Eric Chou Odyssey Journey Returns Tour In Singapore

Singapore Indoor Stadium
Saturday

To fans who attended Taiwanese singer Eric Chou’s Odyssey Journey Tour performances in 2022 and decided to sit out this encore leg on Saturday and Sunday, you missed out.

The ballad prince has kept things fresh with new songs on his set list, and an upgraded sound and lighting system.

The name of his tour comes from Greek mythology and signifies that every hero has to go through thousands of trials to become a true hero. Since it last stopped in Singapore, the tour has also travelled to places such as Sydney and Taipei.

Here are three highlights from the show.

1. Chou went topless during the second song

While performing in Kuala Lumpur in June, Chou had teased the audience by opening his suit slightly and said: “Do you want to see me take it off? You’ll have to go to Singapore for that.”

Well, the 28-year-old is a man of his word.

During the second number Say Too Much, he donned a sleeveless vest and black pants, and was flanked by eight male backup dancers. But once Chou finished singing the chorus, he asked: “Want to watch me take off my clothes?”

Off came the vest, revealing a sculpted torso and taut stomach, prompting frenzied screams from the 10,000-strong crowd.

Back when his tour first came to Singapore in 2022, he had also showed some skin, but the passionate cries on Saturday were a sign that the stunt still worked.

2. New songs

Most encore concerts have more or less the same set list as the original tour. But Chou switched things up enough to give repeat concertgoers something fresh.

New songs featured included the soothing ballad Freedom, about being happy following a break-up, and Forever Beautiful.

Chou’s tender single No Place Like You, released on Oct 20, also found a spot on the set list.

But the biggest treat was probably when he performed a cover of I Find It Hard To Say, by Taiwanese Mandopop king Jay Chou. His warm and sonorous version showcased his smooth falsetto and was a worthy take on a popular classic.

Eric Chou said: “When singing karaoke, I feel very awkward singing my own songs. So I will sing other people’s songs.”

3. Impressive stage design

Not many know that Chou’s tour clinched the Design of the Year prize in the conceptual category at 2023’s Muse Design Awards, which celebrates the world’s best in design and innovation.

The upgraded stage design featured three levels of large LED screens suspended in mid-air. They played animation tailored for each song, such as an icy backdrop in What’s Wrong (2019) and a black-and-white cityscape for When We Were Young (2020).

Two levels featured a circular, wrap-around display, while another consisted of six movable screens.

During Say Too Much, lit bars emerged from below these screens to create a glowing prison that cocooned the star. And during Freedom, a giant disco ball appeared onstage.

The technical wizardry, which also included lasers and lighting effects, worked seamlessly to immerse audiences in a romantic odyssey of Chou’s music.