Show Luo: February Flavour of the Month

We're only two months into 2010, but already Show Luo's (罗志祥, pinyin: Luó Zhīxián) latest album Rashomon (罗生门, pinyin: Luóshēngmén) is a hot favourite to be this year's album of the year in Taiwan. Released in mid-January, the dance king's seventh studio album has spent the last six weeks at the top of the G Music album charts. Not only has it been the best-selling album for one and a half months, it's completely dominating album sales in Taiwan. Last week it accounted for a massive 36 percent of all record sales.

The album has also produced four singles, with the latest, Love Doesn't Travel Alone (愛不單行) holding top spot on the KKKBox Mandopop Singles Chart four weeks running. The song is taken from the Hi My Sweetheart TV series which recently finished it's moderately successful run (respectable rather than outstanding ratings). The versatile Luo also played the lead role in the series.

Other songs to chart from Rashomon are the debut single Love's Home Turf (愛的主場秀), an uptempo dance number, the second single, I'll Be Used To It (習慣就好), and Head Over Heels in Love (愛瘋頭), also from the Hi My Sweetheart soundtrack. In one week this month all four songs were in the Top 10 singles (source: this Cpop Access post).

Show Luo started the month winning search engine Baidu's number one prize at the Hot Point Awards. He was crowned Most Popular All-round Entertainer, reward for a very successful 2009. In fact, it would be safe to say that Luo is having the most successful period in his fifteen year career. And to top off the month for Luo, he was also voted "most desired lover" on one online Valentine's Day poll.

Show Luo began his career back in 1996 in a tribute band The Four Heavenly Kings (referring to four of Hong Kong's most popular singers from the 80s and 90s, introduced in this post), and made his acting debut in 1999. He launched his solo singing career in 2003, and around the same time began hosting popular variety show 100% Entertainment. Affectionately known by his fans as Little Pig (apparently he was a bit chubby as a child), Luo has won most of Taiwan's major prizes including the Golden Melody Award for Best Male Singer in 2007.