One look at Kym, and I'm reminded of various singers from the Cutesy League - Rainie Yang, Jolin Tsai, and Cyndi Wang. Previously with long wavy hair, she used to look like a princess from a fairytale, lost in our world. However, Hooked finds out that appearance isn't the only thing that's sweet about this singer...
 
Now with short hair, Kym looks like the typical Girl Next Door, the sort that most men would want to marry. Even before listening to her latest album, I was already won over by her warm smile and big expressive eyes.
Looks aside, Kym's voice is still as sweet as ever.
Huan Ji (loosely translated as "New Season"), Kym's third album, was released on 30th May this year. Although Kym is not very well-known in Singapore as yet, she does have some ardent fans. She has also won several music awards in China, bearing testament to her musical talents.
Recommended tracks in this new album include "Huan Ji" (New Season), "Zui Hou Yi Ge Xia Tian" (The Last Day of Summer) and "Wo Jie Yi" (I Mind).
"Huan Ji" is about how a girl bravely walks out of the shadow of her broken heart. The struggle to overcome the pain of a break-up is compared to the changing of seasons, hence the title ‘New Season'.
 Composed by Kym herself, the bittersweet tang of the song will no doubt appeal to fans of melancholic love ballads. "Huan Ji" also happens to be one of the theme songs of the currently airing Channel 8 drama, "Kinship".
Another personal favourite is "Zui Hou Yi Ge Xia Tian" (The Last Day of Summer). It is a poignant track, illustrating the painful parting of ways between a young school couple, as graduation dawns upon them.
‘It's the last day of summer/But I'm not in the mood to go to the seaside/I just want to stay in my room and flip through old photos' is one of the best lines in this song. Simple yet elegant, fully bringing out the tinge of sadness in the school girl.
On the other hand, this album isn't all about depressing love ballads. There are also chirpy tunes like "Da Xiao Jie" (Missy) and "Wo De Chao Ren" (My Superman), suitable for you to listen to on the journey to NUS, as it could help to brighten up your dreary day!
There's another song called "Ai Qing De Zi Wei" (The Taste of Love), a duet with Hong Junyang, which is laudable, though I still prefer her duets with JJ Lin Jun Jie.
The only downer is that her voice isn't powerful enough to make people sit up and pay attention. It is especially telling at the higher notes. It would be good if she could take a leaf out of Faye's (from F.I.R) book. Perhaps then, she would be truly distinctive as a singer.
On the whole, Huan Ji is still a pleasant album with a youthful and refreshing feel. HOOKED
HOOKED's rating: 3.5/5
Picture credits: http://ent.sina.com.cn/ and http://kym.idollic.com/
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