Diva A-Mei sweeps Mandarin pop music awards in Taiwan

Taiwanese pop prince Jay Chou and Hong Kong diva Karen Mok walked away with the top gongs at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards for Mandarin chart music on Saturday."I want to thank my fans. I will continue to be your superman," Chou told a cheering crowd in the Taipei Arena after winning best male singer for a second time.Chou, who starred in the Hollywood blockbuster "The Green Hornet" this year, saw off Chinese-American singer Leehom Wang and Singapore's J.J. Lam to pick up the prize.

If you were watching the Billboard Music Awards Sunday night, there wasn't a whole lot of award receiving throughout the night. 

The cream of Asian cinema is set to gather in Taipei on Saturday for the Golden Horse Film Awards, considered the Chinese-language "Oscars".Famed Taiwan directors Ang Lee and Hou Hsiao-hsien will join Hong Kong peers Johnnie To and Stanley Kwan to present the best director award at tonight's gala ceremony.However, another top Hong Hong film-maker, John Woo, reportedly will shun the event after his blockbuster war epic "Red Cliff II" was snubbed by the Golden Horse nomination committee.

Taiwanese director Leon Dai's social drama "No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti" is tipped for top honours Saturday at the island's Golden Horse Film Awards, considered the Chinese-language "Oscars", critics said.The emotionally charged movie, based on a true story of a diver's desperate fight for custody of his daughter, is the favourite for best picture and would be the first local movie in seven years to win the coveted award.

A second song from a new posthumous album by late pop legend Michael Jackson was released on Thursday, days before the beyond-the-grave record hits music shops around the world."Hold My Hand," a duet with US singer Akon, went online complete with video ahead of the December 14 release of "Michael," an album of songs the King of Pop wrote before his death, according to producers.A first song from the album, "Breaking News," was released last month and triggered an online storm of debate over whether the vocals were indeed sung by Jackson himself.

Teen idol Justin Bieber was named Artist of the Year at the 38th annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles, while Lady Gaga was named top female pop/rock artist.The mop-haired 16-year-old Canadian sensation, who had been up for five awards, also took home gongs for top pop/rock artist, top pop/rock album and Breathrough Artist of the Year.Bieber, who only had his first hit last year, beat veteran performers including rapper Eminem, who took home two awards: as top Rap/Hip-Hop male artist, and with top album for "Recovery."

Stars from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are gathering for this year's Golden Horse Film Awards, the "Oscars" of Chinese-language cinema.Chinese actress Xu Fan, Taiwan's starlet Lin Chi-ling and heartthrob actor Ethan Juan are among the performers due to walk down the red carpet on Saturday, ahead of a gala ceremony in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.Hong Kong director Teddy Chen of "Bodyguards and Assassins" is also expected to join the film's two leading men, Chinese veteran actor Wang Xueqi and Nicholas Tse of Hong Kong, at the ceremony, organisers said.

Lily Allen, Lady GaGa, Pixie Lott and Florence And The Machine will turn this year's Brit Awards into the battle of female artists, as they head up the shortlist with three nominations each.Allen, Lott and Florence Welch go head to head in the best female category, with Allen and Welch up for best album.Allen is also up for best single with "The Fear".The London-born singer, who has never managed to take home one of the awards despite four nominations in 2007, said: "It's a huge honour for me to have my music recognised in this way by the Brits."