MUSIC REVIEW: I Love My Name - Ivana Wong

The follow-up to her brilliant debut album has not disappointed - Ivana Wong is probably one of the most talented singer-songwriter to emerge in the Hong Kong pop music scene in the last 20 years. I certainly can't think of another such talent since Anthony Lun started his music career in Hong Kong back in the mid-1980s.

So what's on offer on this album, titled "I Love My Name"? Her debut album's hidden track (Track 8) has already provided a preview on one of the best tracks - "Thunder & Lightning" (Track 3). The airy voice of Ivana coupled with the few surprises in the musical arrangement has made this a rather refreshing listening compared to the usual canto-pop. The other huge hit from this album is "Safeguarding Hands" and this comes in two version - a solo version (Track 1) and a duet with Hins Cheung (Track 11)... I can't quite decide which is a better version really - they both have their merits and shortcomings. Another potential hit coming from this album would be "Treat With Care - Fragile" (Track 2) and we'll have to see how this one fares in the various charts - will it follow the same success as the other 2 tracks?

In addition to 8 Cantonese tracks, this album also consists of 2 Mandarin songs as well as 1 English song "Love Has It All". Ivana wrote all the music and the lyrics (except the English Track) and they were all high-quality stuff.

Just like her debut album, it takes a few listening rounds to discover the gems inside this album; but once you've found them, you will keep loving them. Ivana's style is unique in Hong Kong, and her talent will prove to be a major asset to her success in the music scene.