Joanna Dong
| Joanna Dong | |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 董姿彥 (traditional) |
| Chinese name | 董姿彦 (simplified) |
| Pinyin | Dǒng Zīyàn (Mandarin) |
| Birth name | Joanna Dong |
| Origin | Singapore |
| Born |
15 November 1981 Singapore |
| Occupation | Singer, host, actress |
| Genre(s) |
Folk jazz Jazz Bossa nova Mandopop |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Label(s) |
Red Roof Records H.I.M Music |
| Official website |
joannadong |
Joanna Dong (Chinese: 董姿彦; born 15 November 1981 in Singapore) is a Singaporean singer, actress and host. Primarily a jazz vocalist, she is the first artiste signed to Singapore label, Red Roof Records, and is passionate about sharing her love for the genre with Mandarin-speaking audiences.[1]
Early life
The only child of divorced parents, Dong inherited her musical talents from her father. Her initial forays into the world of entertainment came in the 1980s when her mother, a former Chinese teacher, started entering her into karaoke competitions, many of which she won. After attending The Raffles Girls' School and National University of Singapore, where she graduated in sociology,[2] she first came into the public eye when she joined the first-ever Singapore Idol competition in 2004 and reached the Top 40. Six months after exiting the talent competition, Joanna began pursuing a music career in earnest, landing her first regular singing gig in The Courtyard at Raffles Hotel.
Theatre
Apart from singing, Dong, who excelled in theatre studies at Victoria Junior College, also expressed herself on stage in various theatre productions from 1998. In 2007, she landed the principal role of Rose in If There’re Seasons..., a musical based on the music of Xinyao pioneer, Liang Wen Fook, and won Best Supporting Actress in the ST Life! Theatre Awards for her performance. She would reprise the role in 2009 and 2014 re-runs. In 2008, she played leads in Mandarin comedy, The Soldier and his Virtuous Wife and Tan Kheng Hua’s raunchy directorial debut, Do Not Disturb – Late Checkout Please. In 2010, she was lead actress in the period rock musical, Liao Zhai Rocks!, inspired by colourful Qing dynasty folk stories. In 2011, Dong took on the lead of Small Papaya in Goh Boon Teck’s stage production of Royston Tan’s 881. She was also in the ensemble cast in Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress (2006), Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral (2010), Impending Storm: The Silly Little Girl and the Funny Old Tree (2012), Lao Jiu: The Musical (2012) and Great World Cabaret (2015).[3]
Discography
Hoping to ride on the momentum of her success in theatre, Dong released her EP, ‘Lullaby Nomad’, in 2008, which launched with a sold-out concert at the Esplanade Recital Studio. She also collaborated with Brazilian all-stars band, Bossa Negra, to release a single of her Mandarin translation of popular bossa nova standard ‘Summer Samba’ in 2010. She also enjoys performing with her own project bands. She has rearranged Hokkien songs in a contemporary jazz style with Peace Kopitiam Jazz Band (2012 – 2014) and reworked dirty lyrics into Christmas ditties with alternative Christmas band, Naughty “Noor” Nice (2010 – 2015). In 2015, Dong collaborated with fellow Singapore Idol, Sezairi Sezali, on the first Mandarin and Malay pop track, ‘Starlight’, for Sing, Love, a SG50 musical project by Red Roof Records.
Extended Plays
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Lullaby Nomad | Independent |
Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | “星光”, solo Mandarin version of “Starlight” | Red Roof Records |
| 2011 | “Sing me to Sleep”, Fundraiser Theme Song for InHerShoes concert | Independent |
| 2010 | “Summer Samba”, (as lead vocalist of Bossa Negra) | Freelance United Music (Hong Kong) |
| 2008 | “别松开⼿手“, Fundraiser song for Sichuan Earthquake Victims | Kenn O Productions |
Original Soundtracks
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 天冷就回来 If There’re Seasons, Collector’s Edition | The Theatre Practice |
| 2011 | 881 The Musical | Toy Factory Productions |
| 我爱你爱你爱你 Forever, (vocalist and lyricist for “我相信“) | Bobbing Buoy Productions | |
| 2009 | 天冷就回来 If There’re Seasons | Warner Music Singapore and The Theatre Practice |
| Blood Ties, (“Close To You”) | Oak 3 Films |
Compilations
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Sing, Love, “Starlight” duet with Sezairi | Red Roof Records |
Collaborations
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Naughty “Noor” Nice (eponymous EP) | Independent |
| 2007 | Sturm und Drang, Robosonic (featured vocalist on “Die kleine Prinzessin”) | Diskomafia |
| 2003 | Budakumentary, Budak Pantai (as member of ngam, on “I Wanna Be With You/ Drive”) | Independent |
Film
In 2011, Dong took the lead in writer/director Wee Li Lin’s sophomore feature effort, Forever as a video consultant who falls for a handsome music teacher. The role earned her the Star Hunter Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2011. She was also the lead actress in Thong Kay Wee’s risqué short film, Hidden Folk, as a woman whose sexual affair with a 15-year-old comes back to haunt her.
| Year | Title | Role | Production Company | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Hidden Folk (short film) | Lead, “Lilian Mah” | FLIM | Thong Kay Wee |
| 2011 | 我爱你爱你爱你 (Forever) | Lead, “Joey” | Bobbing Buoy Productions | Wee Li Lin |
Television
Dong recently expanded her repertoire to include TV hosting in Ch U’s infotainment series, ‘Homeward Bound’ and ‘Life Extraordinaire’.
| Year | Title | Role | Production Company | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 寻找毅中⼈人 Life Extraordinaire | Host | 360 Productions | Channel U |
| 我家在这⾥里 Homeward Bound | Host | 360 Productions | Channel U | |
| 2009 | 缘⾛走天涯 The Way We Live | Featured profile | August Pictures | Channel U |
| 新加坡。极爱。极短篇 Love Singapore | Featured profile | 360 Productions | Channel U | |
| 2004 | Singapore Idol Season 1 | Contestant, top 40 | Mediacorp | Channel 5 |
Personal life
Dong met her husband, theatre practitioner and educator, Zachary Ho, on the set of ‘Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral’ in 2010. They wed in 2012.
References
- ↑ "Joanna Dong". Red Roof Records. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ↑ "Joanna Dong". Wordpress.com. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ↑ "From jazz music to yodelling as Sakura Teng". Lifestyle, The Straits Times. February 16, 2015.