Joanna Dong

Joanna Dong
Chinese name 董姿彥 (traditional)
Chinese name 董姿彦 (simplified)
Pinyin Dǒng Zīyàn (Mandarin)
Birth name Joanna Dong
Origin Singapore
Born (1981-11-15) 15 November 1981
Singapore
Occupation Singer, host, actress
Genre(s) Folk jazz
Jazz
Bossa nova
Mandopop
Instrument(s) Vocals
Label(s) Red Roof Records
H.I.M Music
Website joannadong.com

Joanna Dong (Chinese: 董姿彦; born 15 November 1981 in Singapore) is a Singaporean singer, actress and host. Primarily a jazz vocalist, she is the first artiste signed to Singapore label, Red Roof Records.[1]

Early life

The only child of divorced parents, her initial forays into the world of entertainment came in the 1980s when her mother, a former Chinese teacher, started entering her into karaoke competitions, many of which she won. After attending The Raffles Girls' School, Victoria Junior College and National University of Singapore, where she graduated in sociology,[2] she first came into the public eye when she joined the first-ever Singapore Idol competition in 2004 and reached the Top 40. Six months after exiting the talent competition, Joanna began pursuing a music career in earnest, landing her first regular singing gig in The Courtyard at Raffles Hotel.

Theatre

Apart from singing, Dong, who took theatre studies at Victoria Junior College, also expressed herself on stage in various theatre productions from 1998. In 2007, she landed the principal role of Rose in If There’re Seasons..., a musical based on the music of Xinyao pioneer, Liang Wen Fook, and won Best Supporting Actress in the ST Life! Theatre Awards for her performance. She would reprise the role in 2009 and 2014 re-runs. In 2008, she played leads in Mandarin comedy, The Soldier and his Virtuous Wife and Tan Kheng Hua’s raunchy directorial debut, Do Not Disturb – Late Checkout Please. In 2010, she was lead actress in the period rock musical, Liao Zhai Rocks!, inspired by colourful Qing dynasty folk stories. In 2011, Dong took on the lead of Small Papaya in Goh Boon Teck’s stage production of Royston Tan’s 881. She was also in the ensemble cast in Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress (2006), Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral (2010), Impending Storm: The Silly Little Girl and the Funny Old Tree (2012), Lao Jiu: The Musical (2012) and Great World Cabaret (2015).[3]

Discography

Dong released her EP, ‘Lullaby Nomad’, in 2008, which launched with a concert at the Esplanade Recital Studio. She also collaborated with Brazilian all-stars band, Bossa Negra, to release a single of her Mandarin translation of popular bossa nova standard ‘Summer Samba’ in 2010. She also performs with her own project bands. She has rearranged Hokkien songs in a contemporary jazz style with Peace Kopitiam Jazz Band (2012 – 2014) and reworked dirty lyrics into Christmas ditties with alternative Christmas band, Naughty “Noor” Nice (2010 – 2015). In 2015, Dong collaborated with fellow Singapore Idol, Sezairi Sezali, on the first Mandarin and Malay pop track, ‘Starlight’, for Sing, Love, a SG50 musical project by Red Roof Records.

Extended Plays

Year Title Label
2008 Lullaby Nomad Independent

Singles

Year Title Label
2015 “星光”, solo Mandarin version of “Starlight” Red Roof Records
2011 “Sing me to Sleep”, Fundraiser Theme Song for InHerShoes concert Independent
2010 “Summer Samba”, (as lead vocalist of Bossa Negra) Freelance United Music (Hong Kong)
2008 “别松开⼿手“, Fundraiser song for Sichuan Earthquake Victims Kenn O Productions

Original Soundtracks

Year Title Label
2014 天冷就回来 If There’re Seasons, Collector’s Edition The Theatre Practice
2011 881 The Musical Toy Factory Productions
我爱你爱你爱你 Forever, (vocalist and lyricist for “我相信“) Bobbing Buoy Productions
2009 天冷就回来 If There’re Seasons Warner Music Singapore and The Theatre Practice
Blood Ties, (“Close To You”) Oak 3 Films

Compilations

Year Title Label
2015 Sing, Love, “Starlight” duet with Sezairi Red Roof Records

Collaborations

Year Title Label
2015 Naughty “Noor” Nice (eponymous EP) Independent
2007 Sturm und Drang, Robosonic (featured vocalist on “Die kleine Prinzessin”) Diskomafia
2003 Budakumentary, Budak Pantai (as member of ngam, on “I Wanna Be With You/ Drive”) Independent

Film

In 2011, Dong took the lead in writer/director Wee Li Lin’s sophomore feature effort, Forever as a video consultant who falls for a handsome music teacher. The role earned her the Star Hunter Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2011. She was also the lead actress in Thong Kay Wee’s risqué short film, Hidden Folk, as a woman whose sexual affair with a 15-year-old comes back to haunt her.

Year Title Role Production Company Director
2013 Hidden Folk (short film) Lead, “Lilian Mah” FLIM Thong Kay Wee
2011 我爱你爱你爱你 (Forever) Lead, “Joey” Bobbing Buoy Productions Wee Li Lin

Television

Dong recently expanded her repertoire to include TV hosting in Ch U’s infotainment series, ‘Homeward Bound’ and ‘Life Extraordinaire’.

Year Title Role Production Company Channel
2015 寻找毅中⼈人 Life Extraordinaire Host 360 Productions Channel U
我家在这⾥里 Homeward Bound Host 360 Productions Channel U
2009 缘⾛走天涯 The Way We Live Featured profile August Pictures Channel U
新加坡。极爱。极短篇 Love Singapore Featured profile 360 Productions Channel U
2004 Singapore Idol Season 1 Contestant, top 40 Mediacorp Channel 5

Personal life

Dong met her husband, theatre practitioner and educator, Zachary Ho, on the set of ‘Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral’ in 2010. They wed in 2012.

References

  1. "Joanna Dong". Red Roof Records. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  2. "Joanna Dong". Wordpress.com. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  3. "From jazz music to yodelling as Sakura Teng". Lifestyle, The Straits Times. February 16, 2015.
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