Latest news with #Malaysian-born
The Star
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
TV host Quan Yifeng addresses fallout with former friend M'sian-born Addy Lee
Addy Lee (left) has said that he and Quan Yifeng were 'close like family' for over two decades before that relationship soured. Photos: Addy Lee/Facebook, Quan Yifeng/Instagram Singaporean TV host Quan Yifeng has broken her silence on her fallout with Malaysian-born celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee, detailing in a recent interview what went down between them. Lee, 54, hosted a Facebook live stream for two consecutive nights on May 13 and 14, bringing up his beef with Quan, 51, after her daughter Eleanor Lee hogged headlines last week for allegedly making derogatory comments about the people of China. The 25-year-old China-based Singaporean actress has denied making such remarks, but the incident dealt a major blow to her burgeoning career in the country. Addy Lee then implied that what happened to Eleanor was 'karmic retribution'. In his rambling six-hour tirade on May 13, Lee said he and Quan were 'close like family' for over two decades. However, their relationship soured after she stopped conducting live-stream sales together with him and moved out of his home, where she and her daughter had stayed temporarily for three months during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Lee explained during the pandemic, he had to foot his ill parents' medical expenses, and his 10 hair salons also needed a cash turnover. He added that he had to make money through live streaming as he could have gone bankrupt at any time then. He then called Quan 'ungrateful' and 'heartless' for leaving him when he was facing a crisis. Responding to his claims, Quan told local Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao in an exclusive interview on May 15: 'He owned a S$3mil (RM9.92mil) property, drove a luxury car and had several assistants then. He never told me he was in financial trouble.' She said they began doing live streaming together after Lee told her that he saw a business opportunity in the area. Quan said that on top of working more than 10 hours hosting shows at her day job, she continued with live streaming at night at Lee's home. She added that the longest live stream session was 14 straight hours. 'I was so tired during those three months,' she said, adding that it was the main reason she quit live streaming with Lee. Quan, a Mediacorp artiste, said her management had noticed she was earning additional income through that avenue, and it was inappropriate to do so while she was still an employee with the broadcaster. She also disputed Lee's claim that he helped her earn S$300,000 (RM992,295.70) in one month doing live-stream sales, saying that it was actually S$400,000 (RM1.32mil) in three months. 'That was like money falling from the sky and it was the first time I saw such a large sum of income,' she told Zaobao . 'He said it was more than what I made in a year at Mediacorp, and asked me not to be a host but to sell goods together with him.' Lee began to sell a range of products that he developed, and she felt guilty promoting them as she did not understand them fully. She also felt she was exploiting her over 260,000 Facebook followers, who had bought large quantities to support her. Quan and Eleanor eventually moved out of Lee's home, and she said she penned him a long farewell letter. 'I am following the principle of friends parting on good terms,' she told Zaobao . 'We should cherish each other if we are fated to be together, but we can slowly fade out of each other's lives if we are not fated to be together.' Quan remains perplexed over Lee's accusation that she and Eleanor had been 'ungrateful'. 'After all, we used to be friends. I don't know where his bottom line is,' she said. 'His criticisms have no effect on me.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
The Star
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Addy Lee says he regrets knowing TV host Quan Yifeng & her daughter Eleanor Lee
Malaysian-born celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee has confirmed he fell out with Singaporean TV host Quan Yifeng, formerly a long-time close friend of his, over disagreements related to live-stream sales the pair did together. Singapore-based Lee, 54, disclosed these details in a Facebook live-stream on May 13, after teasing earlier on social media that he will be speaking about Quan, 51, and her actress-daughter Eleanor Lee, 25. Addy Lee is Eleanor's godfather. Her biological father is Quan's ex-husband, Singaporean actor Peter Yu, from whom she is estranged. In his rambling six-hour tirade, Lee said he was 'close like family' with Quan for many years, but their relationship soured when Lee invited Quan to conduct live-stream sales with him of hair products during the pandemic in 2020. Over a month, the pair reportedly earned over SG$300,000 (RM990,859). But a rift soon arose, Lee alleged, when Quan complained that they were selling the same products with little variation and began throwing temper tantrums by ignoring audience questions on joint live-streams. Lee also said his assistant told him Quan and Eleanor said behind Lee's back that they felt like he was leveraging their popularity to boost his live-stream sales. Lee said that at the time, Quan and Eleanor were temporarily staying with him, along with their then-partners. He then went to his room to cry about Quan speaking behind his back and humiliating him. She then sent a text and told him she and Eleanor will be moving out since he seems uninterested in seeing or speaking to them. He then responded that he felt hurt by her actions. According to Lee, that was their last contact. He added that he felt betrayed as a week after this argument, he noticed that Eleanor posted about getting her hair done by fellow Singapore-based celebrity hairstylist David Gan. He felt upset that Eleanor said Gan saved her 'damaged hair', which Lee felt implied that his salon director at Monsoon Hair Salon did a bad job. He also said he bought expensive gifts from luxury brands for Quan and Eleanor over the years, paid for Eleanor's vacation to Europe, used his network to further her career in China and even contributed to her international school fees, but that Eleanor never repaid him. 'To be honest, I regret getting to know them... They are ingrates. It's been four years and I haven't heard a peep from them.' Lee's live-stream comes after Eleanor, a Singaporean who has been working as in China for several years, landed in hot water recently. A netizen claiming to be her former assistant released a poor-quality audio recording purportedly of Lee making derogatory claims about the people of China. While Eleanor has come out to clarify that the recording is fake and added that she loves China, the incident has been a major blow to her burgeoning career there, with state media singling her out for criticism. In the wake of the incident, Lee implied that what happened to Eleanor was 'karmic retribution'. He also posted alleged screenshots of messages from Eleanor's representatives pleading with him to not 'add fuel to the fire' in the midst of the negative publicity surrounding her now. Lee, who shared that he is on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication, had previously levelled accusations at other former friends. He is a co-founder of live-streaming ecommerce company Mdada alongside Singaporean actress-host Michelle Chia and Singapore-based Thai host Pornsak Prajakwi. Pornsak, 43, departed the company in 2023, and Lee said he officially left the company in February 2025 in a May 15 Facebook post. At the time, he said it was due to health issues, but soon began feuding with Pornsak and Chia. Lee previously accused Pornsak of bullying and defaming a staff member of the company who was Lee's assistant. He has also since accused Chia, 49, of withholding his salary from him and not responding to his texts. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
The Star
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysian-born HK actress Fung Bo-bo makes rare public appearance in KL
Malaysian-born Hong Kong star Petrina Fung Bo-bo has been living a largely private life since retiring from acting in 1994. Photos: China Press Hong Kong actress Petrina Fung Bo-bo remains a cherished figure among Canto-movie fans in Malaysia, thanks to a remarkable career spanning nearly four decades. Since her debut as a child star in the 1956 film Love Vs Love , Fung, 70, has found success through movies like Beyond The Sunset (1989), 92 Legendary La Rose Noire (1992), C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri (1994) and more. After retiring from acting in 1994, the Sandakan-born star moved to Malaysia, living a largely private life with only occasional returns to Hong Kong for special events. She was also married to a Malaysian architect from 1997 to 2012. Recently, Fung made headlines with a rare public appearance at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, where she attended the Cantonese play Left Unsaid , starring Cecilia Yip and Kenny Kwan. Fung (middle), who's currently living in Penang, was in Kuala Lumpur to reconnect with old friends. The event was particularly meaningful for Fung as it marked a rare reunion with Yip, her co-star from the 1994 film Right Here Waiting . Fung looked radiant and lively at the event. Many netizens were quick to praise her natural beauty, noting that she appeared younger than her years, even with minimal makeup. It's reported that Fung travelled five hours by car to KL to show her support for the play and reconnect with old friends over tea. She's said to own a luxury home in Penang.
Hype Malaysia
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Chloe Qisha: 6 Fun Facts About Malaysian-Born 'It Girl' Recognised By Kelly Clarkson & Chris Martin
There are only a handful of Malaysian-born stars who have achieved global recognition. Some migrated to other parts of the world to launch their careers, while others set their sights on even bigger ambitions after finding success in their home country. One artist who's been making waves lately is Chloe Qisha, born and raised in Kuala Lumpur before moving to the UK to pursue her A-Levels. At just 26, she's already been dubbed the next 'It Girl,' having achieved major career milestones less than a year after her debut in 2024. Let's take a closer look at this rising star: 1. She's a self-taught musician Learning to play an instrument is challenging enough, but teaching yourself is truly impressive. Chloe Qisha did just that, teaching herself to play both the piano and guitar. In an interview with Bandwagon, she shared that since the age of 16, she has been sharing song covers on SoundCloud and YouTube, where her talent eventually caught the attention of an Artist and Repertoire (A&R) agent from a record label. The agent later reached out to discuss the possibility of signing her as a recording artist. 2. Kelly Clarkson covered one of her songs If your song has been covered by an icon in the music industry, it's safe to say you've made it. Just a few months after the release of her self-titled EP, Chloe Qisha's track 'I Lied, I'm Sorry' became a hit and was even covered by the original American Idol herself, Kelly Clarkson, during a performance on her talk show. 3. Her music helped Coldplay Frontman Chris Martin through depression Being a renowned artist and touring the world can be thrilling, but it can also take a mental toll. During their stop in Hong Kong, Coldplay's lead vocalist, Chris Martin, sat down with fans to discuss some of the practices that have helped him improve his mental health, one of which was listening to Chloe Qisha's music. 'There's a new artist called Chloe Qisha, and her music is making me happy,' he said in the band's TikTok post. Since then, Coldplay fans have gone to check out the KL-born singer who has indirectly helped their favourite artist with his depression. 4. She's the first Malaysian artist to be on the cover of Rolling Stone UK Chloe has been featured in several acclaimed publications, including NME, Elle, and Augustman. Notably, she made history as the first Malaysian-born artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone UK earlier in March for their 'Future of Music' series, a major milestone in her career and a proud moment for her fans back home. 5. She was interviewed on BBC Radio 1 It's no easy feat to be interviewed on a national radio station, but Chloe Qisha earned her place when she was invited as a guest on BBC Radio 1. Before the interview, she was given a tour of the station, then sat down to share her journey and the inspiration behind her upcoming EP, which takes a lot of 80s music inspiration. 6. She'll be embarking on her first tour around Europe Chloe Qisha is likely the only Malaysian-born artist to have reached such a milestone. She held several sold-out shows across the UK when she first emerged on the scene, and now, she's set to take things to the next level with a European tour kicking off this October. According to her recent Instagram updates, her show at London's Village Underground has already sold out. 'Speechless!!! And I CANNOT WAIT to play Village Underground and see everyone! We're gonna have the best time xxxxx,' she wrote in the caption.
The Star
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysian-born actress Sora Ma buys first Mother's Day gift for herself with son's ang pow money
Malaysian-born actress Sora Ma just got her first Mother's Day gift. The 41-year-old, who recently became a Singaporean in January, treated herself with her nine-month-old son's ang pow money. In a video uploaded to Instagram on May 6, Ma spoke to the camera while her baby boy, Skye, played with a red packet in the background. She said: 'I'm going to use the money in it to buy myself a Mother's Day gift.' Red packets are customarily given to babies by older relatives and friends in Chinese culture on special occasions like their birthdays or Chinese New Year. The clip then cuts to Ma taking Skye out to shop in a department store. She initially tried on a a pair of sunglasses and told Skye: 'It's $120, is that over your budget? If it's OK, kick your legs.' Skye duly did so, but Ma eventually settled on a pair of gold and silver hoop earrings, though the video did not reveal how much it cost. She then showed herself wearing the earrings as she kissed her son on the cheek. She said: 'Thank you baby, for giving Mummy a Mother's Day gift.' Ma wrote for the caption: 'It's my Mother's Day so I'll spend it how I want... I don't want to keep what I want in my heart, I want to guide him and put what I want into action, be a straightforward mother who is not afraid to express love and ask for love. 'This is my son's first Mother's Day gift to me. Thank you baby, because of you, now I get to enjoy Mother's Day.' She added that she has told herself in the mirror that she has been doing a good job as a mother. 'I hope to tell everyone: 'No matter what you're facing now in life, remember that everyone is here and being strong in their own way, so keep going!'' The upcoming Mother's Day on May 11 is Ma's first as a mother since she gave birth to Skye in August 2024. Her Singaporean businessman husband, who was in his late 40s, had died unexpectedly, leaving her a widowed new mother. Skye was conceived via in-vitro fertilisation. She only revealed news of her husband's death in December 2024, six months after the fact. The star, with credits in Mediacorp series like Channel 5's This Land Is Mine (2021) and Channel 8's Crouching Tiger Hidden Ghost (2021), has been regularly posting updates since she gave birth. Some netizens had criticised Ma after she posted a tour of her new home on Instagram in April. One said that she looked 'so happy, so soon after your husband died', while another said she did not 'seem to have an ounce of sadness'. Ma had hit back in an Instagram Story, writing: 'Am I truly very happy? Or is it that I'm just trying to live every day to the best of my ability? Or maybe I'm just trying to fake it until I make it one day.' She added: 'I do not need your sympathy. Why do I have to perform my sadness for you?' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
