At this point, surely you know who Sun Ho is and the terrible, terrible crime against music that was her 2007 single, China Wine, as well as the ghastly music video that came with it.
No? Ok, here you go. NSFL.
Quick context time! Ho Yeow Sun co-founded pentecostal megachurch City Harvest Church with her husband Kong Hee in 1989. Years later, she moved to Taiwan to pursue a singing career and had a modest following as a Mandopop star. Then came the Crossover Project — Sun’s evangelical pop music push into the US market. Her team roped in notable fraud Wyclef Jean (formerly of The Fugees) to helm Ho’s debut English album. They went for an Asian-Reggae fusion sound that resulted in the dreadful likes of China Wine and Mr Bill.
Of course, we all know now that the Crossover Project (which failed phenomenally) was financed by church funds, with at least $23 million in irregularities. The misuse of funds were what landed Kong Hee and four other City Harvest Church leaders in jail.
Anyway, back to China Wine. Local indie rock quintet Stopgap have been known to be a bunch of jokey dudes, and this cover doesn’t prove them to be any lesser. Here’s them offering a weirdly classy (and semi-psychedelic) version of the Sun Ho classic, 10 years since the original was brutally unleashed into the world.
Take a break from all the unhappiness over a non-existential presidential election, will you.
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