Mandopop star Eric Chou recently put up a concert with an over-10,000 audience in the midst of the pandemic in Taiwan, the first artiste to do so. He is set to hit the stage again next month as the world gradually adjusts to the new normal in the pandemic era.
"Being the first is very exciting for us. Of course, it's not easy to do. To be the first, a lot of preparation was necessary. It's a must for everyone to wear a mask to enter the concert, for hands to be sanitised. To purchase a ticket, you have to use your own name, your ID number and phone number," Eric, who had performed on August 8 and 9 at the Taipei Arena, told IANS.
He continued: "We prepared masks for over 10,000 people so they had one in hand -- even if they forget to bring it -- to wear during the concert, ensuring that it was a safe environment to be in. We hold (our audience) accountable for the concert. It's actually one of the most difficult concerts to pull off, but we did it, thankfully."
The concert was an amazing experience for him. "It was one of the most special concerts I think I will ever experience, just 10,000 people wearing masks. Not seeing their faces, but hearing them screaming and singing your songs. That's pretty special," he shared.
He will be back on the stage on September 5 and 6, this time at the Kaohsiung Arena, Taiwan.
"Doing a concert is something I look forward to the most, being a singer. It's something that I share with the audience. Nothing else in the world can compare. The direct response of people enjoying your singing comes in a split second - you can hear, you can feel, and just know if they're enjoying it or not. For me, of course I'm nervous. But I feel more excitement than nervousness. I'm very happy," said the young singer, who primarily performs in Mandarin.
Eric has built an impressive fanbase in India, too. The nation ranks at number 13 worldwide in terms of his Instagram following.
Asked if he has any plans of holding concerts in other cities or countries, Eric said: "As of now, we do not have any plans to do any other cities. Taipei and Kaohsiung are two of the biggest in Taiwan, so we're very lucky to be able to do these concerts."
Eric has released several music videos, including one for the English track "In the works", as well as a collaboration with Mandopop star G.E.M. titled "Don't force it".
Earlier this year, he had released his album "When We Were Young".
He has continued to write more new music. However, he intends to take a break from releasing new songs for now.
"We're letting my fans digest this new album, because there's 20 songs to listen to. We also shot 13-14 music videos, so there's been plenty, I think. At the same time, I've had more time to think about what music I want to put out in my next album, and the kind of message I want to tell my fans," said Eric.
(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)