The Singapore HIT Awards Part 2

Taiwanese bands S.H.E and Mayday (五月天, pinyin: Wǔ Yuè Tiān) took home the most awards from the Singapore HIT Awards (新加坡金曲奖), each collecting four awards. Female trio S.H.E (pictured left clowning around after the ceremony) won awards for Best Group, Asia Media Recognition Award (Group) and All-round Entertainers at the main ceremony on Friday night, 6 November. The three-trophy hauled added to their Best Regional Award announced a couple of weeks earlier (see my earlier blogpost). Mayday's awards were for Best Band, Most Popular Group and Asia Media Recognition Award (Band), as well as their earlier announced Shining Artiste award for most chart songs in the year.

The dominance of S.H.E and Mayday was no surprise, but eyebrows were raised when Jam Hsiao (萧敬腾 pinyin: Xiāo Jìng Téng) took out the main male performer trophies over some more fancied competitors. Hsiao took out both the critics' Best Performing Male Artist award and the publicly voted Most Popular Male Artist ahead of names such as Jay Chou and Wang Leehom.

Rachel Liang (梁文音, pinyin: Liáng Wényīn) was also a surprise winner of the Most Popular Female Artist, one of three awards she won on the night. The 22 year oldTaiwanese actress-singer came to prominence with her starring role in last year's hit movie Cape No 7, in which she also sang the theme song. At the HIT Awards she also won for Outstanding Debut Artist and Most Popular Newcomer. The critics however gave their Best Performing Female Artist award to A-mei (阿妹).

Amongst the local artists, Tanya Chua (蔡健雅 pinyin: Cài Jiànyǎ) was the most successful. For the second year in a row she was named Best Local Musician, one of three awards she collected on the night.

A full list of award winners in English can be found at the Asian Fanatics forum.