Album not about me says Cheng Yee-Kin - article by Yong Siew Fern

A couple becomes sick of each other after five years. The meet with a freak accident and lose their memories. Later they find each other again, only to fall in love for a second time.

This love story is the basis of Hong Kong heart-throb Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin's latest album "If the Sky Wants To Rain". It is what the 12 Cantonese songs and the cartoon sketches in the album tell as the album unfolds. Ekin said he came up with the story idea with a scriptwriter friend last year.

Cheng denied that the story has any bearing on his real-life romance with actress girlfriend Maggie Sui. Like the couple in the story, Ekin and Maggie have been together for more than five years. Their relationship appears to have hit some rocky patches lately.

Last year Maggie tearfully told a Hong Kong magazine that she was afraid to be photographed with Ekin for fear of affecting his career. Ekin denied the report.

"If I really minded being photographed with her, I wouldn't have gone public with the relationship. If I had wanted to I could have hidden it."

He explained why he hasn't been seen with Maggie often.

" We have our own schedules, so I try to meet her when I have time. I don't need her to appear whenever I hold a concert or if I have a press conference, or visit me on the film set. I know in my heart that she is supporting me and that is enough."

But Ekin was less certain when asked what he would do if he and Maggie got sick of each other one day. " I won't know really," he replied sheepishly.

Cheng said he decided to write an album of songs with a storyline running through them to keep the listener glued.

" Usually when people buy an album they would only listen to the title track. What about the other tracks? I don't want such tracks to go to waste, so I thought it would be good to work in a story so that every song relates to it."

The cartoon drawings in the album were drawn by Japanese comic artist Junko Murata. The drawings of Cheng and a big-eyed long haired girl help illustrate the story of the songs. Cheng's idea cost BMG $200,000 to produce. There was even thought of making a movie out of the story but unfortuately there wasn't time.

	I am saddened by the grievance and despair		I have evoked in you.
		I wouldn't want this to dismiss you into oblivion.
	I can see the connection between us.
		This revelation fills me with awe,	drowns me with fear and drags me down like a burden.
	I'm in the sorrowful danger of confusing infatuation and propensity.
			It is indeed fruitless to keep on striving.
	A prisoner I have become.
		I have many reasuring thoughts emancipation, tranquility
			Set me free! Please let me lose myself as I will.
	Right here, where my journey begins.
			I am overwhelmed by the openness of your tenderness and passion.
	It's such an obsession.