Kenny Kwan, born 30 December 1980, rose to fame at the age of 20 as one half of the duo Boy'z. After Boy'z enjoyed success, both in the recording studio and on the film set, Kwan decided, in January 2005, to leave and pursue personal projects. His former Boy'z bandmate Steven Cheung first continued Boy'z with a new partner, then, in June 2006, reinvented the group with a third member under the name Sun Boy'z.
It was a risk for Kwan, leaving the success of Boy'z. At the time of the split, many music critics questioned whether or not he had the talent to cope with going on to new pastures alone. Kwan's three solo albums prove that he has staying power, if not overwhelming critical acclaim. Squat's Derek Tsang caught up with Kwan to discuss how things are going for him flying solo.
Derek: Are you and Steven still mates?
Kenny: We are definitely still great friends, and our relationship could be compared to as brothers. I look at him as my younger brother because during our time together as Boy’z, I would take the initiative to look after him.
D: What do you think of Sun Boy’z?
K: I think they are a great group. Full of energy, really healthy and also a great role model for their fans. I support them with everything I’ve got.
D: Everyone thinks that you are super cute. If you weren’t cute what would you prefer to be?
K: First of all, I’d like to say that I’m not super cute. But people tell me that I look like certain characters in comic books. But looks aren’t everything. I concentrate more on my inner development as a human being. I see myself as an open-minded, down-to-earth, respectful, and polite young man.
D: How different is being a solo artist compared to being in a duo?
K: There are certain pros and cons in being in a duo and being a solo artist. With a duo there’s the feeling of unity, teamwork, and confidence as an item. With being a solo artist there’s a greater range in freedom of expression. But with greater freedom, the pressure increases and sometimes it’s quite nerve-racking being on stage just by myself.
D: It must have been daunting to leave the popular Boy’z and pursue a solo career. How did you feel at the time?
K: Back then I felt very confused and worried. I kept on having doubts about myself taking on this journey alone. It was a self-confidence issue. But with the love and encouragement from my manager, co-workers, family and friends I fought through the rough times. They also encouraged me to take a music course in Singapore to expand my knowledge in this art. That really boasted my confidence and lifted my hopes.
D: You and Steven made a great team. Any chance of collaborating with him in the future?
K: Not within the near future. But I hope we will have the chance to work together again. Both of us are doing our own thing now so we should just concentrate on our own projects for the time being.
Source: http://www.squatmagazine.com/article.php?articleId=95
Credits: http://forum.tvbsquare.com/
