2R
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2R is a pop group from Hong Kong. Its two members are Race Wong and Rosanne Wong, who are sisters originally from Singapore. Rosanne is the older sister, Race is the younger one. They also share a younger sister who is currently studying in Australia.
It is believed by some people that they are a cheap copy of Twins and the fact they can’t speak Cantonese very well attracts a lot of criticisms. However, they do have a dedicated following of fans and have recently tasted reasonable success with the release of their second album “2R Revolution”, and the opening of their motion picture “Ab-Normal Beauty” (死亡寫真) where Race Wong earned the “Best New Actor” nomination at the Hong Kong Film Award.
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Biography
Both of the sisters were born in Malaysia but moved to Singapore along with their family at a very young age. Rosanne was born on June 30, 1979, Race was born on September 7, 1982. Before entering show business, the sisters studied Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Western Australia. They were discovered by an agent in a singing contest and was brought to Hong Kong then later signed by Universal Music.
A Tough Beginning
Eventhough 2R has yet to achieve the level of success Twins did. It can be argued that they have gone through a much tougher time. The agent that has initially signed the sisters had arranged for them an apartment in Hong Kong and was able to get them a few modeling jobs but nothing solid ever materialized. All the while the sisters were working on their Cantonese in hopes of a better outcome when recording their album. However, their agent suddenly disappeared and the sisters were left with several months of unpaid rent and were eventually evicted. With no agent and no money, the sisters turned to their parents who helped them pay off their debt and found them a new home. Luckily they were signed by Universal Music not long after that.
Comparison to Twins
When 2R began their career, Twins have already established a strong reputation within the Cantopop world. The two groups carry many similarities, such as both have two female members, both sing similar style of music, and both target similar audiences. Although 2R has yet to achieve half of Twins’ success, these comparisons have created a small level of rivalry between the fans. Several incidences were reported where fans of the each group were attempting to sabotage the other group’s websites.
Separate Success
Although 2R is mostly seen together, the sisters actually exhibit two different styles. Rosanne being the elder sister is more mature and elegant while Race is more youthful and energetic. However it is Race who has experienced greater success with appearances in various commercials, magazine covers, and movies. In the movie “Colour of Sound” (地下鐵), both Rosanne and Race made cameo appearances but only Race’s scene made it to the big screen. They also stared in the Wong Jing’s movie “Love is But A Stupid Thing” (精裝追女仔 2004) where Race played a major role while Rosanne’s character was limited to just a few on screen appearances. It wasn’t until “Ab-Normal Beauty” that the sisters both played a significant part. That being said the relationship between the sisters remains strong and despite their separate level of success, both have said that they will continue their music career together as a group.
Future Uncertain
With all the hard work the sisters have put in, the future success of 2R is still uncertain. Their album sales have not been extremely promising and the fact that they can't properly speak Cantonese remain their biggest hurdle and one that may eventually end their career, although many have noticed a tremendous improvement in their second album. With new groups forming every year, the competition for 2R will only become more fierce.
Discography
- October 2003 Two of Us AVEP
- March 2004 UNITED
- March 2005 Revolution
Filmography
- November 2003 Colour of Sound (地下鐵)
- December 2003 Love is But A Stupid Thing (精裝追女仔 2004)
- November 2004 Ab-Normal Beauty (死亡寫真)
- May 2005 The Unusual Youth (非常青春期) Race only
Pictorial
- 2003 Two Fresh
Awards
- 2003 Most Promising Newcomer (Group) - 26th Annual Top 10 Song of the Year Awards'
- 2003 Most Explosive Newcomer (Group) - 2003 Metro Broadcasting Music Awards'
- 2003 Best New Group Bronze Award - 2003 Hong Kong Commercial Radio Music Awards'
- 2004 Most Popular Group Gold Award - 2003 TVB Top 10 Songs of the Year Awards'
- 2004 Best New Actor (Race Wong - nominated) - 25th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards'
See Also
- Twins (a similar group)
External links
- Official site for 2R's United album (http://www.umg.com.hk/minisite/2r_united/)
- Offical site for 2R's Revolution album (http://www.umg.com.hk/minisite/revolution/)
- 2R Discussion Board (http://www.ofweb.org/~cychan/2r/forum/)
- Unofficial 2R fan site (http://www.r22r.org/)