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Marriage becomes her

Updated: 2011-08-15 10:09

By Chen Nan (China Daily)

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Marriage becomes her

Christine Fan is looking forward to her 2011 concert tour titled Love & Fan Fan. Feng Yongbin / China Daily

Christine Fan's top-selling 11th album and upcoming tour, Love & Fan Fan, celebrates her relationship and recent wedding to her long-time boyfriend, the TV host Blackie Chen. Chen Nan reports.

Christine Fan has experienced a particularly busy and varied year. She tied the knot with Taiwan TV host Blackie Chen, after he proposed at a 2010 NBA game.

They held their wedding at a Taipei church six months later, the climax of an 11-year-long relationship.

In Beijing recently, she says she is enjoying being at No 1 in the mainland album chart for Love & Fan Fan and is looking forward to a 2011 concert tour with the same title.

Wearing a white-and-black gown and high heels she says: "I feel like I've been finishing a series of big life projects lately. And there's a nice beginning on a new journey ahead."

Her 11th and most recent album is full of her thoughts on becoming a married woman. Just like her debut album in 2000, Fan Fan's World, the 10 songs welcome fans into her inner world.

Decision of My Life, the No 1 hit song off the new album tells of Fan and her husband's love story.

"You are my most important decision and I want to spend my lifetime with you, to finish the unknown journey," she sings.

The song has been adopted by many newlywed couples, who have played it at their own weddings. Songs like Dawn celebrate Fan's 10-year friendships with her friends and their best wishes for her.

"There is so much in the album and it records the most important moments in my life," Fan says.

"It's like a departure for me."

Marriage becomes her

Fan and Blackie Chen wed in May after an 11-year-old relationship. Provided to China Daily

Talking about her husband, Chen, who she met and fell in love with in 2000, Fan says her songs also document their good and bad times.

"Though I have spent the past 11 years with the man, it's still a fresh start for both of us," she laughs.

"Like most couples, there were some bad moments when I doubted whether we would reach the final step, marriage. I even wondered why he didn't propose and what I was going to do if he never did."

The upcoming concerts in Beijing and Shanghai are thoughtfully scheduled. The Beijing concert, on Sept 9, was set, "Because double nine in Chinese culture means long and lasting, which is my wish to lovers," she explains.

Her husband will be a special guest and sing along with her. Fan reveals that her husband, who used to be a basketball player, worked out with her before the concert.

"I want to show my muscles," she jokes.

The concert will open with First Dream, one of the most popular songs from her fourth album. Looking back on her career, Fan is the antithesis of many of the hyper-dynamic Taiwan showbiz stars.

The 34-year-old American-born-Chinese conveys the kind of tranquility and peace that comes from growing up in a Christian family in Ohio.

As she returned to Taiwan and became a full-time singer, in 2000, "Fan Fan" was noted as a singer who was also intelligent, after graduating from Harvard Extension School. She likes nothing more than retreating to the comfort of her Taipei home to read books and spend time with her family.

"It's hard for me to be a fashion icon or a tabloid star," she giggles.

"I am not the most beautiful or sexiest. The only news about my love story is being with the same man for 10 years."

After ending her concerts, Fan says she will take a break. A honeymoon and becoming a mother are on her agenda. She hopes the break will also inspire her music.

"Sometimes I think, 'Thank god. It's been such a long time and I am still releasing one album a year. I am blessed'," she says.

"You know, I don't have the best voice or have a talent for dancing. I just stand there and sing my stories."

IF YOU GO

When: 8 p.m., Sept 9

Where: Beijing workers' Gymnasium

Tel: 400-610-3721

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