album With)Passers-by that I rate her the best! That's a very difficult song I mean if you have to catach the right mood. How sad that Hong Kong has lost such a talented artist!
 I think you have to have been there
Rhys Ludlow from San Francisco on August 21, 2005
I got interested in Asian pop music in 2003 (and I don't speak more than a few words of Mandarin & Japanese)so here is a newcomer's perspective. . .
I just don't get Anita Mui's popularity. I understand completely why Teresa Teng and Fay Wong are revered. But I have listened and listened trying to understand what people see in Anita Mui -- perhaps she was a unique breath of fresh air at a particular point in time. What at the time may have seemed like a major musical leap now just seems passe.
I do realize that she was a great human being who went out of her way to help others and that of course she died tragically young -- I just can't enjoy listening to her.
But she sure seems to have left a lasting impression on those that loved her. So, hats off!
Never heard her music, one of my favorite actresses
Keith Fortenbach from Groton, CT USA on August 3, 2005
I saw Eighteen Springs (Boon sang yuen) a little over a year ago and fell in love with her. I watched Legend of Drunken Master recently and got excited when I realized it was her in the movie. I just found out about her passing today and rarely do I feel this saddened by the passing of a person I never met. I had no idea about her singing career; now I am going to find and listen to her recordings.
To her family and friends, deepest respects from a fan.
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