The Teenage Kotai Singer

By Noorhasyilah Rosli, Regina Hoo

February 2019 FEATURE
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Catherine Wong.
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At 19 years old, Catherine Wong is one of the youngest kotai (“song stage” in Hokkien) singers in Penang. Her foray into the industry makes for a curious anecdote: “When I was 16, a friend’s father who happened to be a kotai show organizer had a pre-show hiccup – he urgently needed an extra singer. This friend of mine knew that I could sing – I was previously in the school choir – and persuaded me to perform.”Wong is one...

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Noorhasyilah Rosli

is living her life freely and spends a large portion of her time eating. She'll do the same in the next life.

Regina Hoo

is the deputy editor of Penang Monthly.

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