Poon Sow Keng (潘秀瓊)

Malayan singer b. 1935 in Kuala Lumpur, and began singing professionally aged 11. Moved to Singapore in 1950 and sang in various nightclubs. First recorded in Singapore under her real name, then went to Hong Kong in 1956 and began a long recording career under the name Poon Sow Keng (the Cantonese form of her name).

Became a citizen of Singapore in 1959 [The Straits Times, April 15, 1959, 12]. Married in 1960. “SINGER NOW A HOUSEWIFE – Miss Poon Sow Keng, one of Malaya’s best known singers and recording artists, was married to Police Inspector Ng Yoke Weng, of No. 2 Police Field Force, in Ipoh yesterday. The ceremony was conducted by Mr. R.A. Wilkinson, DSP, officer-in-charge of the force, and was followed by a reception attended by Mr. Ng’s fellow officers. Miss Poon, who sang in night clubs in Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong for 11 years, said after her wedding: ‘I am very happy and have decided to give up singing to start a family life.’ The newly-weds later left for Penang for their honeymoon.” [The Straits Times, June 4, 1960, 7]

Miss Poon Sow Keng of Paramount Café sings your favourite songs on Parlophone Mandarin records [Singapore Standard, October 26, 1951, 6]

Miss Pan Hsiu Chin is the most promising of the younger singers and at 17 already ranks among Malaya’s most popular artistes. She was born in Singapore [actually born in K.L.], began to sing at 14, and is most effective in such sentimental numbers as ‘Too Young To Love’ and ‘Tennessee Waltz.’ Among her recordings for Parlophone are a Stephen Foster song and the old favourites ‘Always’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne.’  [The Singapore Free Press, April 15, 1952, 2]

It is not often a Chinese girl is a top-rank singer at 17. Such is Miss Pan Hsiu-chin of Singapore, the best selling Malayan Chinese disc artiste today. Miss Pan (her name in Cantonese is Poon Sow Keng) has sung professionally since she was 11. She was born in Kuala Lumpur and attended school there. She won an inter-school song competition when only six years old. Two years later, singing with competitors many years her senior, she again gained top honours. It was inevitable that sooner or later she would turn to the stage, and she became a café singer. Miss Pan came to Singapore two years ago and has risen so rapidly that she is today among the two or three best and most popular vocalists in Malaya. She has a low voice, firm and remarkably clear. It’s warmth and smoothness, added to a wistful dreaminess, makes it very effective in sentimental songs which are Miss Pan’s speciality. Miss Pan, in her nightly appearances at the Paramount Café in the Great World, sings in Mandarin and English but her recordings are exclusively in Chinese. Many of them, however, are translations of Western songs. The first five discs she made last year are all best-sellers and represent a varied selection. Miss Pan is under contract to T. Hemsley & Co. Ltd. who have long been associated with Malay recording in the Colony, and her records are made under the supervision of The Parlophone Company. The best liked of her discs is ‘Bali Isle’ and ‘Aloha’ on DPE5702. My own favourites are the tango ‘Poema’ and the lovely ‘Last Night’ (DPE5705)” [The Singapore Free Press, August 27, 1952, 4]

“There has been quite a migration of Singapore singers from the evening cafes to the Federation in the past month. Several cafes have changed management, others have closed. The Happy World which had two, now has none. There is talk, however that one may be re-opened shortly under new management. Parlophone last week issued eight Mandarin discs by three of Malaya’s foremost singers. Especially pleasing are ‘Loveliest Night of the Year’ (DPE5726) by Miss Pan Hsiu-Chin, ‘Hear My Song, Violetta’ (DPE5729) by Miss Lim Lee and tenor Soo Yin, and a ‘Jealous Heart’ (DPE5724) by the Misses Lim and Pan.” [The Straits Times, November 16, 1952, 14]

Pan Hsiu-chin is only 18 but she ranks among the two or three top-ranking Malayan Chinese singers. She has more recordings to her credit than any other artist in this country and is the only Malayan Chinese who gives a solo performance daily at a prominent night spot, in this case the Seventh Story Hotel. Hsiu-chin is one of Rediffusion’s most popular stars and appears four times a week over a Chinese network. But this most famous of Chinese singers has yet to appear on one of Radio Malaya’s English programmes. She has not, to my knowledge, been featured as either a Guest Artist or Evening Star although she sings in English as well as Chinese…” [Radio Weekly, August 16, 1953, 13]

OFF TO H.K. FOR A RECORDING SESSION – Miss Poon Siew Keng, a pretty 19 year-old singer, left Singapore by the Asia yesterday for Hong Kong where she will make records for Pathe. Miss Poon will be away for about a month under contract to the gramophone company. Born in Kuala Lumpur, she has already made more than 20 recordings in Mandarin for Parlophone. Miss Poon has been singing for the past two and a half years at the Embassy Hotel in Singapore, where her songs in Mandarin and English have gained her widespread popularity.” [The Straits Times, April 23, 1956, 5]

A new Mandarin recording from the Pathe studios in Hong Kong has a special interest for Malayans. It is a Chinese version of the attractive Malay song ‘Sapu Tangan’ performed by the popular Malayan Chinese crooner Poon Sew Keng. Sow Keng was born in Kuala Lumpur and has been singing since she was 14. She has appeared in many night spots in Singapore and was the star attraction at the Embassy Hotel for several years. Early in 1956 she was sent by Pathe to Hong Kong to make some recordings. Previously she had recorded more than 20 discs for Parlophone… The Chinese title of “Sapu Tangan’ is ‘White Handkerchief.’ Sow Keng gives it a smooth and warm performance. She is equally effective on the reverse with a Mandarin version of the foxtrot ‘Gina’. [Radio Weekly, January 27, 1957, 11]

MORE RECORDS FOR MALAYA SAYS GLAMOROUS HONGKONG SINGING STAR – One is often led to believe that the lovely girls who grace the silver screen live a life of ease and luxury. But this is not true, according to glamorous Poon Sow Keng, a well-known local songstress who has ventured lately into film work in Hong Kong. ‘far from being easy,’ she said, ‘it is terribly strenuous, and one must be prepared to work very long hours, sometimes all through the night. When we are on set, which might be as early as five in the morning, we just don’t have time to think about ease or luxury, for even one small acting shot might take up to three hours to be filmed over twenty times before the Director is satisfied with the results. Recording sessions are just as exacting, as there must be perfect timing and co-ordination between the singer and the orchestra before perfection is achieved.’ This accomplished singer, who has made dozens of records including the ever popular ‘Lucky In Love’ which became an overnight success with her thousands of fans, has appeared at all the leading night-spots here and has just concluded a successful engagement at the Singapore Hotel. Miss Poon, who has recently completed work on ‘Everybody Wants Love’ which has just been released in Malaya, is planning to return to Hongkong soon to finalise plans for more records and films.” [The Straits Times, April 30, 1959, 12]

MALAYAN COMEBACK FOR SINGER SOW KENG – Five Hong Kong recording artists will arrive in Singapore tomorrow for stage appearances here and in Kuala Lumpur. Among them will be a Malayan, Poon Sow Keng, who is now married and lives in Penang. Once a year she travels to Hong Kong for recording sessions. For Miss Poon it will be a local comeback when she performs with the others at the badminton hall here on July 21 and 22, and at the Chin Woo Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on July 26 and 27. The other singers are Tsin Ting, Billie Tam Chang Loo and Khiang Hung, the only man in the group. The two-hour shows, which will be supported by local talent, will include both Chinese and Western songs, as well as Mandarin pops. [The Straits Times, July 19, 1963, 5]

MISS POON CUTS NEW DISC – Malaysia’s leading Mandarin recording artiste, Poon Sow Keng, was in Singapore last week to record a new EP disc under the EMI label. Listeners to the popular Radio Malaysia programme ‘Listen With Love,’ broadcast simultaneously from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur this Sunday July 5, can hear Gary Love, the compere of the programme, interviewing Miss Poon. Gary will play a Nat King Cole hit, ‘Those Lazy Hazy Days of Summer,’ selected by Miss Poon. Miss Poon, who is also a stage, radio and television star in her own right, made one of her rare personal appearances in Singapore recently when she sang with a team of singers from Hong Kong – all EMI recording artistes – and also appeared on TV Singapura with them. Nat King Cole is her favourite singer. [Radio Weekly, July 6, 1964, 1]