1975 - SuZanna Teo And Curtsie: 'Loving You'

In April 1975 a young lady from the U.S., with a five-and-half-octave vocal range, composed and recorded a song, Loving You (not the Elvis Presley version) with much success. The singer was able to enunciate in the high registers to set her apart from other whistle-register singers. Unique *Minnie Julia Riperton became a star when Loving You sold a million copies and opened her to the pop music world.

Eight months later in December, a young lady from Singapore sang the same hit and won the 1975 Discovery #Talentime at the Shangrila Hotel in Orange Grove Road. Her main prize was a recording contract with EMI where she recorded the Riperton number with 11 other covers on an LP titled, SuZanna Teo Loving You (EMGS 5003).

Nineteen year old Suzanna, who was a Pre-University student at Victoria Secondary School, owed her singing success to Curtsie, the guitar she strummed and hugged during the competition. In her last year as a teen, Suzanna explained that music was her life for the moment and something which she could do "wholeheartedly." When asked about her future plans during her interview with The Straits Times, she added that she wanted to be a social scientist.

In addition to her grand prize, she won a trip to Hong Kong and an appearance at the **Frances Yip TV Show. Suzanne also bagged a pewter tropy, a $200 record voucher, a cassette player and other useful gifts. According to the Straits Times report, an RTS (Radio TV Singapura) announcer Adaline Scheerder was the runner-up and Samuel Owen, a veteran vocalist, won the third prize. The judges were a distinguished line-up of personalities then and included, George Favacho from RTS, Daisy Devan and Keith Bruce from EMI and Lawrence Magnan from Shangrila Hotel.

This interesting LP was the only one recorded by Suzanna. It was produced, arranged and conducted by Reggie Verghese (Quests' Lead Guitarist). The recording/mixing engineer was Vincent Lim. The sleeve design was by THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE with photography by Bernard Chan.

Side One: Follow Me, Rock and Roll Coaster, This Time I'd Be Sweeter, Danny's Song, When The Party's Over (Riperton), April Fool. Side Two: Loving You, Never Can Say Goodbye, Please Tell Him That I Said Hello, Tomorrow, You're No Good, Special To Me.

Like our own Olivia Ong today, Suzanna Teo was a hit in the mid70s. According to Audie Ng, music impresario, he contracted her to sing at the Imperial Hotel Singapore in the early 80s when she was at the top of the hit parade. Have you heard Teo singing or listened to her recording before? Tell us.

*Wikipedia: Singer/Songwriter Riperton died of cancer in July 1979.
**Pop lady singer of the 70s who hails from Hong Kong.

#Many young hopefuls those days participated in singing competitions which might help them secure a recording contract and some fame. Fortune is something else. Click 'Talentime' label below for similar themes.
Information from: The Straits Times Press, Singapore 5/12/1975, Pg 10.

Images: EMI Records Singapore/Andy Lim Collection.