Unpublished works of late singer may be released

[Photo/Xinhua]

The memorial service for the late singer Yao Beina, who died at age 33 on Jan 16 from breast cancer, was held yesterday morning in Shenzhen.

Yao's family, Chinese singer Liu Huan and Na Ying, who coached Yao on the hit reality show Voice of China, attended the event, along with her fans and thousands of local citizens.

Yao Feng, father of the late singer, moved the entire crowd with his heartbreaking speech.

"She was perfect, and that makes it even harder for us. It's lethal. Beina, my little girl, please go in peace. In the next lifetime, I still want to be your father," he said.

He also hinted at a release of a complete collection of Yao's songs.

"Aside from the songs recorded in June, she still has some works that haven't been published. We will take some time to organize them," the elder Yao said.

Yao, born on Sept 26, 1981, studied vocal arts at the China Conservatory of Music. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. In late 2014, she was hospitalized in Shenzhen, Guangdong province due to reoccurrence of breast cancer.

Yao, who already made a name for herself singing theme songs for hit television shows like Legend of Zhen Huan and Feng Xiaogang's film 1942, auditioned for the second season of Voice of China in 2013. Her wide vocal range and immaculate techniques won the hearts of the judges, and also that of the public, instantly.

Chinese singer Na Ying, who coached Yao during her participation on Voice, said she felt like she lost a member of her family.

"Her smile and her gaze made us forget that she was once critically ill. Her voice was always surging with happiness. She transfused her passion for life into notes. She truly loved singing, and that's why she was so influential to us all. She was an angel on earth," Na said.

Wang Zhongjun, chairman of Huayi Brothers Entertainment, who collaborated with Yao on the film 1942, said the singer left a deep impression on him when they first met.

"The music producers told me she was ill, but she didn't seem that way at all. She once said to her parents that these three years (from 2011 to 2014) were her happiest times. Her warm image will be imprinted in our hearts forever," Wang said.