Even if you don’t know this Taiwanese singer, you may have heard at least a few of his songs playing at Asian restaurants.
Singer and songwriter Eric Chou arrived at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond on Tuesday for the first Canadian stop in his world tour.
The last time he came to Richmond was in 2019 as a guest singer for the 2019 Star Music Festival at River Rock Casino before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A press conference was held at Richmond’s Versante Hotel, one day before Chou's Wednesday concert. Chou answered prepared fan questions on topics ranging from Chou's passion for music to growing up in Boston during his formative years.
While singing and songwriting have been a big part of his life, Chou has also stepped his foot into the film industry and starred in his first movie My Best Friend's Breakfast this year.
Chou, who was nominated for Best New Performer and Best Original Film Song in the upcoming Golden Horse Awards, said he is "very happy" about being nominated for the first time.
"I'm very thankful for the judges' recognization of my work and I'm excited to attend the awards ceremony."
When asked for a teaser for his upcoming concert, Chou said he has prepared English songs that will be limited just to his Canadian performances. Fans can also look forward to going behind the scenes and learning more about Chou.
"I'll be talking a lot about myself and the inspiration behind my songs, which are topics that don't get touched on as much when I'm in Taipei," he said.
Chou’s sold-out show had many fans still searching on social media for potential resell tickets.
A VVIP ticket, the most expensive ticket at $368, was the only option being re-sold on a social media platform.
Vancouver resident Terry Hua was one of the lucky fans who scored herself a ticket after checking everyday since Chou announced his world tour.
“I googled daily until the tickets were live,” said Hua, adding that waiting for the uncertain ticket release day was “the only stressful part.”
“He deserves a sold out show! I’m so proud of him.”
Hua has been a fan of Chou’s music since 2016 and described his music to be “very moving” to the point one of his songs brought her to tears.
Despite her being Vietnamese and not understanding the Mandarin language, Hua said she still loves how Chou “puts his songs together.”
Chou will be performing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Nov. 9 and is scheduled to be in Toronto for his next concert on Nov. 11.
