Profile | When Hong Kong singer-actress Sally Yeh dominated the cityโ€™s music and cinema scenes


This is the 56th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades.

In the dazzling, neon-drenched heyday of 1980s and โ€™90s Hong Kong, when Cantopop music reigned supreme across the region and the cityโ€™s cinema captivated the world, a voice of unparalleled grace emerged: Sally Yeh Chian-wen.

With her silky smooth vibrato, effortless charm and unusual bilingual appeal, Yeh transcended pop stardom to become a cultural icon.

From her early days as a fresh-faced ingenue to her reign as Cantopopโ€™s queen, Yehโ€™s journey is one of contentment, honesty and quality. Now, at 64, she remains a beloved figure, proving that true artistry never fades.

Yeh performs in Hong Kong in 1989. Photo: SCMP
Yeh performs in Hong Kong in 1989. Photo: SCMP

Born in Taipei in 1961, Yeh grew up in Canada, where she cultivated a deep love for Western pop music. Unlike many of her peers, she was fluent in English, Mandarin and, later, Cantonese, giving her a unique edge in Hong Kongโ€™s competitive entertainment scene.

Yehโ€™s path to stardom began as a model at age 16, and she was second runner-up at the Miss Vancouver Chinatown beauty pageant the following year.

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