G.E.M. Complains of Being Mistreated by TVB

Already a successful Cantopop singer, G.E.M (鄧紫棋) reached new heights in popularity when she joined Mainland Chinese reality singing competition, I Am A Singer 2 <我是歌手2>. Despite this, G.E.M. complained of unfair treatment at the recent JSG Music Awards <勁歌金曲> and complained that TVB’s policies were highly disrespectful.

G.E.M. Wins Millions of Fans in China

After impressing viewers with her powerful vocals, even beating out legendary singer Wei Wei (韋唯), G.E.M’s fan base in Mainland increased massively. After watching her performance, many fans indicated that they hope that the next episode will reach 5 million views. Since her competition, it is rumored that her compensation for promotional events tripled.

Because of G.E.M’s high score so far, many speculate that she has a chance at the final champion title at the end of the thirteenth episode. The points are calculated based on the 500 votes from live audience members and are averaged between two episodes. Initially only starting out fifth and second place in the first two episodes, G.E.M managed to impress viewers and grabbed the number one spot in the last two episodes.

G.E.M humbly said, “Because audience members can only vote after they have watched all the performances, the first contestant to go is put at a disadvantage because they can easily be forgotten. Besides talent, luck is important. I’ve never been drawn to sing first, so I think that helped me a little.”

Not So Lucky in Hong Kong

Although G.E.M has been rather lucky in Mainland, she complained that TVB’s policies were less fair. At last week’s Jade Solid Gold annual awards ceremony, G.E.M. was only given two fan tickets to attend the show. On the other hand, TVB gave over 20 tickets to each singer from EEG and TVB’s own music label, The Voice Entertainment Group Limited. G.E.M. had originally invited a dozen fans to watch her at the show, and sadly told them to go home first.

TVB had ordered all female singers to dress in mini-skirts to create media buzz for the award show. However, TVB kept the venue’s temperature at 10 degrees Celsius; G.E.M. wore her jacket the entire time when she sat offstage to stay warm. G.E.M.’s manager Cheung Tan (張丹) complained, “But the female singers wore so little; they were freezing. [TVB] doesn’t care if the singers get cold; how can they sing if they get cold?”

Cheung also angrily argued that TVB’s MCs always inappropriately poke fun at singers and put them in embarrassing situations. As well, for those singers who win awards, they are only allotted one minute and thirty seconds to sing during their thank you speech, causing a rushed performance.

Clearly affected by TVB’s unfair policies, G.E.M felt a little discouraged and said, “I know that the Hong Kong music industry and media are unhealthy. I have been exchanging messages with other singers in private to support each other. Singers need to be respected in order to have the courage to continue singing.”

Source: ihktv.com

This article is written by Su for JayneStars.com.

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Responses

  1. Yes, I noticed that too. One time, when GEM was done singing. She went over to Dodo to say a few words. It seems like Dodo didnt care what she has to say and pretty much cut her short. I thought that was rude and disrespectful. Love GEM, think she is a very versatile talented powerful young singer. She is really a gem!

    1. Dodo is ALWAAAYS LIKE THAT. I hated seeing her on Miss Hong Kong last year because she was so disrespectful. She poked fun at the girls weight on television. Like really? You’re supposed to give those girls a bit of support and encouragement but she chooses to embarrass them. What a great mentor. Anyways back to G.E.M , I love her !!! TVB’s unfair policies will eventually lead to their downfall…

  2. I love her hairstyle. She looks older and yet still a pretty gem. 😛
    According to that ^, TVB does sound a little unfair and uncaring…if they go on like this, being disrespectful, would G.E.M move to mainland China and start her singing career there? :0

  3. oh TVB you continue to disappoint me again and again. why are there so many reports of TVB mistreating artists and singers and messing up on their awards shows and tv shows??? please get your act together!

  4. Gem looks so much better then even I haven’t seen
    Her that much or listened to her song albums I still think that she looks quite prettybon that pic:)

  5. totally supporting GEM! I’m getting tired of all these news about TVB mistreatment. And yea, the entertainment industry in Mainland is getting more and more popular…I better start learning my Chinese 😛

  6. I think if she wants to live longer in this industry she best learn to shut up. A little unknown like her complained about the industry that made the four kings. LOL.

    1. G.e.m is honest and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Having competed in “I am a singer 2”, which is a popular singing competition in Mainland China, has also greatly increased her exposure and fan base outside of Hong Kong.
      I’m glad that she’s finally starting to get the recognition that she deserves!

      1. I didn’t want to comment before doing homework as I have not been following the HK music scene for a long time, mostly because I despise the talentless idols who made it in HK. So after watching the award ceremony and a few episodes of ‘I am singer 2’, I agree with Steves and many others who commented. What kiwi said made no sense at all. GEM will go far and she is indeed a rare GEM who may bring a renaissance to HK’s music dark ages.

    2. A little unknown.lol.Have been living in a cave the last few years.

    3. @kiwi: For your information, GEM is NOT the first singer to complain about that type of treatment from TVB and she certainly won’t be the last! Even the ‘big names’ in the music industry (I’m talking the veteran singers from the 80s and 90s, INCLUDING the 4 Heavenly Kings) have ‘complained’ in the past about the unhealthy state of the HK music industry and how TVB is disrespectful towards singers by rushing their performances and not letting them finish their songs (in fact, that last part about the disrespect towards singers was one of the points that God of Songs Jacky Cheung brought up several years ago when he was pushing for the HK music industry to have a unified music awards ceremony…).

      So um, please do your homework first before going around bashing artists for their comments!

      1. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Okay if she wanted to be heard, claim on top of the ladder and wait inline to speak from above otherwise just shut up and listen.

      2. That ladder isn’t easy to climb so either shut up and learn or beat it.

      3. @kiwi: Once again, your comments make no sense whatsoever.

        First of all, GEM is not an ‘unknown’ in the HK music industry (for the past 10 years or so, I haven’t been following HK music as closely as I used to and even I know who she is…also, even my older relatives who don’t even listen to HK music anymore know who GEM is…so not sure why you insist that she is ‘unknown’).

        So are you trying to say that unless you are Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, or anyone else who has been in the music industry for more than 20 years, you don’t have the right to speak up if you’re being mistreated? You should just swallow it and wait 20 years before you say anything? What kind of logic is that?

        And honestly, I don’t understand what you mean by saying that GEM should ‘wait in line to speak otherwise just shut up and listen’ — you’re making it sound like she’s the only one who has ever complained about TVB. Why does she need to ‘wait in line’ when there is no ‘line’ in the first place? Like I said earlier, many of the veteran singers have already complained about similar issues with TVB, so it’s not like she’s speaking out of line or trumping veteran artists.

        GEM has every right to speak out if she feels she’s being mistreated, as long as what she is saying is the truth (or what she perceives as the truth). By the same token, TVB has every right to refute each of GEM’s claims if they feel that her complaints aren’t warranted.

      4. Well said llwy12! Yes, kiwi’s comments make no sense and have no logic.

      5. Well said llwy12, I haven’t been following the HK music scene but I’ve heard of GEM even though I don’t know her songs. I’ve been really impressed by her performances in ‘I’m a singer 2’.

    4. Last two years GEM went against 903 the most popular radio station in HK by openly criticizing their awards in youtube. It doesn’t affect her development in China now so I don’t think her criticizing TVB will affect anything since now she already found success in China.

      1. GEM’s not unknown she’s famous in HK especially the year she debuted but these recent 1-2 years she has been stagnant wthout much promotion so it’s good to see that this mainland competition bring her back to the limelight. Although her songs aren’t my favourite, she has a powerful type of vocals that’s rare in HK and mainland.

      2. @bbfanny: the mainland has MANY singers with powerful and vocals. Han Lei, Han Hong…among a few.

    5. So r u saying if a person is low in rank or not so popular shouldn’t say anything and just sucks it up??? I wonder where u live and why any normal person would think this way

    6. Saying G.E.M is unknown is too much. Lolz, she isn’t unknown at all. Perhaps only to a mere fan of TV series but not HK music industry, she is unknown.

      G.E.M will stay in the industry long, even after the current dispute with Txb. Like someone mentioned, she has trouble with 903 in the past but it means nothing. In China, she is now the most successful HK young singer.

  7. Good for her for going away from “totally very bad”, just wait til the other stations are up, then tvb will look at their awful policies. Dodo was always rude, keeps cutting short of everyone speeches in rude way, I find it offensive and rude for a senior host.

    1. Carol Cheng is just doing her job and she is damn good at it. Four decades in the industry and still doing what she love. I give her thumbs up like Liza Wang.

      1. Doing your job Is one thing,but thinking you are better and superior is a different story. Doesn’t Dodo ever think about the time when she was still a newbie? Just because she has gotten past that, it makes it ok for her to mistreat her juniors? I do not feel that is right at all.

    2. Although I also seem to find Dodo a bit offensive when she cuts artists’ short of their speech or performance, she is also an artist afterall doing her job..she’s given responsibilities to fulfil during shows as the MC, and if she doesn’t make it up to them, there would be other issues. It’s just not that simple. Obviously she could cut off artists’ in a more less-offensive/abrupt way, but judging her sharp and direct personality, she’d rather just get to the point so the artists’ really have no choice but to end whatever they are doing. However tvb’s shows are sooo rushed these days, they ALWAYS cue for artists’ to ‘wrap it up’ in the middle or even just the beginning of their speeches which even gets me annoyed being the audience. Especially at award shows, I mean it’s their moment to deliver their grattitude, but you rush them or even cut of off clean :/ image an award show without thankyou speeches, just awarding artists’ with their awards…i’m pretty sure most of the artists’ would then find the whole event meaningless since their thankyou speeches would be as equally important as the award itself imo..

      1. The show was supposedly 3 hours long. What they need to do is go back to the old way, only top 10 songs instead of 20. Also, I thought Cheng Dan Shui’s joke was worse than DoDo, like the bad joke of asking Ivana Wong to remember how to get back to her seat quickly after she sings.

    1. If you read the article, you can see that “TVB had ordered all female artists to dress in mini-skirts”…

      1. …I’m going to be a grammar nazi so in that case the quotation marks should have been around “her”.

  8. I am afraid if she complaints any more she won’t have publicity in HK. TVB can be very “siu hei”

    1. @Funn: Yup…with how petty TVB is, GEM’s relationship with them is pretty much doomed now. Even if the report isn’t true (which is possible if it’s from a tabloid), TVB isn’t going to waste time getting clarification — since they got put in a negative light with this report, they’re going to ‘retaliate’ against GEM in one way or another…

      1. Agreed but if G.E.M dared to say this it means she doesn’t care about how TVB will react and since her popularity has increased I don’t think she is worried either.

      2. G.E.M. has already caught the attention of the sponsors so TVB is the one that missed the boat by mistreating her. TVB can retaliate all they like, G.E.M. has already taken flight.

    2. Maybe she feels she is good enough to survive on her own now so no longer needs TVB? Therefore, she thinks she feels safe enough to speak up towards TVB?

      1. Agree with HeTieShou! No need to worry for GEM – She is young & talent. She has a very powerful & dynamic voice. Furthermore she has a very strong base in china. Not only this she has china value market & so therefore what is TVB to her?

  9. I love GEM but isn’t she burning her bridge alittle too early?! Yes, she is finally getting the recognition she deserves but again she is still very new to the Mainland market. Joey has dominate the HK music scene for years and yet she hasn’t fully break into the mainland market, therefore, I think it’s still too early for GEM to burn her connections in HK.

    1. How many people live in Hong Kong? How many in Mainland China?

      I don’t think her fans in HK will worry about her relationship with TVB… but I do think her future lies with mainland China.

    2. I find it funny that Joey is the Queen of Hong Kong music but her albums are barely selling in Mainland China nor Taiwan. I see now why she keep pushing herself for all these concerts because that where majority of her money is coming from.

    3. Yup! You got that right. Must learn the ropes. Nothing happens overnight little girl. Anyway there are many bridges for her to burn because she’s got the voice and the talent. LOL.

      1. You can have a good voice and be talented but whether you become successful or not is a different story.

  10. Somehow I don’t think this is true, that TVB forced their artistes to win “mini skirts” but I do believe that they were told to wear “dresses” or something among the lines of that. But I firmly believe that the singers were cold during the awards presentation.

    Most of the female artistes either wore short dresses or long dresses. As for Joyce Cheng, she wore this long sweater-dress with leggings/tights..

    1. Would you really want to see Joyce Cheng wearing a mini skirt?

      1. I think in this post, she was only telling us what people wore during the presentation!

      2. As long as Joyce is comfortable in what she wears.. but the point of my post is that If TVB really did impose the mini skirt rule to ALL female artistes, then some of the female artistes who wore long dresses would be exceptions or favoritism shown by tvb.

  11. seems like GEM getting popular in mainland have the guts to make complaint. Its true sometimes TVB words make the artist speechless, its their style anyway.

  12. The best thing GEM ever did was not to get involved with TVB. If the result of that is that TVB snubs her when in Hong Kong… she should be thankful. She’s much more opportunity being managed by someone else.

  13. She maybe right about TVB being disrespectful but wasn’t she being disrespectful to older singers in the past? Talking about respect when you cannot abide by it yourself is just ludicrous.

    All singers and actors suffer through ‘hardship’ to get where they are today. It is not just in HK but even in the US.

    People really need to stop with the TVB and HK bashing and accept the cutthroat world of show biz is the norm.

    1. No, that’s not true. That’s one diva’s claim which GEM stated was false.

    2. That was a UNPROVEN rumour. I would “accept the cutthroat world of show biz” if TVB dramas were at least passable in terms of a logical plot/script, dialogue that doesn’t hurt my ears with all the screaming they do, better actors/actresses chosen for talent not just cause tvb says so, They really need to stop using the same actors/actresses OVER and OVER again as well.

      Also, I find Korean and Japanese shows to be (generally) ahead of HK shows in pretty much every single aspect AND both cultures are well known for having a cutthroat entertainment industry.

      I am not bashing HK as I love HK, but TBV needs to stop choking the creativity out of their artists. HK music hasn’t grown in any way for the last decade, it’s still the same old same old. Both their tv shows and music have just been declining in quality.

      1. Yea,it is sad that the e circle seems to be on the decline in HK for the past decade. Heard that the e circle in Korea and Japan are not heaven either.

    3. being disrespectful? all that actually happened was gem didnt say hi to jenny tseng when they were at a public event together and jenny tseng felt offended and disrespected LOL

      And what exactly is bad with people bashing on tvb and hk. especially tvb! they treat their artists like crap! theyve been so disrespectful to their artists. Felix Wong for example, he acted in many roles back in the days and was praised by the audience about good acting skills. after working many years in tvb, tvb were only willing to give him a 500 hkd raise. there was another time where tvb wanted to sign/renew contract with a miss hk. however, instead of negotiating with her, they locked her in a room with tvb employees forcing her to sign the contract. thats beyond disrespectful and rude. thats ILLEGAL. so no, people shouldnt stop bashing about tvb, in fact, they should raise their voices and help out the ones locked up in tvb!

  14. lol, there were so many empty seats that night.

    tvb should have let them in to fill them. it looks awkward

  15. GEM has an awesome and powerful voice comparable to Mariah Carey. Her English songs are sang without much accent. Love and respect her boldness to speak out against tvb.

  16. GEM could care less about TVB and 903. Most of her songs are promoted through social media, esp. YouTube, FB and weibo. I don’t think GEM said this just cause she’s getting more known. She has always stood up for rights and unfairness.

      1. Oh, I thought they were referring to a person like a nickname just like how people call Virginia 620. Thanks for the info Fox.

  17. I feel like I need to see the actual interview because it seems like they put 2 different quotes from her manager and GEM to make up this story. Also the tvb studios are notorious for being cold so that’s nothing new.

  18. Honestly, I don’t think G.E.M will have a dent after this incident.

  19. GEM does not need TVB to increase popularity. Eason has not appeared on TVB on years, and is still the most popular Hong Kong singer.

  20. love G.E.M. hope she can reach high in the I Am A Singer 2 ! She is the best singer in HK!

  21. Sorry but Gem’s singing is not as good as Janice Vidal. Gem will only get popular in mainland. No good singers are left now all gone to dig gold in China in Mandarian.

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