Cheung was born in 1956, the youngest of ten children in a family that made suits for British businessmen. Fabric, gesture, and presentation were part of his upbringing. After a short stint studying in England, he returned home and entered a TV talent contest in 1977. He didn't win, but his voice - tender, pure, and edged with melancholy - caught the city's ear. By the early 1980s, he was a household name.