Can You Feel the Love? A Foreigner Takes China by Song

BEIJING, July 9, 2008 — -- Barry Cox got his start in China like many young foreigners often do: with a plane ticket, a few hundred dollars in his wallet and visions of adventures in the People's Republic.

However, unlike most expatriates who study Chinese or teach English in the People's Republic, the Liverpool, England, native hit the stage with a microphone and a few Cantonese pop songs that took him far beyond the local karaoke bar.

Today, Cox, 30, is one of the region's hottest rising stars, known as the "Egg Man" for crooning classic Cantonese ballads and belting out pop tracks in Cantonese, Mandarin and, once in a while, English.

Cox, who is known as Gok Pak-wing to local Chinese, couldn't always speak Cantonese. And six years ago, he wasn't much of a singer either.

As a young man, "I was never really a fan of singing," Cox said.

Finished with school at the age of 16, Cox was eager to try something new to set himself apart.

"I said to myself, 'Think about what you want to be doing 10 years from now.' I wanted to learn a language to make me stand out. First, I tried Spanish, but it didn't work out," he said.

"There's a Chinatown [in Liverpool]. So I thought, 'That's what I need to do!'"

An Unconventional Path

Instead of signing up for classes, Cox befriended a Chinese family in Liverpool and visited its restaurant with high hopes.

"I went to the take-away [restaurant] a few times and I asked if I could learn Chinese."

As luck would have it, the owner's son was interested in improving his English. Cox and the owner's son became fast friends and language partners.

Unaware at the time that there are several Chinese dialects, Cox began learning Cantonese, slowly mastering its nine tonal variations.

Cantonese, the primary dialect spoken in Hong Kong and southern China, is often considered more difficult to learn than Mandarin, the country's official language, which originates from the north.

Logging time at the family's restaurant wasn't enough for young Cox.

He took jobs stocking shelves in Chinatown supermarkets and helping out at restaurants. He further immersed himself in the local Chinese community by taking Cantonese lessons at a language school and a cultural center in Liverpool.

New Year's Song Becomes a Career

As the Chinese New Year approached, teachers asked Cox and his classmates if anyone would perform a song for the annual celebration.

"Everyone said no, but I said, 'Well, yeah, I'm gonna do it.'"

It took him two months to learn it, but eventually Cox performed "I Love You OK" by the famous Hong Kong pop star Leon Lai.

"I couldn't pronounce or sing," Cox laughed. "But people still applauded!"

Little did he know, this humble moment in Liverpool would soon open doors to fame on the other side of the globe.

Singing From Liverpool to Hong Kong

The world of Barry Cox has dramatically transformed since his off-key debut in Liverpool.

Cox invested in singing lessons and began winning local contests in the United Kingdom and China. Eager to test the waters full-time in China, Cox moved to Hong Kong six years ago with hopes of breaking into the Chinese music scene.

"I moved with nothing, and I didn't know one single person," Cox told ABC News.

At first, local producers did not know what to do with his foreign face and Cantonese tunes. But Cox stuck with what he knew best and continued winning singing contests, slowly paving a path to a steady gig.

Today, Cox headlines at the Sands, a five-star casino and resort in Macau, one of the world's top gambling destinations. By night, he sings classic Cantonese ballads and Mandarin hits for his audiences.

His fans have fallen in love with his trilingual concerts. Warmly received as the "Egg Man," Chinese fondly say he is "white on the outside and yellow on the inside," according to a press release by his record label, Schlepp Records.

"I have quite a large fan base. I have old ladies and different age groups. They feel the vibe and everyone's loving it," Cox said. "I think I sing something different so maybe that's why they like it."

Cashing in on the Market

And now that he's established, 2008 continues to be a big year for Cox.

He is recording his first album and touring in Singapore, and yet again he's venturing into new territory with his first single, "Feel the Love (Deep Inside)." The multilingual club track features Ayi Jihu, a seductive Chinese R&B star from Sichuan province.

In August, Cox and Jihu are slated to perform at a charity concert in Beijing to raise money for Sichuan earthquake survivors.

In his spare time, Cox wastes no time resting on his laurels.

Unlike most pop stars, such as P. Diddy or Jennifer Lopez, who launched clothing lines after making it big, Cox isn't waiting for worldwide fame before he hits the design studio.

In partnership with a Hong Kong clothing retailer, Cox has designed urban-themed T-shirts that he describes as "classy and sporty."

Emblazoned with "Barry" along the front and sleeves, Cox hopes that the shirts will "go with a pair of drinks and a pair of jeans."

Chopsticks and Chicken Feet

Cox realizes his newfound notoriety has made him an informal two-way ambassador between China and the United Kingdom.

In China, his fans still regard him with a bit of wonder -- as that foreigner who sings Chinese songs onstage. Six years and hundreds of concerts later, friends and family from Liverpool ask Cox, "Wow, you know how to use chopsticks? Aw, you eat chicken feet?"

"I tell them China is one of the most special places in the world," Cox says. "I love China."

As he mulls over his next 10-year plan, he first reflects on the past decade.

"I have done things that most people could only dream of doing. I'd like to keep that going."

And now, Cox plans to reach out to more fans and, eventually, go global.

"My shows are all about bridging the West with the East."