By Chang May Choon

TAIWANESE singer-songwriter Fan Fan is troubled. She is preparing to embark on a concert tour early next year, but she can't decide which of her many showbiz pals to invite as guest stars.

The 32-year-old songbird is known to be close to the Asos sisters Barbie and Dee Hsu, TV host A-ya and singer Makiyo.

She has also done duets with seven other singers, including Wakin Chau, Rene Liu and Angela Chang.

In a phone interview from Taipei, Fan Fan told The New Paper: 'I have so many friends, if I invite A, I may offend B. And C may ask why I didn't ask her... I feel like involving everyone.'

This will be her first ticketed concert since her debut in 2000.

Fan Fan, whose full name is Fan Wei-chi, revealed that she will be performing a 'special dance', as dancing is something she rarely does on stage.

No stunts

But stunts are out of the question.

She said with a laugh: 'Even on a regular stage I can easily tumble and fall, so let's not make any accidents happen.'

Meanwhile, she is busy promoting her new album, Faces Of Fan Fan, a three-disc compilation with three new songs. It is out in the stores here.

To create an 'age of innocence' image, she decided to chop off half of her signature long hair.

'I was sick of having the same image,' said Fan Fan, who is known for her soothing love songs and friendship tributes.

'This is more refreshing, I like it this way.'

Never mind that her long-time boyfriend, variety show host Chen Jianzhou, or Hei Ren, didn't approve of it initially.

'He prefers a woman to have long hair, but I didn't heed him... He didn't criticise (her new hairdo). He just said it's not bad.'

The couple have been together for more than four years, and Fan Fan penned the song Black-White Match for him.

How does she split her time between him and her gal pals?

'I try to maintain the golden triangle rule - that romance, friendship and family should be equally important,' said Fan Fan.

'The best method would be to let your boyfriend be your best friend, get him to befriend your friends and family, so that everyone is one big happy family.'

But she draws the line at inviting him to go on stage with her.

'He can't perform unless he can sing one song so well that he earns my approval. It's a concert, you can't joke about it.'

That's the serious musician in her speaking, of course.

This story was first published in The New Paper on Aug 30, 2008.