This Grandma ROCKS!

No mistake about it. Maria Cordero is one hot grandma, and Hong Kong's answer to Tina Turner!

Thanks to Genting, I got two comp. tickets to catch her concert at Genting International Showroom tonight (Sat night i mean) and had dad to accompany me this time. Although I am not reviewing the show - no MM publication - but because I have seen her on TV and listend to her songs - and know she has one large beuatiful voice and an explosive showmanship to boost.

And I wasn't disappointed. She was one great performer, and what a voice! Even dad, who hardly knew about her, was thoroughly impressed and entertained.

Her style reminds one of a black jazz singer. Her raspy and powerful vocal, and her ability to hold on to long notes and her way using the microphone were simply mesmerising.

More than half of her repertoire were fast numbers and boy, she could dance too!

And this is a 52-year-old grandma to eight grandchildren (and mother of six) For this show, her husband was a percussionist in the band and her daughter was her backup singer.

In the two-hour show, she covered a wide repertoire - from Mandarin oldies (some of them reinterpreted in hip-hop/pop style), English songs to some of her own well known Cantonese numbers and even Chinese opera; proving her versatility.

This chatty, funny and really friendly lady kept the small talks going all the while. She was naturally humorous banters had us in stitches. And she mingled with the audience by coming down a couple of times and walked around shaking hands, posing for photographs with them.

I really had fun. There was never a dull moment. The audience, made up of mainly middle-aged/elderly folks, responded warmly too as they could see she has put her all into the show.

There was a moment when she sang her fame song `Mama I Love You' that she was overcome with emotions and choked with tears - as she said she is no `heavenly queen' or pop idol but she still could have the chance to sing on stage. And its all because of us.

Then her daughter came out and gave her a hug.. it was quite touching indeed.

Oh, by the way, her nickname was `Fei Ma' or `fat mama' due to her over 200 ibs plus-size. But two years ago, through some slimming program, she managed to shed more than 80 pounds in eight months to a svelte 140 ibs figure now!

Way to go, Fei Ma! (three cheers!)


Me outside the Genting International Showroom before the show started.



Maria a.k.a. `Fei Ma' in action


Maria's daughter Christine (with such willowy figure) who inherits her mother's amazing voice, singing a heart-felt `I Will Always Love You'.


Dubbed Hong Kong's Tom Jones by Maria - backup singer Daniel sings `Kiss', looking pretty hot too! ;)



Saying goodbye after the last song

After the show finished, Maria invited anyone who wanted to take a photo with her to come on stage. She promised to be there as long as the last fan was around, just like what she promised at the phone interview we had a month ago.

Totally bowed over by her, I too became a `fan' and queued up for this photograph with her.


A nice picture taken by dad :)