Asian Canadians, especially those who are born and raised in Canada, are able to speak and sing in the mainstream language, English by copying the popular songs from radio, movie and stage productions. Canadian Multicultural Council of Asians in Ontario hosts this singing contest 'Sing For Your Heart' patterned after the American Idol contests on television. The Asian Idol winner this year is Jane Lu who sang Summertime in her own style, a song composed by George Gershwin for the American opera Porgy and Bess. She wore a purple satin gown and entertained the full crowd inside P.C. Ho Theater in Scarborough. The other Asian contestants were also young, attractive, talented, confident singing popular North American songs but of course there can only be 1 winner in a contest. The CMC Asians composed of various Asian groups from North, Central, West and South Asian immigrant groups organize the competition within the cultural association members as well as invite those from the general public. Last year, a Filipina Candace Santos won and she sang on stage once again with other young Philippine Canadian singers in the community. Community level of entertaining is usually hosted by a community association for special events and fundraising. Organizers invite the media and sponsors such as The Sun newspaper and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and sell tickets to the public. Those who attend are often family members of the singers and their friends, plus the associations members. With such an audience, clapping was probably from those very same groups to support their own contestant. However the judges are strangers and choose based on talent and beauty, not from association. The singers voices are nice to listen to and their stage presence with costumes are worth watching. If Asian composers eventually catch up and create songs written in English, then Asian Canadian music will be definitely from the Asian Canadian heart! One of the male singers tried to sing part of a song in Chinese but the non-Chinese listeners probably did not understand the meaning but it did sound nice too. Maybe part of the competition can be for Asian songs just to promote the Asian languages too. More Asians are growing up singing in English and success can happen even from copying American singers, with Arnold Pineda replacing Steve Perry in Journey. The Asian Canadian community should support such talent in the meantime until the big break in showbiz comes.
