Wild show full of treats for fans

The 165-minute concert by Taiwanese singer Jam Hsiao was big on nostalgia and showcased his impressive vocals

- Benson Ang Lifestyle Correspondent

In the blink of an eye, 18 years have passed since Jam Hsiao first burst onto the music scene on the first season of Taiwanese singing competition One Million Star in 2007.

Although not a contestant but a “challenger” during the show, the Taiwanese impressed with the emotional intensity and operatic quality of his performances, so much so that he was signed to a record label soon after.

Now 38, the star’s concert marked a return to his reality-show roots. While marketed as supporting his 2023 EP Wild/Mild, it featured only three of six songs on it - Wild/Mild, Fusion/Diffusion and Hope/Nope.

Instead, the 165-minute show leaned heavily into covering songs with passion and power, the proven strategy which first won him fans.

The set list of 26 numbers included seven cover songs, from Faye Wong’s The Last Blossom to Eric Chou’s The Distance Of Love. There were also Gary Chaw’s Betrayal and One-Fang’s New Endless Love, two ballads he first covered on One Million Star.

The show included a strong focus on Hsiao’s self-titled 2008 debut album.