'I sing unconsciously'
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It is clear from her surprised and somewhat amused reaction that veteran pop singer Chyi Yu has never been questioned so closely about her voice.
But some longtime admirers of Chyi want to hear her "real" voice - sans synthesizer and computer software, that have become staple features of today's music industry.
She is talking to the media about her upcoming concerts.
Does Chyi use deep breathing as a natural support for her voice, they wonder.
"Rarely," says 52-year-old Chyi, sitting up straight on a couch in a VIP room of a shopping mall near Wangfujing street, looking elegant in a dark dress and blue shoulder wrap. Everything about singing comes to her naturally, she explains, adding that she hardly ever does vocal exercises.
"I'm terrible about speaking or walking around during my performance," she says. "That just distracts me. I sing intuitively, unconsciously. I like that."
Chyi was in the capital ahead of the concerts scheduled for Nov 28 and 29 at Beijing's Exhibition Theater (Beizhan Theater), billed as The Voice - No Boundary. For the first time since 2004, the singer will return to Beijing, this time with the Chinese Orchestra to add a lustrous orchestral sound to her renowned folk tunes.
According to Lao Zai, the mainland music producer and composer, the concerts will feature hits by Chyi over the past 30 years, including the classic The Olive Tree, and tunes remixed with Chinese folk songs and traditional musical instruments.
"Singing folk songs with traditional Chinese musical instruments can add another layer of sounds. The new versions are more colorful than the originals but require more from my singing," she says.
Chyi says she is excited about the crossover project, which she thinks will give fans something fresh.
But the project also carries a risk given that dazzling stage settings and hot dances are what sell today. At Chyi's request, her stage will have few digital screens or colorful lights. Her singing is intimate.
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