Four Golden Princess facts for kids

Four Golden Princesses (Chinese: 四千金) is a China-based Malaysian girl group that consists of members Ginger Keong Hueh Chin, Mins Eng Lee Min, Samantha Ee Kai Chee and Richell Lee Lian Hong. They are best known by their stage names Chin Er, Min Er, Kai Er, and Hong Er (the Chinese word "er" means "child" or "young"), though in the last several years of their performances, they began to use their given names more frequently.

Career

Originally known as "Four Little Golden Princesses", and commonly abbreviated to FGP or 4GP, they were recruited by recording company Ya-Ko Enterprise around 1995, after mass success of child star, Crystal Ong Shir Ching, who is currently a member of M-girls. At that time, the members of Four Golden Princesses averaged 5–6 years of age (Ginger was born in 1988 and the others in 1990 or mid 80's). Each of them hail from different parts of Malaysia, but they were brought together at company headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on school holidays and weekends for recording sessions or promotions. As they grew older and remained popular, the word "Little" was quietly dropped from the group name.

They made their debut effort in a compilation album in August 1996 (album title unknown). Under the management of Ya-Ko Enterprise, the Four Golden Princesses released 3 Happy Children’s Songs albums and 1 Chinese New Year 1997 album. Each album grossed more than 50,000 copies sold worldwide, which made an astonishing figure for local artists.

In September 1997, the parents of Four Golden Princesses filed a lawsuit against Ya-Ko Enterprise for the non-payment of contractual fees. The parents claimed that they had only received partial payment for one-and-a-half albums. With the lawsuit was settled out of court, Four Golden Princess was permanently switched to another recording company called "Wayang Tinggi Entertainment (WTE)" as of 1 October 1997.

Over the years with WTE, Four Golden Princesses has recorded and filmed over 20 albums (8 albums under the Children’s Wonderland series, 3 under the Golden Folk Songs series, and 10 Chinese New Year albums). Each of them are best sellers, giving the group's title "Super Child Star". They also recorded a number of popular songs (especially in their teens) with several songs that are combinations of Chinese and American songs.

Their Chinese New Year albums have become a trademark success. At what was perhaps the peak of their child-group popularity around 1999–2001, their album "Dancing Dragons Dazzle in Beijing City 1999" sold over 100,000 copies in Malaysia and another 450,000 in China; "Lovable Dragon Year 2000" over 125,000; and their "Dance of the Golden Snake 2001" over 100,000 in Malaysia alone.

In early 2003, Min Er announced her intention to leave the group to concentrate on her studies. She had always been the most academically diligent member of the group and dreamt of a career as a doctor since childhood. However, much to the relief of their legion of fans, Min Er decided to remain in the group after much persuasion from her friends and fans.

On June 5, 2004, Four Golden Princesses celebrated their 10th anniversary as a group with a mini concert at Malaysia’s UE3. They were the first child group to last 10 years (or even 5 years) from Malaysia’s music scene. Along with growing up, they have progressed from singing nursery rhymes to children songs to school folk songs and love songs. All these categories of songs were showcased in this concert. Hearing Four Golden Princesses re-sing their nursery tunes again, a childhood innocence in their voice is no longer felt.

Around November 2004, a video from their very early days circulated around the internet in Taiwan. "The Laughing Song" featuring their shaking heads and funny lyrics caused the internet news to spread quickly. "Why is Math class your favorite? Because my teacher is always absent!" or "Today I got 100%, English 50%, Math 50%, add it together, and I have 100%" became favorite quotes amongst Taiwan teens. Taiwan youth even filmed their own version of the music video to this song. Although this sudden surge of popularity in Taiwan was a result from them being mocked, it also led numerous people to learn about the recent Four Golden Princesses and converted some into fans as well. One of the websites devoted to Four Golden Princess, www.fourgoldenprincess.com, was so overwhelmed by the number of people visiting that its bandwidth ran out very early in the month, something that never happened before.

The last album was released for Chinese New Year 2008, followed by their disbandment, though the members occasionally get together to do public performances during the Chinese new years. Their reason was that they want to lead to a normal life.

In late September 2012, behind the scene pictures of the two Four Golden Princesses members Ginger and Richell filming a CNY album with 6 other artists appeared on the Facebook page 8大贺岁. It was confirmed that the group 八大巨星(Eight Superstars) would reform. Four Golden Princesses were previously in their 1999 CNY album and briefly in their 2000 CNY album. The page said that the album would be released in December.

On 22 July 2013, Nick Chung(A Chinese Malaysian artist) leaked a photograph of himself on his Facebook page showing a picture of him with Ginger and Richell recording what looked like an album together. It was confirmed on 30 July that they were indeed recording a new Chinese New Year Album and were asking for four males and females aged 18–26 to take place in their MV shooting on 13 August. This EP album Golden Princess Celebrate the New Year (千金慶新年) contains 3 songs sung by Ginger and Richell and marks their final album ever released as Richell opened a ballet school.

In December 2018 Starmedia (formally Wayang Tinggi) release a special CNY album title "Best of Golden New Year Songs" 最佳千金贺岁精粹 to commemorate Four Golden Princess. Four Golden Princess currently in a state of official dissolution, only to commemorate the four thousand gold will launch a selection.

In 2019, one of the band members, Samantha Ee Kai Che, age 29, married an 71 year old businessman from Malaysia.

Albums

Happy Children's Songs

Release date: 1995-1996

• 1995. Volume 1 (Available in CD & VCD)
• 1995. Volume 2 (Available in CD & VCD)
• 1996. Volume 3 (Available in CD & VCD)
• 1996. Volume 1–3 (Available in 3VCD)

Children Wonderland

Release date: 1997-2002

• 1997. Volume 1 自己貼到自己爬 Stick yourself to yourself (Available in CD & VCD)
• 1998. Volume 2 友誼萬歲/荷包蛋 Long live friendship/Poached Egg (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 1999. Volume 3 數蛤蟆 Number Frogs(Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2000. Volume 4 雪人不見了 The Snowman is Gone (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2000. Volume 5 DOREMI (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2001. Volume 6 小蜜蜂 Little Bee (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2001. Volume 7 大公雞 Big Cock (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2002. Volume 8 捉泥鰍 Clay Mud (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)

Golden Folk Songs

Release date: 2003-2005

• 2003. Volume 1 豆芽梦 Bean sprout dream (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2004. Volume 2 你那好冷的小手 Your cold little hand (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2005. Volume 3 东拼西凑 Chinese and English Songs (Available in CD+VCD)

Chinese New Year

Release date: 1999-2014

• 1999. 威龍揚舞耀京城 Dancing Dragons Dazzle in Beijing City (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2000. 龍年多可愛 Lovable Dragon Year (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2001. 金蛇狅舞齊拜年 Dance of the Golden Snake (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2002. 馬到功成慶豐年 Arrival Of The Horse Year Brings Success (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2003. 年年豐收好 Prosper Every Year (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2004. 春風催花開 Flowers Blossom in the Spring (M-Girls & 四千金) (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2005. 不要你的紅包 Don't Want Your Red Envelope (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2006. 同歡共樂 Celebrate Together (M-Girls & 四千金) (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2007. 世外桃源 Paradise (M-Girls & 四千金) (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2008. 喜年一開財富來/飛躍新年 Chinese New Year (Available in CD, VCD & DVD)
• 2013. 八大賀歲 新春獻黃金 Golden 8 Superstars（君兒 Ginger & 紅兒 Richell) (Available in CD+DVD)
• 2014. 千金慶新年 Golden New Year（君兒 Ginger & 紅兒 Richell CNY EP Album) (Available in CD+DVD)

Other CNY Songs

• 1997. 欢乐新年 Chinese New Year
• 1998. 欢乐庆新年 Chinese New Year
• 2019. 最佳千金贺岁精粹 Best of Golden New Year Songs (CNY Best Songs Album) (Available DVD)

Others

• 1999. ABC小天地 ABC Small World (ft. Elaine Kang) (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2004. 10年記事本 1995–2004 10 Years Diary 1995–2004 (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2004. 10年記事本1995–2004迷你演唱會 10 Years Diary 1995–2004 Mini Concert (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2004. 兒歌王國 Kingdom of Children Songs (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2005. 11週年新旅程 11th Year New Journey (Available in CD+VCD)
• 2006. 新歌+精選 New Songs & Best Selections (Available in CD+VCD)

Guest appearances

• Ya-Ko Artists Chinese New Year 1997 雅歌群星賀新年 1997
• Crystal Ong & Queezy Cheng: Twin Stars Bring Luck (2) 王雪晶 & 莊群施: 雙星報喜 (二) 1997
• Crystal Ong: Sailormoon 王雪晶﹕美少女戰士
• Christmas Songs 1998
• 1999 Eight Superstars Chinese New Year 八大巨星京城喜迎春
• 2000 Eight Superstars Celebrate the Millennium 八大巨星歡慶千喜年
• 2004 乖宝宝
• 2005 Q-Genz 巧千金

Commercials

• CNI-Cocoa (CNI 可可)
• Ginvera Garfield Shampoo
• Nesh Life Water (Nesh 生命水)
• Six Happiness Mooncake (Hong Er only) (六福月餅)

Television

• Adik-Beradik 兄弟姊妹 (Kai Er only)
• Gung Xi Fa Cai Grandmother 2006 恭喜發財婆婆 2006 (Kai Er only)
• Love 9 9 愛心。九。九 (Jun Er only)

See also

In Spanish: M-girls para niños