Profile of Lee-Hom Wang on Famous Like Me

Alexander Lee-Hom Wang or Wong (Chinese: 王力宏, pinyin: Wáng Lìhóng, May 17, 1976- ) is a critically acclaimed Taiwanese singer/songwriter who has had much success in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Japan and the rest of East Asia.

Biography

Lee Hom Wang, (English name: Alexander), popularly known as LeeHom was born in Rochester, New York. He studied music at Williams College and the Berklee College of Music.

He was and still is one of the many new generations of songwriters and musicians that revolutionized the Chinese music industry. Having a good start from a young age, he hailed from Williams College, one of the most prestigious institutions in the USA, and furthered his Masters in Music studies (Jazz Piano& Composition) at Berklee College of Music. Wang Leehom is one of the few artists who is active in all parts of his album, from composing to producing to arranging to writing lyrics to playing the instrumental accompaniements for his songs. He did not learn Chinese until he was 18, a rarity for his class in the Chinese entertainment scene.

LeeHom comes from a family of academicians; his father is a paedaetrician, his brother is a doctor now residing in Chicago, his younger brother is a student at MIT, and most of his relatives are doctors. Like much of his family, Leehom had decided to pursue a medical career. With a background of high school valedictorian and a perfect score on the SATs, he was accepted into Princeton and Yale. However, at the last minute Leehom realized his true passion was for music. Admist critism from his family, Leehom decided to attend Williams College to fulfill his desires to become a musician. It is a marvel that LeeHom was willing to take this risk, however his choice has proven wise.

By combining western music and classical Chinese instruments, LeeHom has popularized Chinese music to the world. Already having ten Mandarin albums to his credit, despite the fact that he still has not produced an English version yet, LeeHom is one of the main songwriters/producers for Sony Music Taiwan. He owns production companies called Homeboy Studios in both Taiwan and Boston.

On his latest album, Leehom focused on publicizing the unheard music of the minorities of China. He experimented with ethnic sounds and to do so, he traveled to the tribal lands of China, Tibet, and Mongolia; all while having to withstand 15 kg of equipment and bouts of altitude and food sickness.

Not much about Leehom's personal life is known. He keeps most of his life private to the media, Leehom rarely talks about anything much but music to the tabloids. It is admirable that he doesn’t need publicity to attract attention. However, becuase he is so close-mouthed about his life, many rumours about Leehom have been fabricated by the Taiwanese Media. From the fact that he was gay to his affair with Diva A-mei. Leehom, known for his composure and temper, rarely loses his cool when he is bombarbed with questions regarding his rumours. He is quoted saying, " Rumours don't bother me much now, although it's still annoying at times because it isn't true. I just don't want to come out and make the news bigger. I do music and I want to focus all my energy on this and have no desire to use tabloids to promote myself. I don't want to waste my energy holding press conferences to deny my relationship with certain people or to say that I am not gay because it's just not in my interest." It is this aspect of Leehom's demeanor that many fans respect.

Education timeline

1976 - LeeHom was born in Rochester

1979 - Started to sing

1981 - LeeHom learned the somersaults and the splits

1982 - He started to learn violin and went into primary school

1983 - Started playing baseball

1984 - Learned how to play the piano and followed his elder brother as a newspaper boy

1987 - The season of baseball, LeeHom joined a summer camp

1989 - Joins 'Mind Olympics' on behalf of the Jefferson Elementary

1989

· Joined Rochester Phil harmonica Youth Orchestra. He was the youngest violinist in the group.

· Recommended to John's Hopkins University's 'Young Talent Search Program'

· Awarded Model Student High Honors Awards.

· Took part in school's musical "Once Upon A Mattress"

1990

· Played in musical "Bye Bye Birdie" as Albert Peterson, was only 13, the youngest cast member.

· Awarded Model Student High Honors Award.

1991

· Started to compose and write songs, wrote his first song for the girl he liked.

· Performed in "Music Man".

· Was the pitcher for the school's baseball team.

· Won 'Phenomenal Freshman Award'.

· Won 'Most Musical Student Award'.

· Won 'Character Development Award'.

· Named “Best Delegate” in Model United Nations debate tournament

1992

· Performed in musical "Briyadoor".

· Named “Best Delegate” in Model United Nations debate tournament 2nd year in a row.

1993

· His drawing, "Eagle", won him 2nd place in county competition while his 'Religion' thesis won him first in the competition.

· Named MVP on baseball team.

· Named “Best Delegate” in Model United Nations debate tournament 3rd year in a row.

· Became part of National Honor Society

1994

· Performed in musical "Kiss Me Kate".

· Named MVP on baseball team 2nd year in a row.

· Earned National Merit Scholar Finalist Award - highest honor from k-12

· Received Monroe County Council Award for Leadership

· Won first place in Monroe County Violin recital

· Sutherland High School valedictorian.

· Pittsford Music Inc. Scholarship Award

· Named “Best Delegate” in Model United Nations debate tournament 4th year in a row.

· Passed the Eastman Music School violin exam, and as a result qualified for Williams College.

· Was accepted by Yale and Princeton but chose to go to Williams College. (#1 Liberal Arts School in the United States)

· Changed major from pre-med to music composition.

· Started to learn Chinese - took Mandarin 101 classes.

1995

· Performed in musical "Pippin"

· Performed in "King Lear".

1996

· Performed in musical "Merrily We Roll Along".

1998

· Became music director for the Springstreeters, an all-male a cappella group at Williams College.

· In April, Lee-Hom directed, composed songs and wrote the script for his very own musical "The Bite That Burns", his final year thesis project, it was over 570 pages long.

1999

· Graduated from Williams with Honors, and enrolled in Berklee Music School for vocal and jazz lessons.

2001

· Graduated MA with Honors from Berklee Music School in Boston

http://www.lee-hom.com/

Albums

Mandarin

• Love Rival Beethoven

(情敵貝多芬: BMG, December, 1995)

• If You Hear My Song

(如果你聽見我的歌: Decca Records, August, 1996)

• Missing You

(好想你: Decca Records, December 17, 1996)

• White Paper

(白紙: Decca Records, July 18, 1997)

• Revolution

(公轉自轉: Sony Music, August 26, 1998)

• Impossible to Miss You

(不可能錯過你: Sony Music, June 9, 1999)

• Forever's First Day

(永遠的第一天: Sony Music, June 8, 2000)

• The One and Only

(唯一: Sony Music, September 27, 2001)

• Unbelievable

(不可思議: Sony Music, October 15, 2003)

• Shangri-la

(心中的日月: Sony Music, December 31, 2004)

Japanese

• The One and Only: Sony Music, May 9, 2003

• Hear My Voice: Sony Music, July 23, 2004

Compilations

• Evolution

(王力宏的音樂進化論: Sony Music, October 4, 2002)

• Leehom Music Century

(王力宏 創世紀: Sony Music, Feburary 21, 2001)

• Good LeeHom Compilation

(好力宏: DECCA Records, July, 1998)

Movies

• Starlit High Noon

(Japanese, 2004/2005)

• Moonchild

(月光遊俠 : Japanese, April 19, 2003)

• China Strike Force

(雷霆戰警  : Mandarin, December, 2001)

• Avenging Fist

(拳神 : Mandarin/Cantonese, December, 2000)

• Ashes to Ashes: Against Smoking

(煙飛煙滅 : Mandarin/Cantonese,2000)

• Iron Giant

(鐵巨人 : Mandarin Voiceover, August, 1999

Wang Leehom's compositions

Songs produced, composed, and arranged by Wang Leehom

Personal albums

• The Water Is Wide
• Last Night
• 听雨 - Listen Rain
• 不愿说再见
• 如果你听见我的歌 - If You Heard My Song
• 喊我一千遍 - Call Me 1000 Times
• 是你 - It's You
• 有了你就足够 - Having you is enough
• As Long As I Have You
• Better Off Along
• 预约你的爱
• Noah
• 在每一秒里都想见到你
• 放逐思念
• Dream Again
• 想家 - Think of Home
• 四月还会下雪
• Frozen Dreams
• One of These Days
• 我的情歌 - My Love Song
• ä¿¡ä»»
  
• The Year 2000
• Please Come back to me
• Julia
• 流泪手心 - Crying Palms
• 失去了你 - Lose You
• Mary Says
• Introduction
• 永远的第一天 - Forever's First Day
• 龙的传人 - Dragon's Descendants
• 不要害怕 - Don't Be Afraid
• 狂想世界 - Nature
• 感情是舞台 - Stageless Love
• 伤口是爱的笔记 - Love's Wound
• 欢喜城 - City of Pleasure
• 忘了时间忘了我 - Forget time, forget me (All I think about is you)
• 这就是爱 - This is love
• 你可以告诉我 - You can Tell Me
• 唯一 - The One and Only
• 爱的就是你 - Simple In Love With You
• 谢绝推销你的爱
• 安全感 - Safe Feeling
• 戒不了你 - Can't Catch You
• 不必问别人 - Don't Ask Others
• 白狐狸 - White Fox
• 变坏 - Change
• If You Knew
• 我要 - I want
• Two People Don't Equal Us
• Last Night (2002):
• China White
• Like A Gunshot
• W-H-Y
• Ya Birthday
• 你不在 - Your Not Here
• 女朋友 - Girlfriend
• 此刻你心里想起谁 - Who are you thinking of at this moment
• 不可思议电台 - Unbelievable Interlude
• What Was I Thinking
• Not Your Average Thug
• 不著地 - Endless
• Can You Feel My World
• 爱无所不在 - Love Is Everywhere
• 你和我 - You and Me
• Dream Again (Japanese)
• Hear My Voice
• I Can't Stop Loving
• Endless Love
• Afraid (Japanese)
• This Could be Love
• Flying To an Unknown Sky
• Us
• Listen
• Bottomless Pit
• Intro
• 放开你的心 - Release Your Heart
• 心中的日月 - Xin Zhong De Re Yue
• 竹林深处 - Bamboo Forest
• Forever Love
• 在那遥远的地方 - Faraway Place
• 一首简单的歌 - Simple Song
• 星座 - Horoscope
• 过来 - Come Here
• 爱错 - Wrong Love
• Follow Me
• Come and Get it
• Wei Yi (ft/ Kenny G)
• I'm Lovin' It (2005)

For other artists

• Amei - Fire
• Amei - 爱，永远不会消失 (Love Will Never Dissappear)

• Charity - Hand in Hand
• Charity - Frozen Dreams
• Charity - Future
• Dai Ai Ling - Passion
• Elva Hsiao - Honey x3
• Fish Leong - 丝路(Silk Road)
• Jolin Tsai - Du Zhan Shen Hua (Myth)
• Karen Mok - 那可不一定 (Na Ke Bu Yi Ding)
• Lim Jeong Hee - Freedom
• Springstreeters - Walking in Memphis
• Springstreeters - She's Hot To Go
• Springstreeters - Moondance
• Springstreeters - My One and Only Love
• Springstreeters - Nobody Knows It but Me
• Springstreeters - Man in the Mirror
• Vivian Hsu - Overture - The Missing Lizard

Lyrics written/co-written by Leehom

• The Water Is Wide
• Last Night
• As Long As I Have You
• Better Off Along
• Nature
• 预约你的爱
• Noah
• 在每一秒里都想见到你
• Dream Again
• 想家
• 四月还会下雪
• Frozen Dreams
• One of These Days
• 我的情歌 - My Love Song
• ä¿¡ä»»
• Mary Says
• Introduction
• 永远的第一天 - Forever's First Day
• 龙的传人 - Dragon's Descendants
• 不要害怕 - Don't Be Afraid
• 感情是舞台 - Stageless Love
• 伤口是爱的笔记 - Love's Wound
• 忘了时间忘了我 - Forget time, forget me (All I think about is you)
• 你可是告诉我 - You Can Tell Me
• 唯一 - The One and Only

• 爱的就是你 - Simple In Love With You
• 谢绝推销你的爱
• 安全感 - Safe Feeling
• 戒不了你 - Can't Catch You
• 白狐狸 - White Fox
• 变坏 - Change
• If You Knew
• 我要 - I want
• Two People Don't Equal Us
• Last Night (2002):
• China White
• Like A Gunshot
• W-H-Y
• Ya Birthday
• 你不在 - Your Not Here
• 女朋友 - Girlfriend
• 此刻你心里想起谁 - Who are you thinking of at this moment
• 不可思议电台 - Unbelievable Interlude
• What Was I Thinking
• Not Your Average Thug
• Love, Love, Love
• 不著地 - Endless
• Can You Feel My World
• Introduction
• 放开你的心 - Release Your Heart
• 竹林深处 - Bamboo Forest
• Forever Love
• 在那遥远的地方 - Faraway Place
• 一首简单的歌 - Simple Song
• 星座 - Horoscope
• 过来 - Come Here
• 爱错 - Wrong Love
• Follow Me
• Come and Get it
• I'm Lovin It 2005

Awards

1996 · April: Named the best '"ABC" singer' by Golden Melody Awards

· October: 'Top Ten New Advertisement Star'

1998

· April: 'Most Musical New-Composer'

· August: 「Revolution」 sells over 200,000 copies in Taiwan in first few weeks.

1999

· January: 「Revolution」 Album receives 'Channel V Top20 Award'

· March: 「Revolution」 receives 'Top Ten Album of the Year' Award

· March: 「Revolution」 receives 'Top Ten Composition of the Year' Award

· April: Becomes youngest recipient of 10th Golden Melody's "Best Male Singer" and "Best Producer" Awards

2000

· January: 「Impossible to Miss You」 Album receives 'Channel V Top20 Award'

· January: Receives Signapore Radio Award

· Janurary: Receives 'Top Ten Singles' at TVB Award Ceremony in Hong Kong

· Janurary:「讓我取暖」receives second in 'Top Ten Favorite Duets' Awards in Hong Kong

· Janurary: Receives "Best Newcomer" Award at 10th Chinese Music Awards

· Janurary: 「Julia」 receives Channel [v]'s 'Most Popular Song' Award

· February: At the Chinese Music Awards「Impossible To Miss You」receives 'Favorite Album' Award and 「Crying Palms」is one of the 'Top Ten Hits' of the year.

· March: 「Impossible To Miss You」receives 'Most Welcomed Album' Award

· March: 「Crying Palms」receives 'Top Ten Singles' Award at 998 Music Awards

· April: Receives Golden Melody Awards 'Best Male Singer' and 'Best Composer' Awards

· June: Receives 'Most Popular Taiwan Singer' from MTV Music Awards

· September: Hong Kong Musical Association gives 'Most Welcomed Taiwan Singer' Award

· October: 1st Malaysian GMA gives 'Best Male Singer' and 'Best Composer 「Impossible Forever's First Day」' Awards

· November: 1st Asian Music Awards gives 'Best Song', 'Best Male Singer', and 'Best Composer' Awards

· December: New Broadcast awards 「Don't Be Afriad」'Most Played Radio Tune,' and 'Most Talented Male Performer'

Trivia

• Leehom set a record when he attracted an audience of 80,000 to his concert in Shanghai, 2004.
• Leehom, at age 23, was the youngest winner of the GMA's Best Producer and Male Singer award (equivalent to Chinese Grammies)
• Leehom is left handed
• Leehom can do the splits
• Leehom is lactose intolerant
• Leehom is allergic to cats and mangos
• Although Leehom currently writes his own lyrics, he did not learn how to speak Chinese until he was 18.
• Leehom has an "amazing" tongue; some tricks he can do with his tongue include, touching his chin, his nose, rotating his tongue 360, and tying a cherry stalk
• Leehom was a vegetarian in high school
• Wang Leehom has perfect pitch, which means he can play a piece of music just by hearing the notes. He doesn't need sheet music because he recognizes the notes by ear.

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Lee-Hom Wang