Singing sensation Lin Yu-chun (林育群) arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday for a performance at a Los Angeles Dodgers-Taiwan promotion this weekend.
Lin, who vaulted to fame last month with his rendition of Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You (the Whitney Houston version) on a local talent show, said he was very excited to have been invited to perform at the stadium for baseball fans.
“I feel kind of nervous, though. To sing outdoors in such a large stadium is a big challenge for me. My brain is full of the lyrics that I will sing that day,” Lin said after he arrived at Los Angeles International Airport.
The 24-year-old singer is making his second visit to Los Angeles.
He was invited there last month to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Lopez Tonight, where his singing wowed American audiences.
“It’s really an honor for me to sing at the baseball team’s Taiwan promotion activity,” said Lin, who signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment in Shanghai last Thursday.
He said he would be staying in his hotel room to rehearse the three songs he will perform tomorrow, including the US national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, and Taiwan Touch Your Heart.
Lin’s performance will be part of the Dodgers’ “My Town” series, which spotlights fans from around the world and specific communities, including the Fernando Valley, Brooklyn and Futbol fans, on certain nights.
Taiwan is not only the first country to be spotlighted in this year’s “My Town” line-up — which includes Cuba, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Ireland, Mexico and Germany — but the only one to be featured twice.
The second “Dogertown, Taiwan” game will be on Sept. 4.
Fans who buy tickets in two designated sections of the stadium for tomorrow afternoon’s game will receive a free “Dodgertown” T-shirt (with the second “o” shaped like Taiwan) and a special menu featuring spiced pork, jasmine rice and lychees, according to the Dodgers’ Web site.
Fans may also have a chance to see two Taiwanese Major League players in action tomorrow — Dodgers reliever Kuo Hong-chih (郭泓志) and Detroit Tigers reliever Ni Fu-te (倪福德).
The left-handed Kuo, a Tainan native, started the season injured but has since made six appearances and given up two runs in four and two-thirds innings while striking out six.
Ni, a left-hander hailing from Pingtung County, has appeared in 10 games for the Tigers and given up three runs in 13-and-a-third innings. He has struck out 17 batters and walked 11.
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