Previously ignored by the Golden Melody, ABT R&B musician David Tao (陶吉吉) finds justice with the album The Great Leap Forward 2005 (太平盛世), which earned him six nominations in the Best Male Singer, Best Album and Best Song categories. To the dismay of many, Wang Lee-hom's (王力宏) Heroes of Earth, one of last year's best selling record, only earned him a single nomination for Best Male Singer, and with critics saying that his new album offers little that is different from his previous work, he is not favored for the prize.
According to an ongoing online poll at the official Golden Melody Awards Web site, it is the lesser known musician Ken Wu (吳克群) who is the front runner for Best Male Singer, though some critics think Kimbo is a shoo-in for this important category.
As for the female leads, Malaysia-born folk rock singer Penny Tai (戴佩妮) is favored by Internet voters for Best Female Singer as of press time, while third-time Golden Melody nominee Jasmine Leong (梁靜茹), also from Malaysia, is favored by critics. A versatile musician who composed, wrote and produced her album Crazy Love (愛瘋了) combining soft, folk-rock tunes with fusion jazz, she has earn nominations for Best Album and Best Composer. Tai will meet fierce competitions from Singaporean musician Tanya Tsai (蔡健雅) with her unique vocal prowess and Taiwan's original folk singer Cheer Chen (陳綺貞), adored by college students.
Taiwan alt-rock godfather Wu Bai (伍佰) is another focus for the awards. His Taiwanese-language, electronica/rock record Two Faced Man (雙面人) is a strong contender for the Best Taiwanese Album, and he is also nominated for Best Taiwanese Male Singer this year. Taiwan Made (台灣製造) will also engage in a tight battle with Wind from Pacific Ocean (太平洋的風) by Kimbo for the Best Song and Best Lyricist categories.
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