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Agnes' monochrome gravure was introduced on the two facing pages of the
November issue of the monthly magazine "平凡 Heibon" in 1972. On one photo,
she was playing a guitar and on the other photo, she was smiling with soft
drink's straw on her mouse. Probably, this is the first time she was
introduced by photos on idol-specialized magazine. Maybe, that magazine was
released in late September. On the other hand,her debut in Japan was in
November in the same year. And there were yet unplanned matters about her
debut, such as debut timing and so on, at the time when the magazine was
released. From here onwards, it has to be considered that the treatment of
her like that was unusual.
Surprisingly, she was also introduced by monochrome gravure on the two
facing pages of the December issue of that magazine, following November
issue. The photos introduce part of her life in Hong Kong with title "Hong
Kong's student star/ Agnes Chan." The article said she had already received
30 fan letters a day from Japan. That was a bright sign to her future.
On December 22nd, Agnes left for Japan for her full-fledged activity
and arrived at Haneda International Airport. On the same day, she held news
conference. News paper 報知新聞 Hochi Shimbun of December 23rd, 1972,
covered that with a photo as follows.
"Visiting Japan, like a dream/ Agnes Chan held news conference"
On 22nd, Agnes Chan, a much heralded singer from Hong Kong such as
"Outstanding ability of entertainer," "the second Au Yeung Fei Fei," has
finally visited Japan for her activity and immediately greeted media
representatives at Tokyo Prince Hotel, Shiba, Tokyo, saying "Dozo yoroshiku
onegai shimasu I'm looking forward to doing business with you."
Agnes is still 17 years old at Marry Knoll Sisters School. She looks
clean image with long hair and double tooth as her charm points like Saori
Minami, and is a singer of ability that she was chosen as one of ten top
singers for the second year in a row. She said in broken Japanese that "It's
like a dream that I can do work in Japan. In Hong Kong, I've many times
heard the severity of Japanese pop music scene. I'd like to be a singer who
is loved by many people." The press of about 300 people including
photographers were around her. That was a news conference of big foreign
entertainer level.
She has already released her record of "Hinageshi no Hana" from Warner
Pioneer on November 25th, and intends to appear on TV programs of stations
from the early part of the next January, beginning with Fuji TV's "夜のヒッ
トスタジオ Yoru no Hit Studio" aired on New Year's Day.
Another news paper of the same day, 日刊スポーツ Nikkan Sports, said
that "My first impression of Japan? I thought Japan was a big country.
It's similar to Hong Kong and I've liked at a glance.Among Japanese
singers, I know Miss Mari Amachi, Rumiko Koyanagi and Megumi Asaoka.
I'd like to stay in Japan as long as I can."
[Agnes at the news conference]
After the news conference, Agnes appeared on the photograph session at
the courtyard of the hotel, shivering with the cold of Japan in December,
but without any complaining words. And she stayed at the Watanabe
president's resident at Hiroo, Tokyo as originally scheduled.
Her first job was the recording of the New Year special TV program of
"紅白歌のベストテン Kohaku Uta no Best Ten." This assignment was an
unforgettable experience for her. Through the recording of this program,
she had know the Japanese style of making a program for the first time as
well as met other Japanese singers. She also met "shikitari traditional
practice" among them for the first time.
The program recording was held at the 国際劇場 Kokusai Theater, Asakusa,
Tokyo, and Agnes was packed in a backstage of 13 square meters
with Megumi Asaoka, ゴールデンハーフ Golden Half and 山室英美子 Emiko Yamamuro of
トワエモア Toi et Moi. For Agnes who was a completely "new face," what she
had to do at first was to introduce herself and to ask
those her "seniors"
to build a long-term relationship with her. It was a
natural to do so in the world of show-biz in Japan in which the
hierarchical relationships firmly remained at the time. Agnes, herself, was
many times confirmed this by her manager. The "senior" singers also
expected a greeting from her.
But the greeting words didn't come out from her lips, for some reason.
She was in silence from the beginning to the end except talking in
Cantonese from time to time with Irene who accompanied her. It was a sort
of strange atmosphere.
She was embarrassed by the program making too. She was tied down from
the morning to the evening to sing only the first part of the lyrics, and
the box lunch given to her turned to cool. Due to this treatment which was
unthinkable in Hong Kong, her impression on Japan changed gradually.
The stage was also out of her element. Agnes couldn't think the noisy
audience was in the mood of listening to songs. And singing only one part
of lyrics couldn't well get across her feeling. "Would I be in living in
the situation like this all the time, from now on..." She felt anxious.
From the very beginning of Agnes' arriving Japan, number of appearances
on TV or magazine was incomparably more than that of ordinary new faces.
This means that the staffs put on a great deal of effort in the marketing
of her, compared to other new faces, but by contrast, the reaction was not
favorable so well.
At first, Agnes sat down and sang holding a guitar, putting on long
dress as an image of Cinderella. The dress was like one seen on her album
"Hinageshi no Hana." In retrospect, it can be said that even the
Watanabe Agency missed getting her image. But unexpected accident was going
to change her image.
It happened at the New Year annual party hosted by Watanabe Agency on
January 7th, 2003. At the big party, at where more than 1,000 people in
charge of TV, magazine and so on, gathered, Agnes was introduced to them
on the stage as a new face of the year. At the time, she put on a sweater,
miniskirt and knee-high socks, which were almost casual wear, if she was
asked. She appeared on the stage dressed like that with easy feeling
because she didn't well understand what the party was. But the look and
styles that she got on that day were received well by the crowd. The agency took this occasion to change her clothing style. Her standard
style, miniskirt, white knee-high socks and thick-soled shoes, had been
fixed. At the same time, she ended holding a guitar and sang in a standing
posture. And her left hand, which had lost what to do due to not holding a
guitar, performed so-called "finger action," which began to come into
fashion among idol singers at the time. Thus, subsequent her image had been
finally made out. This wiped out the image of a folk singer she brought
from Hong Kong and created a new idol singer "Agnes Chan." At the same
time, however, this began to strike an inharmonic tone softly in her. But
it's not clear how far she noticed about it.
Anyway, this drastic image makeover was a great success. Letters from
fans increased rapidly as well as the sale of her debut single. Agnes
immediately reached and joined in among the ranks of idol singers.
Agnes held her first recital in Japan at Yakult Hall,
Shimbashi, Tokyo on January 27th. The recital was day and night perfomance.
Before the recital, she was filled with an anxiety with the recital, in
contrast with the willingness and confidence of the staffs.
Fortunately, this Agnes' anxiety was a needless fear. The
recital was so crowded that it received warming from the district fire department.
[Agnes greeting on the stage. Of course, in Japanese]
[Agnes singing "Hinageshi no Hana.No smile on her face]
[She finished the song and was able to breath again.]
From January 29th, Monday, two days after the recital, Agnes began to go
to the American School at Chofu, the school she moved into. A life as both
singer and student had begun in Japan.
At the American School, Saori Minami was also
enrolled in one grade behind
her. Their friendship between continued after that.
At last, Agnes was going to enter the wonderland.
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