April 26, 2005
Perfect 10
Author: Karen Sum
˜ÒŒ¹: Teens, May 2005 Issue
This musically-gifted hunk celebrates his 10th year in the music industry
It’s hard to believe that Wang Lee Hom has been in the industry for a decade and he hasn’t hit 30! Starting out at the tender age of 19, Lee Hom has age on his side and he is using that to his advantage. His youth meant that heÂ?fs in tune with the latest trends in the music industry and that helped propel him into superstardom.
His 10th album in as many years, Shangri-La once again demonstrates his deftness at mixing Eastern and Western sounds to form his own brand of music. With the album selling 80,000 copies in just 10 days, is it any wonder why Lee Hom is so psyched about popularizing his own school of hip-hop?
Teens: Hi Lee Hom! Your album was released at the end of last year.
Wang Lee Hom: Has it been a long time? (Counting) That’s almost three monthsÂ?c but there’re still so many places I haven’t been to–Malaysia, Korea, ChinaÂ?c I guess I have been promoting it non-stop and I go where the record company tells me to go. But I would like to thank the fans for their patience.
Teens: Some people have said that your music sounds “too Westernized”. What do you have to say to that?
Wang Lee Hom: (Nonchalantly) I think that’s a silly comment. I mean, everyone can have his or her own opinion. That’s fine. If you like to listen to Eastern-sounding music, then go ahead. But what I’m trying to do and accomplish on this album is to create a new vibe called “chinked-out”, which is a new school of hip-hop.
(Explains) Hip-hop is the pop music of today, and the near future and there are many different schools. There’s the “thugged out”, the “pimped out”, “Crunk & B”, and my “chinked out” vibe. Everyone’s coming out with different vibes now. The “chinked-out” sound incorporates lots of elements of Chinese culture and it actually creates a stronger identity for Chinese music so I would disagree with anybody who would challenge me to think that they would rather listen to karaoke songs because it’s more “Chinese”.
I think those songs are lacking in identity and are not internationally competitive. I’m looking towards the day when Chinese music can be internationally accepted and the world can appreciate Chinese music and culture.
Teens: You have often been compared to David Tao. Do you find it annoying that after 10 albums, people still compare you to other artistes?
Wang Lee Hom: No, I don’t think so. The media does that to any artistes. We do that to Beethoven and Mozart. It’s not taking anything away from either of them.
Teens: So what do you say to critics who think you haven’t found your niche, even after 10 years?
Wang Lee Hom: Go get a job! (Laughs)
Teens:10 years is a long time, especially in the music industry. Are you worried about being jaded?
Wang Lee Hom: Hmmm, in what way? I think I am jaded, but I still have innocence, and I still have my passion for music. I’m still a musician at heart, and not a businessman. But I’m jaded because I have so many life experiences at this point and I’ve met so many people. I think I’m protecting myself more than I used to.
Teens: Shangri-La is the title of your new album. So what’s your idea of Shangri-La?
Wang Lee Hom: I think it’s different for everyone. I didn’t know until last year, when I was producing the album, that “Shangri-La” means “the sun and the moon at the centre of your heart”, hence, the title of the album. So, it’s different because everybody’s heart is different. What is sun and the moon in your heart? For me it’s my music and to be able to live and thrive in the world of music.
Teens:Your ballads tend to be very well received. Who do you think of when you write and sing your ballads?
Wang Lee Hom: My ballads are all different. On this album, the title track “Shangri-La” is about finding that special place in your heart that fulfils you. So it’s actually very profound and a bit abstract. I wrote the song in Shangri-la, and it’s inspired by Tibetan music. There’s actually Tibetan Palace music that I’ve recorded while in Shangri-la on the track. So it’s a very interesting piece of music and I sing from my heart, and that’s it. Those were the feelings I got when I was in Shangri-la.
Teens: “Forever Love” was written for your ex. Do you regret not salvaging the relationship?
Wang Lee Hom: No. I’m not a relationship salvager. I think when a relationship ends and when fate has dealt you the cards, it’s time to start moving on in life, and to give her my best wishes. So I’m really happy for her, that she has found someone whom she can love for life, and can provide for her in ways which I could not.
That’s why I wrote the song, “Forever Love”. I want to write a song that actually has a positive outlook on love because I feel that so many Chinese songs have lost all faith in love. I still believe in love and that a song can inspire people to keep the faith.
Teens: Your MV for “Forever Love” features a wedding. Do you feel it’s time for you to slow down and start working on your “social” life?
Wang Lee Hom: Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t think I’m ever going to “work” on my social life. I already have a lot of great friends and special people in my life that I love dearly. They get me through the tough times, my writer’s block and through whatever the tabloids say about me. I really appreciate the people who matter in my life.
Teens: Do you envy your brother for being happily married and having a kid?
Wang Lee Hom: Sure! But he’s him and I’m me. I’m happy for him.
Teens: What would your ideal wedding be like?
Wang Lee Hom: I want my ideal wedding to be like a party. It’ll be a party with great music and a great band. It’ll have to be music that’s really good, and preferably lots of performers. (Pauses) I hope my funerals like that too. And that everyone gets a little tipsy!
Teens: Which would you choose–your music career or the love of your life?
Wang Lee Hom: Music is the love of my life.
Teens: If there were one thing you could change in your life, what would it be?
Wang Lee Hom: I think the world is what you make of it so I would change the world such that it doesn’t have any exposure to Chinese music. I grew up in the States so there’s no way Americans get exposed to Chinese songs.
You can’t turn on your radio, or televisionÂ?c there’s no media where you can get Chinese movies or anything about Eastern culture. So there’s a lot of stereotypes, a lot of prejudice towards Chinese people. When I was growing up, people would come up to me and say, “Oh, you’re Chinese? You know kung fu? You like Bruce Lee?” and I think that’s too bad. That’s one of the reasons why IÂ?fve done 10 albums in Chinese, and not one in English.
Over the recent years I’ve had opportunities to perform in the US and recently in the UK and Japan. And everywhere I go, I know that it’s the first time these people are being exposed to Chinese music. That’s a historical event to me, an important ground-breaking step. I hope it’s not my last, but something that we can follow through. I’m working towards making this a reality.
Teens: After trying experimenting with so many different genres, what’s next?
Wang Lee Hom: Well, the “chinked-out” vibe that I started in this album is something that I hope to continue. It’s not a gimmick, and it’s not a marketing strategy. It’s a viable and significant musical style. It’s a school of hip-hop that can be continued, evolved, and explored. So that’s what I would continue to do in my next album. I mean, it’s going to be different, but it won’t necessary have the music of tribal and ethnic cultures in China but it will still have the vibe.
Teens: You have many fans in non-Mandarin speaking countries asking for an English album. Will you be fulfilling their wishes any time soon?
Wang Lee Hom: Composing in English is very natural for me. I’ve actually recorded many songs in English. I just haven’t released an English album. I would probably do that in the next one to two years.
Saturday, August 5th, 2006
2 Comments 
Posted by Yvonne in Wang Lee Hom 
Lee Hom is on his whirlwind tour again and Malaysia is his first stop this time around. Being an avid fan of his, I did not hesitate to attend and even manage to drag Alan along. Well, not really drag.. but he did come along. So it was a regular Friday afternoon when most people would be eating books, Alan and I took the KTM to KL Sentral, and from there, we took the Genting Express to the Skyway Lower Station. There were a few traffic accidents along the Karak Highway so our journey took a little longer than it should. By time we sat foot in the Skyway upper station, it was already 6:30pm so we hurried to check in to the hotel. Being as ignorant as ever, I didn’t know that the hotel I chose is beside the outdoor themepark entrance! That’s an advantage because the Genting Arena of Stars is INSIDE the themepark. Poor those who stays all the way in First World Hotel! 
There was no ’spinning drums’ this year but he did play the drums with all his might and emotions, they were just not spinning, that’s the only difference. Other than drums, he also played the grand piano, the violin and the er hu (chinese violin). Being able to listen to lee Hom play the violin LIVE is a fantastic experience. For this show, Lee Hom especially went back to his hometown in USA to personally select a music band and breakdancers. There was no guest performers this time because Lee Hom believes that he alone can entertain his fans, and he was definitely right! 
