Male singers avoid Jay Chou's May album release

Like an annual affair, Jay Chou's decision to release his new album this May has left other singers scurrying to change their own release dates.

As of now, two former Golden Melody best singers, Gary Chaw and Wang Leehom, have confirmed changes in the dates of release for their upcoming albums.

The only big-name male artistes slated to release their album in May are the ensemble rock group Superband, but insiders observed that they have a different target market.

Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou currently has nine albums to his name, and barring the first self-titled album, has been the biggest-selling artiste in Asia.

After focusing on film and TV production for more than a year, with the critically panned The Treasure Hunter and Pandamen, and a cameo in the Yuen Woo-ping wuxia biopic True Legend, the 31-year-old will return to his first love, starting with the May album followed by a concert tour in June.

Reports said his latest musical venture sees him experimenting with the Lady Gaga-inspired electronic genre. Trademark styles like soft rock and zhong guo feng will also feature.

When contacted, Rock Records said Gary's English album is postponed not as a response to the above news, but because studio recording has been delayed.

Leehom's latest album, originally scheduled to be released last month, has been pushed back till after summer.

But female singers, apparently, aren't worried about clashing head-on with the multi-platinum Jay. Delivering albums in the same month include Malaysian singer-songwriter Penny Tai and Taiwanese songbird Claire Kuo.

MSN