Veteran local musician and former Rediffusion radio presenter Paul Cheong has died at the age of 75. The cause of his death, on July 6, is not known. His younger brother, fashion designer Francis Cheong, announced the death on Facebook and Instagram that same day.
An obituary also ran in The Straits Times on July 7. Cheong wrote: “A resplendent luminary, a virtuosic spirit and a paragon of compassion, Paul Cheong, my esteemed brother, has relinquished his mortal coil, leaving an indelible legacy of love, wisdom, and fortitude.” Paul Cheong worked as a presenter at Rediffusion – Singapore’s first cable-transmitted, commercial radio station – from 1971 to 1991.
He was known as Singapore’s answer to British musician Cliff Richard for his singing voice. In the 1970s, Cheong, known for his smooth voice, sported a shoulder-length perm and wore eyeliner. Aside from hosting radio programmes, he was also a deejay at bygone clubs, such as Top Spin at the Singapore Tennis Centre and Copacabana at Orchard Towers.
He was also the first English-language emcee at the now-defunct Golden Million nightclub at Peninsula Hotel. He released two albums, in 1978 and 1979, covering hit songs of the time by artistes such as British rock star Rod Stewart and American band Bread. While Cheong largely retired from the spotlight in his later years, he appeared in an interview on the local YouTube media outfit Singapore One in 2022 with fellow former radio host Belinda Yeo, also known as Belin.
