, one of Hong Kong pop's four ``heavenly kings'' and a long-time heartthrob in Asia, is gaining global fame. He has a string of international titles, including the Monte Carlo World Music Award in 1996 as the world's best selling Chinese artist and the U.S. Billboard Music Award in 1994 as the most popular singer in Asia.
He was recently named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World by the Junior Chamber International, a worldwide federation of young professionals and entrepreneurs.
``This is a total surprise to me actually,'' Cheung told Reuters. ``This is a very big prize for me... a very big recognition of my past work.''
National boundaries in Asia's pop music circle have dissolved in recent years. Pop singers from Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan are popular throughout Southeast Asia, which provides a big market for the multimillion dollar pop industry.
A SENSATION BASED ON TALENT
Cheung is a rare success in a business where stars often rely on looks, fancy costumes and vigorous dance rather than singing talent.
Bucking the trend, the 38-year-old concentrates on music rather than showmanship, drawing a large following from men and women of all ages and different backgrounds, even Chinese soldiers.
Cheung, together with Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai, are the four ``heavenly kings'' of pop, so called because of their popularity over other singers in Hong Kong.
Despite his singing talent, Cheung is unable to read music.
``I sing with my senses, a very direct first impression about the music,'' said Cheung, who is able to sing a ballad after listening to the tune twice.
``I'm trying to improve my knowledge of music, and hopefully one day I will be able to read the notes as well. This will be one of my major challenges next year,'' Cheung said.
The singer, launching his Mandarin album ``Walk Across 1999,'' plans to release an English album.
``I love singing English songs, although it's not my mother language,'' he added. ``When I was a kid I listened to Western music. When you get older, you always remember the days when you were a kid.''
So far he has sung only one English song, a duet in 1995 with popular female Philippine singer Regine Velasquez.
BIG PLANS FOR NEW MILLENNIUM
Cheung, a former computer clerk, kicked off his career by winning a singing contest in 1984 and has not looked back since, juggling the worlds of music and film.
``I'm going to start my own company, a production and recording company, but not publishing, to produce some other artists' albums,'' he said.
Cheung, a singer under Universal Music Ltd, will become an artist in his own company but may re-negotiate a new publishing contract with Universal when his contract expires this month.
``And I am going to do another Chinese musical next year,'' he said. His maiden musical Snow Wolf Lake, a tragic love story, was a smash hit in 1997.
Cheung focuses on love ballads. ``I believe in love actually,'' he said.
While many other local pop icons prefer to stay single for fear their popularity might wane with marriage, Cheung is wedded to pretty former actress May Law and seldom stirs gossip.
``If you (the audience) don't love me because I get married, I can't do anything about that,'' said Cheung, who remains a big favourite even after his marriage.
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