(24 Jan 2014) EASON CHAN RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE IN LONDON
Chart-topping Cantopop star Eason Chan has added another award to his growing list of accolades - an honorary degree from London's Kingston University.
Chan was at the university on Friday for his graduation ceremony, which was followed by a press conference.
He was a student at Kingston almost 20 years ago, but dropped out of his architecture course to pursue a singing career after winning the New Talent Singing Awards in his native Hong Kong.
The 39-year-old star said he was thrilled to receive the honorary degree. Although he admitted he feels an added sense of responsibility.
"After this honorary doctorate I think I have something to look forward to and I have more of a responsibility that I have to do well. There's no excuse, like 'Hey, you just sang that note kind of slightly wrong. I thought you were a doctor - in music.' I've never come across anyone being a doctor in music, actually. It's very rare," he smiled.
After years of winning awards - over 200 of them - and being handed various honors, Chan started to feel a little jaded. However that all changed when Kingston University got in touch with him.
"I've gotten so many awards and you find of lose a sense of the dignity or the importance of an honor and I kind of lost that in a way, until now," he said.
Chan spent many years living in the U.K. His family moved to the country when he was 12 and he considers it his "other home."
"I won't say the second home, it's like the other home, because I spent most of my time in Hong Kong, where my family is and all my friends are there. I just feel more comfortable when I'm standing by the Thames or go to a park somewhere and tasting the air. It's just really, really relaxing," he explained.
The singer has so many fond memories of his time in the U.K. and was pleased when his young daughter expressed a desire to study in Britain.
"I asked my daughter, she's 9, Constance, she's pretty much prepared to come to the U.K. and I'd feel great if she says 'Yes.' But if she'd like to go somewhere else, it's fine, you know kids, they change," he said.
After this trip, Chan will next be in London in March to perform at London's O2 Arena. In 2012 his concert at the venue was sold out, making him the first Chinese solo artist to do so.

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