News Articles from Malaysia

Note: The following article is originally in Mandarin. If there are any grammer mistakes, errors or misinterpretation (I try not to), please bear with me. Thanks.

Leehom doesn't mind being compared to David Tao.

"Video Idol" mag, issue 414   30/6/00

What are your feelings after being heavily compared to David Tao?
Both of us still have lots of space for improvement, i guess. But seriously, when people compare the both of us, they think that our music are very similar. I hardly think so at all, we are very different. I won't speak too much on this topic, I'll let the listeners find out the differences, only time can tell.

David Tao has only two albums so far. When his first album was released, he protrayed himself to be a R&B singer. I had said then, when people started putting us together, that the comparison would have to wait til David releases more albums. This is because he is not merely just a R&B singer, he would do many other types of music later. There'll come a time when we would have a whole collection of music under our belt, then the people would really see the vast differences between us.

When i first started singing, people started comparing me with Jacky Cheung. Now, it is David Tao. Well, i feel, you know, that comparison is unavoidable but in actual fact, i really do enjoy David's music and we are also very good friends. If they still want to compare the both of us, let them be, i won't disagree with it.

Which country fits LeeHom better, the US or Taiwan?
Nowadays, i spent one third of the year in the States and the other two-thirds in Asia. When in the States, i am surrounded with friends who are studying music. I can see that everyone of them are having a hard time in making music. Some of them, who are more talented and better than me, just end up giving up what they had and sought a more stable profession like a lawyer.

This is not because they cannot get a job but that they do not get enough recognition. After going through so many years, the music scene in America is almost as its best. My friends are not interested in doing the genre of music that the majority are interested now. Also, there are some who are interested in doing it but just back off due to lack of support, therefore they really admire me.

Did your mindset change after coming to Taiwan?
Yes. I always thought that i was an American when i was young. Apart from my skin colour, my behavior and mindset was purely American. However, now i feel that no matter how people can try to label you as a "banana" or as an "ABC", you cannot deny the fact that you are a Chinese, because you are a 100% chinese by birth!

The American-Born Chineses never had a clear status and they are not very united. Though they are very good in studying, have very good achievements in their work, in actual fact they are very un-united.

What are LeeHom's bad points?
People used to say that Leehom is a perfect (You Zhi) idol, but i have a lot of bad points! When i met Li Fu Quan yesterday, he told me that if there were obstuctions in your life and you image yourself to be very magnanimous, you are bound to end up with lots of injuries and unable to cross over the obstructions. On the other hand, if you make yourself very small, you would be able to penetrate through the holes and go pass the obstruction. I hope that i would not think i am that big nor would i want people to think this way. I am only a simple person who wants to do music, that's all.