Leon Lai
Encyclopedia
Leon Lai is a Hong Kong-based actor and Cantopop
singer. The media refer to Aaron Kwok
, Jacky Cheung
, Andy Lau
and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王). He uses the stage name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming" which literally means "dawn."
in China. At the age of 15, he attended Kingsway Princeton College
in the United Kingdom and returned to Hong Kong at the age of eighteen in 1984.
, Lai received vocal coaching from Dai Si Zong (戴思聰). In the same year he also obtained an artist contract from Capital Artists
. Lai did not release any albums for four years. As a result, his teacher, Dai, arranged to have him signed a contract with Polygram
, later known as Universal Music.
Together with Jacky Cheung
, Andy Lau
and Aaron Kwok
, Lai was among the four most popular male singers during the 1990s, when the media referred to them as Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings .
In the early stages of his career, he mainly sang cantopop, but due to the influence of producer Mark Lui
, he expanded his repertoire to include popular electronic songs with compelling music videos. In 1990 he won his first 1990 Jade Solid Gold Top 10 Awards
and 1990 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
. He also followed up to win the "Most Popular Male Singer" award in 1993 and 1995 for TVB Jade Solid Gold
. In 1996, he collaborated with composer-producer Steve Barakatt
on his album "Feel". Two years later in 1998, he became the first HK singer to reach the Top 10 K-pop
chart with the song "After loving you". In 1999 he announced that he would no longer accept any more awards in Hong Kong.
In 2002 he was selected to sing "Charged up", the 2002 FIFA World Cup
theme song for the Greater China
region. In 2004 he became the first Hong Kong singer to represent the territory at the first Asia Song Festival
held in South Korea
.
Lai was selected to be the ambassador of the 6th Winter Asian Games to be held Changchun
in 2007. He sang the Games' theme song and took part in the torch relay. He then joined Michael Wong and Janice Vidal
held a three day "Magic Live" charity concert at Star Hall, Hong Kong from 9 Nov to 11 Nov 2008.
, "Really Wish to Be Like This Forever" and "It's Still You" with Priscilla Chan
, "Song of the Star" with Alan Tam
, "Never Give Up" with Jacky Cheung
, "Why did I let you go?" with Janice Vidal
.
. The first album produced by the company, "Dawn" was released in September of that year. The album, "Dawn", was released with minimum promotion as Lai went to Mainland China
for a movie shoot on the day of the album's release.
In order to bring in new excitements for his music, Lai invited a famous music producer Jonathan Lee from Taiwan in 2005 to produce his new mandarin album "A Story". However, by doing so he had to give up the opportunity for a lead role in a big budget Taiwan movie "Gui Si" due to conflicts in his schedules.
Lai returned to the Hong Kong Coliseum
on 13 April 2007 to perform in his one night only Leon 4 in Love Concert where he performed not only his own hits but also hits of the other three heavenly kings. He performed a total of 18 songs, all of which are newly arranged by Mark Lui
. He subsequently released an album titled "4 In Love" on 3 May 2007, comprising 16 of the 18 songs he had performed in the concert.
, he enrolled in the ATV
actor training class, however he didn't complete the training. He then applied for admission to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
but his application was rejected.
After the New Talent Singing Awards, he had some opportunities to star in a few TV series. On one occasion, he went for filming of a romantic serials titled, Fengyun era, in Taiwan
. There was a stark contrast in height between Lai and the popular lead actress who is only 160 cm in height. The actress then demanded that Lai squatted while filming so as to make up for the height differences. Lai had to act through all the scenes with the actress while squatting but he had to endure it as he was not popular at the time. Not long afterwards his new TVB series, The Breaking Point (1991 TV series) turned out to be a resounding success and propelled him to widespread fame in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In 1996 Lai was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 16th Hong Kong Film Awards
for the film Comrades: Almost a Love Story
. The next year in 1997, he managed to win the award for Best Original Song for the film Eighteen Springs
both at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Hong Kong Film Awards
. He was again nominated for the Best Actor and Best Original Film Song award for the film City of Glass
in 1999, but he only managed to win the award for Best Original Film Song which he shared with Albert Leung
and Dick Lee
.
Lai was considered by Lee Ang to act as Li Mu Bai in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
, however he had to turn down the offer as he had advertising contract and live concert about to start which would not match his shaven head as was required for the role.
He collaborated with Cecilia Cheung
in 2001 for the first time in the Wong Jing
directed romantic comedy film, Everyday Is Valentine. In the film, Lai played a serial liar.
In 2002 Lai took the spotlight at the Golden Horse Awards, the Chinese-language version of the Oscars in Taiwan. He won Best Actor for Three: Going Home. Lai played a minor role as Superintendent Yeung Kam Wing in Infernal Affairs III
in 2003. In 2004 Lai starred with Faye Wong
in the romantic movie Leaving Me, Loving You, the story of which he co-wrote with Wilson Yip
and he was also the creative/production controller of the movie. However, the movie was a flop raking in HK$
10,529,501 in the box office. Still in that same year he was ranked 8th on the China Celebrity 100
list released by the Chinese edition of Forbes
.
In 2005 Lai acted as one of the seven warriors in the Tsui Hark
directed wuxia
film, Seven Swords
.
In the same year in the film Moonlight in Tokyo, Lai unexpectedly acted as a Chinese retard
who pretend to be a Korean gigolo
in Japan and thus shedding his idol image. He won the Golden Deer Best Actor Award from Changchun China Film Festival for his portrayal in Leaving Me, Loving You in 2005.
In 2006 Lai starred alongside Fan Bingbing and Rene Liu
in a love and horror, thriller film titled The Matrimony where he played a cinematographer Shen Junchu, the love interest of Manli and Sansan. JunChu was pressurised into marrying Sansan after the untimely demise of his true love Manli in an accident. The film was released on 8 February 2007. In the same year, Lai wrote and directed a musical film
titled A Melody Looking
which was shot in New York. It features Lai and the rest of the Amusic
family of singers namely Janice, Jill, Emily, Charles and Chapman. This film marks his debut as a director.
In 2007 Lai starred alongside Kelly Chen
, Donnie Yen
and Guo Xiaodong in the Ching Siu-tung
film An Empress and the Warriors
. He acted as a woodland medicine man whom have a romantic relationship with a princess. Lai and Kelly Chen sang the theme song, "Fly With Your Dreams" written by Albert Leung
and composed by Mark Lui
.
He underwent training in Peking Opera for playing the lead role as Méi Lánfāng in the biographical film Forever Enthralled which was directed by Chen Kaige
. He directed the music video for the film where he and Zhang Ziyi sang the theme song, "You Understand My Love". For the first time in his career, Lai played the role of a beggar in the Peter Chan
directed film Bodyguards and Assassins
. For his success a wax figure
of Lai was revealed at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong
.
of the rectum. The doctors said it was incurable. But after operation, his father survived the miraculous surgery. When the Cancer Research Foundation
and the UN organization approached him for help, he started getting involved in charity work actively.
Lai's first work with UNICEF in a China polio
eradication project in 1993. He managed to raise substantial funds accruing from his supporters, fans and concert ticket sales. In July 1994, he was appointed the International UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and thus becoming the first Hong Kong citizen to be given this position. Since the year 1994, he has been involved in various fund raising activities of The Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (HKCU). These activities include seven charity concerts, three charity chocolate sales and charity walkathon. Lai, along with HKCU representatives, visited Rwanda
, Gansu of China and Brazil
to study the work of UNICEF and to help promote public awareness to help children". In December 1995, he was appointed as "UNICEF Special Representative to Youth" at in the New York headquarters recognizing his contributions for the welfare of the children.
Lai have also been elected as one of The Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in 1997, giving him a formal recognition of his professional endeavours and commitment to the community. He bought the first donation ticket, numbered 000001 at a "Children's Education Fund Raising Campaign" launch event at Tsuen Wan
PARKnSHOP
's Skyline Superstore in 2001 to encourage people to contribute to a meaningful social cause. The funds raised was donated to the Community Chest.
He was awarded the Medal of Honour
(M.H.) on 12 October 2003 by Tung Chee-Hwa, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong
.
Ever since his decision not to receive any music award in HK
, he has not appeared on the TVB Jade Gold Solid Awards ceremony even as a guest, but in order to secure more funds for charity, he agreed to perform in the ceremony as a guest performer on 8 Jan 2005.
On 13 May of the same year, Lai co-operated with Mark Lui
to compose the song "8858". The song will be used as the promotional song of the China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF). The title of song means "Help me (sounded like 'bang bang wo ba' in Putonghua)" and the number "8858" represent the SMS number people can use to donate the money.
In a surprising move in Dec 2005, Lai appeared in a Hong Kong government television advertisement requesting the public to support a gradual political reform package tabled by the ruling government rather than asked for rapid political reform
. This marks the first time he got himself involved in a politically motivated advertisement.
for drawing passages from the Chinese National Anthem, March of the Volunteers
. The starting tune also sounds similar to the anthem tune. He was warned against using the song for commercial purposes.
:
(Note: # indicate literal translation)
Source:
(source:)
Source:
Cantopop
Cantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
singer. The media refer to Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. He has been active since the 1980s to the present. The media refer to him, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . Kwok's onstage dancing and displays is influenced by Michael Jackson...
, Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
, Andy Lau
Andy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings (四大天王). He uses the stage name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming" which literally means "dawn."
Biography
Lai was born in Beijing, China as Lai Chit with Meixian, Guangdong ancestry. His family was originally from Meixian. His parents divorced when he was four. He migrated with his Malaysian Chinese father, Lai Xinsheng to Hong Kong during the Cultural RevolutionCultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
in China. At the age of 15, he attended Kingsway Princeton College
Westminster Kingsway College
Westminster Kingsway College is a further education college in central London with Centres in King's Cross and Victoria . The College has about 14,000 students across all age ranges and provides further, adult and higher education programmes including full-time and part-time vocational,...
in the United Kingdom and returned to Hong Kong at the age of eighteen in 1984.
Early years
Lai initially worked as a salesperson for a mobile phone company. After being awarded second-runner-up in the 1986 5th New Talent Singing AwardsNew Talent Singing Awards
New Talent Singing Awards or NTSA for short, later re-organized into New Talent Singing Awards International Finals or NTSA International Finals for short), and most currently re-named TVB8 International Chinese New Talent Singing Championship is an annual singing...
, Lai received vocal coaching from Dai Si Zong (戴思聰). In the same year he also obtained an artist contract from Capital Artists
Capital Artists
Capital Artists is a Hong Kong–based record label, and is currently owned by , a subsidiary of Lai Sun Development. Founded in 1971, Capital Artists signed some of the biggest names in the Cantopop industry, including the late Roman Tam, Anita Mui, and Leslie Cheung, among others...
. Lai did not release any albums for four years. As a result, his teacher, Dai, arranged to have him signed a contract with Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
, later known as Universal Music.
Music
In Polygram, he released his first album "Leon" and subsequent album "Meet In The Rain". His debut album went gold. After several years at Polygram, he then signed a new contract with Sony Music on 23 March 1998.Together with Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
, Andy Lau
Andy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
and Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. He has been active since the 1980s to the present. The media refer to him, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . Kwok's onstage dancing and displays is influenced by Michael Jackson...
, Lai was among the four most popular male singers during the 1990s, when the media referred to them as Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings .
In the early stages of his career, he mainly sang cantopop, but due to the influence of producer Mark Lui
Mark Lui
Mark Lui is a composer and producer of pop music based in Hong Kong.He is a Cantopop composers and producer in Hong Kong, well-known for employing Brit-pop-style in the Cantonese song he composes....
, he expanded his repertoire to include popular electronic songs with compelling music videos. In 1990 he won his first 1990 Jade Solid Gold Top 10 Awards
1990 Jade Solid Gold Top 10 Awards
The 1990 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation was held on January 1991. It is part of the Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation series held in Hong Kong.-Top 10 song awards:...
and 1990 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
1990 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
The 1990 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards was held in 1990 for the 1989 music season.-Top 10 song awards:The top 10 songs of 1990 are as follows.-Other awards:-References:*...
. He also followed up to win the "Most Popular Male Singer" award in 1993 and 1995 for TVB Jade Solid Gold
Jade Solid Gold
Jade Solid Gold is a music show on the TVB Jade television channel. It has been running since October 10, 1981.-TVB HD Jade:**Thursday at 6:00am to 6:30am**Thursday at 6:00pm to 6:30pm...
. In 1996, he collaborated with composer-producer Steve Barakatt
Steve Barakatt
Steve Barakatt is a Canadian composer, music producer, pianist, and singer. When he was only four, he fell under the spell of music and began piano lessons...
on his album "Feel". Two years later in 1998, he became the first HK singer to reach the Top 10 K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
chart with the song "After loving you". In 1999 he announced that he would no longer accept any more awards in Hong Kong.
In 2002 he was selected to sing "Charged up", the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
theme song for the Greater China
Greater China
Greater China is a term used to refer to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or even as a euphemism for the Two Chinas, while others may...
region. In 2004 he became the first Hong Kong singer to represent the territory at the first Asia Song Festival
Asia song festival
Asia Song Festival, aka A-Song-Fe or ASF, is an annual Asian pop music festival held in South Korea, since 2004. It is hosted by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange and features artists from Asian countries...
held in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Lai was selected to be the ambassador of the 6th Winter Asian Games to be held Changchun
Changchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...
in 2007. He sang the Games' theme song and took part in the torch relay. He then joined Michael Wong and Janice Vidal
Janice Vidal
Janice M. Vidal, often credited mononymously as "Janice", is an award-winning female Cantopop, Hong Kong English pop, Jazz and R&B singer based in Hong Kong. She is the twin sister of singer Jill Vidal....
held a three day "Magic Live" charity concert at Star Hall, Hong Kong from 9 Nov to 11 Nov 2008.
Duets
Apart from being a solo artist, Lai has co-operated with other artists. Some of his better known collaborations are "Love Until the End" and "A Happy Family" with Vivian ChowVivian Chow
Vivian Chow is a Hong Kong based Cantopop singer and actress. She is well known for her ladylike stage image as well as her charity works for animal rights and breast cancer awareness....
, "Really Wish to Be Like This Forever" and "It's Still You" with Priscilla Chan
Priscilla Chan
Priscilla Chan Wai-han is a female Cantopop singer in Hong Kong.-Background:Chan has a younger brother and sister. Her father is a retired senior officer of Hong Kong Immigration Service. She attended Marymount Secondary School in Happy Valley, Hong Kong...
, "Song of the Star" with Alan Tam
Alan Tam
Wing Lun Alan Tam, MH is an award-winning Hong Kong Cantopop and English pop singer and actor. During the early 1980s he played a major role in developing the cantopop scene as he was known for singing romantic ballads with modern arrangements. As of 2008, he is still active in the music...
, "Never Give Up" with Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
, "Why did I let you go?" with Janice Vidal
Janice Vidal
Janice M. Vidal, often credited mononymously as "Janice", is an award-winning female Cantopop, Hong Kong English pop, Jazz and R&B singer based in Hong Kong. She is the twin sister of singer Jill Vidal....
.
Company founder & singer
In 2004, Lai formed a new record production company, "A Music", East Asia Record Production Company Limited, with Peter LamPeter Lam
Peter Lam Kin-ngok , son of industrialist tycoon Lim Por-yen and his second wife, U Po-chu, is the Chairman & CEO of Media Asia Entertainment Group.-2008 Speeding offense:...
. The first album produced by the company, "Dawn" was released in September of that year. The album, "Dawn", was released with minimum promotion as Lai went to Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
for a movie shoot on the day of the album's release.
In order to bring in new excitements for his music, Lai invited a famous music producer Jonathan Lee from Taiwan in 2005 to produce his new mandarin album "A Story". However, by doing so he had to give up the opportunity for a lead role in a big budget Taiwan movie "Gui Si" due to conflicts in his schedules.
Lai returned to the Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena, in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.It was built by the Urban Council and inaugurated on 27 April 1983....
on 13 April 2007 to perform in his one night only Leon 4 in Love Concert where he performed not only his own hits but also hits of the other three heavenly kings. He performed a total of 18 songs, all of which are newly arranged by Mark Lui
Mark Lui
Mark Lui is a composer and producer of pop music based in Hong Kong.He is a Cantopop composers and producer in Hong Kong, well-known for employing Brit-pop-style in the Cantonese song he composes....
. He subsequently released an album titled "4 In Love" on 3 May 2007, comprising 16 of the 18 songs he had performed in the concert.
Actor
In the period before Lai participated in the New Talent Singing AwardsNew Talent Singing Awards
New Talent Singing Awards or NTSA for short, later re-organized into New Talent Singing Awards International Finals or NTSA International Finals for short), and most currently re-named TVB8 International Chinese New Talent Singing Championship is an annual singing...
, he enrolled in the ATV
Asia Television Limited
Asia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
actor training class, however he didn't complete the training. He then applied for admission to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts , located near the north coast of Wan Chai on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong, is both an academic institution and a venue for performances....
but his application was rejected.
After the New Talent Singing Awards, he had some opportunities to star in a few TV series. On one occasion, he went for filming of a romantic serials titled, Fengyun era, in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. There was a stark contrast in height between Lai and the popular lead actress who is only 160 cm in height. The actress then demanded that Lai squatted while filming so as to make up for the height differences. Lai had to act through all the scenes with the actress while squatting but he had to endure it as he was not popular at the time. Not long afterwards his new TVB series, The Breaking Point (1991 TV series) turned out to be a resounding success and propelled him to widespread fame in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In 1996 Lai was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 16th Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
for the film Comrades: Almost a Love Story
Comrades: Almost a Love Story
Lachlan Brock is a 1996 Hong Kong film starring Maggie Cheung, Leon Lai, Eric Tsang, and Kristy Yang. It was directed by Peter Chan.-Plot:...
. The next year in 1997, he managed to win the award for Best Original Song for the film Eighteen Springs
Eighteen Springs (film)
Eighteen Springs is a 1997 romance drama film directed by Ann Hui, starring Jacklyn Wu, Leon Lai, Anita Mui, Huang Lei and Ge You. It is a China-Hong Kong co-production based on the novel of the same name by Eileen Chang....
both at the Golden Horse Film Festival and Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
. He was again nominated for the Best Actor and Best Original Film Song award for the film City of Glass
City of Glass (film)
City of Glass is a 1998 Hong Kong film, directed by Mabel Cheung.-Cast:* Nicola Cheung - Suzie* Daniel Wu - David* Leon Lai _ Raphael* Audrey Mak - Tiger Sing* Shu Qi - Vivian* Vincent Kok* Pauline Yam* Eason Chan...
in 1999, but he only managed to win the award for Best Original Film Song which he shared with Albert Leung
Albert Leung
-Education:He was educated at the boys school Chan Sui Ki College and La Salle College, and graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1984.-Songwriting career:He has been a cantopop lyricist since 1985, using the pen name Lin Xi...
and Dick Lee
Dick Lee
Richard "Dick" Lee Peng Boon is a Singaporean pop singer, composer, songwriter, and playwright. He is best known as a Singapore Idol judge, but often too as spokesperson for the New Asian generation....
.
Lai was considered by Lee Ang to act as Li Mu Bai in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a 2000 wuxia film. An American-Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production, the film was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of ethnic Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen...
, however he had to turn down the offer as he had advertising contract and live concert about to start which would not match his shaven head as was required for the role.
He collaborated with Cecilia Cheung
Cecilia Cheung
Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi is a Hong Kong actress and cantopop singer. She is the ex-wife of Nicholas Tse, thus being the daughter-in-law of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee. She and Nicholas have two sons, Lucas and Quintus Tse...
in 2001 for the first time in the Wong Jing
Wong Jing
Wong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...
directed romantic comedy film, Everyday Is Valentine. In the film, Lai played a serial liar.
In 2002 Lai took the spotlight at the Golden Horse Awards, the Chinese-language version of the Oscars in Taiwan. He won Best Actor for Three: Going Home. Lai played a minor role as Superintendent Yeung Kam Wing in Infernal Affairs III
Infernal Affairs III
Infernal Affairs III is a 2003 Hong Kong crime thriller film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. It is the third installment in the Infernal Affairs film series, and is both a sequel and a semi-prequel to the original film, as it intercuts events before and after the events in the first film...
in 2003. In 2004 Lai starred with Faye Wong
Faye Wong
Faye Wong is a highly successful and influential Chinese singer-songwriter and actress who is usually referred to as a diva . Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong . Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and rose to stardom in the early 1990s by singing...
in the romantic movie Leaving Me, Loving You, the story of which he co-wrote with Wilson Yip
Wilson Yip
Wilson Yip Wai-Shun is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and screenwriter. His films include Bio Zombie, The White Dragon, SPL: Sha Po Lang, Dragon Tiger Gate, Flash Point, Ip Man, and Ip Man 2.-Early career:...
and he was also the creative/production controller of the movie. However, the movie was a flop raking in HK$
Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
10,529,501 in the box office. Still in that same year he was ranked 8th on the China Celebrity 100
China Celebrity 100
China Celebrity 100 is a list published annually by Forbes, and is similar to Celebrity 100 also published by Forbes. Factors that are taken into account include income, search engine hits, as well as exposure on newspapers, magazines and television....
list released by the Chinese edition of Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
.
In 2005 Lai acted as one of the seven warriors in the Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark , born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong New Wave film director and producer. He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema .-Early life:...
directed wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
film, Seven Swords
Seven Swords
Seven Swords is a 2005 Hong Kong wuxia film adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel Qijian Xia Tianshan. It was produced and directed by Tsui Hark, and starred Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Charlie Yeung, Sun Honglei, Lu Yi and Kim So-yeon...
.
In the same year in the film Moonlight in Tokyo, Lai unexpectedly acted as a Chinese retard
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
who pretend to be a Korean gigolo
Male prostitution
Male prostitution is the practice of engaging in sexual acts for money. Compared to female sex workers, male sex workers have been far less studied by researchers, and while studies suggest that there are differences between the ways these two groups look at their work, more research is needed.Male...
in Japan and thus shedding his idol image. He won the Golden Deer Best Actor Award from Changchun China Film Festival for his portrayal in Leaving Me, Loving You in 2005.
In 2006 Lai starred alongside Fan Bingbing and Rene Liu
René Liu
René Liu was born June 1, 1969. She is a Taiwanese actress and singer. She is the first to win Best Actress awards at the Asia Pacific Movie Festival in both television and film productions...
in a love and horror, thriller film titled The Matrimony where he played a cinematographer Shen Junchu, the love interest of Manli and Sansan. JunChu was pressurised into marrying Sansan after the untimely demise of his true love Manli in an accident. The film was released on 8 February 2007. In the same year, Lai wrote and directed a musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
titled A Melody Looking
A Melody Looking
A Melody Looking is a Hong Kong musical film written and directed by Leon Lai, released on November 18, 2006. The DVD was released on December 15, 2006.- Cast :* Leon Lai as Leon* Chapman To as Chapman* Janice Wei as Janice* Charles Ying as Charles...
which was shot in New York. It features Lai and the rest of the Amusic
Amusic
Amusic is the record label of East Asia Record Production Co., Ltd. which was formed by businessman Peter Lam and singer Leon Lai on 28 July 2004 with the aim of developing artist with potential and strength to produce music with quality and diversity so as to reward music lovers...
family of singers namely Janice, Jill, Emily, Charles and Chapman. This film marks his debut as a director.
In 2007 Lai starred alongside Kelly Chen
Kelly Chen
Kelly Chen is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress. Kelly has also been known as a diva in Asia. She has a great success in Asia Entertainment industry with nearly 20 million record sales of 38 albums...
, Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
and Guo Xiaodong in the Ching Siu-tung
Ching Siu-tung
Ching Siu-tung , also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy A Chinese Ghost Story .-Career:...
film An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors is a 2008 Hong Kong historical drama film directed by Ching Siu-tung and starring Donnie Yen, Kelly Chen, Leon Lai and Kou Zhenhai.-Plot:...
. He acted as a woodland medicine man whom have a romantic relationship with a princess. Lai and Kelly Chen sang the theme song, "Fly With Your Dreams" written by Albert Leung
Albert Leung
-Education:He was educated at the boys school Chan Sui Ki College and La Salle College, and graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1984.-Songwriting career:He has been a cantopop lyricist since 1985, using the pen name Lin Xi...
and composed by Mark Lui
Mark Lui
Mark Lui is a composer and producer of pop music based in Hong Kong.He is a Cantopop composers and producer in Hong Kong, well-known for employing Brit-pop-style in the Cantonese song he composes....
.
He underwent training in Peking Opera for playing the lead role as Méi Lánfāng in the biographical film Forever Enthralled which was directed by Chen Kaige
Chen Kaige
Chen Kaige is a Chinese film director and a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. His films are known for their visual flair and epic storytelling.-Early life:...
. He directed the music video for the film where he and Zhang Ziyi sang the theme song, "You Understand My Love". For the first time in his career, Lai played the role of a beggar in the Peter Chan
Peter Chan
Peter Chan Ho-sun , is a film director and producer.-Life and career:Chan was born in Bangkok to Chinese parents. He spent his teens in and studied in Hong Kong and United States, and he attended film school at UCLA. He returned to Hong Kong in 1983 for a summer internship in the film industry....
directed film Bodyguards and Assassins
Bodyguards and Assassins
Bodyguards and Assassins is a 2009 Hong Kong film directed by Teddy Chan, featuring an all-star cast, including Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Leon Lai, Wang Xueqi, Simon Yam, Hu Jun, Eric Tsang and Fan Bingbing.-Plot:...
. For his success a wax figure
Wax figure
A wax sculpture is a sculpture made in wax. Often these are effigies, usually of a notable individual, but there are also death masks and scenes with many figures, mostly in relief....
of Lai was revealed at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, part of the renowned chain of wax museums founded by Marie Tussaud of France, is located at the Peak Tower on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is the first and one of the only two permanent Madame Tussauds museums in Asia, the other being the Shanghai branch, which...
.
Community
Apart from being an actor and singer, Lai is actively involved in the Community Chest. In the 1990s he began serious charity work when his father was diagnosed with carcinomaCarcinoma
Carcinoma is the medical term for the most common type of cancer occurring in humans. Put simply, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that generally arises from cells originating in the endodermal or ectodermal germ layer during...
of the rectum. The doctors said it was incurable. But after operation, his father survived the miraculous surgery. When the Cancer Research Foundation
Cancer Research Foundation
The Cancer Research Foundation is a tax-exempt, Public Charity based in the United States created exclusively to raise funds to further and support cancer research...
and the UN organization approached him for help, he started getting involved in charity work actively.
Lai's first work with UNICEF in a China polio
Poliovirus
Poliovirus, the causative agent of poliomyelitis, is a human enterovirus and member of the family of Picornaviridae.Poliovirus is composed of an RNA genome and a protein capsid. The genome is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome that is about 7500 nucleotides long. The viral particle is...
eradication project in 1993. He managed to raise substantial funds accruing from his supporters, fans and concert ticket sales. In July 1994, he was appointed the International UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and thus becoming the first Hong Kong citizen to be given this position. Since the year 1994, he has been involved in various fund raising activities of The Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (HKCU). These activities include seven charity concerts, three charity chocolate sales and charity walkathon. Lai, along with HKCU representatives, visited Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Gansu of China and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
to study the work of UNICEF and to help promote public awareness to help children". In December 1995, he was appointed as "UNICEF Special Representative to Youth" at in the New York headquarters recognizing his contributions for the welfare of the children.
Lai have also been elected as one of The Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in 1997, giving him a formal recognition of his professional endeavours and commitment to the community. He bought the first donation ticket, numbered 000001 at a "Children's Education Fund Raising Campaign" launch event at Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan is a bay in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong, opposite to Tsing Yi Island across Rambler Channel. The market town of Tsuen Wan emerged for the surrounding villages and fleets of fishing boats in the area. The town is around the present-day Tsuen Wan Station of the MTR...
PARKnSHOP
PARKnSHOP
PARKnSHOP is one of the two largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong, the other being Wellcome. PARKnSHOP operates more than 260 outlets in Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China....
's Skyline Superstore in 2001 to encourage people to contribute to a meaningful social cause. The funds raised was donated to the Community Chest.
He was awarded the Medal of Honour
Medal of Honour
The Medal of Honour is part of the honours system in Hong Kong. It was created in 1997 to replace the British honours system after the transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China and the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region...
(M.H.) on 12 October 2003 by Tung Chee-Hwa, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
.
Ever since his decision not to receive any music award in HK
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, he has not appeared on the TVB Jade Gold Solid Awards ceremony even as a guest, but in order to secure more funds for charity, he agreed to perform in the ceremony as a guest performer on 8 Jan 2005.
On 13 May of the same year, Lai co-operated with Mark Lui
Mark Lui
Mark Lui is a composer and producer of pop music based in Hong Kong.He is a Cantopop composers and producer in Hong Kong, well-known for employing Brit-pop-style in the Cantonese song he composes....
to compose the song "8858". The song will be used as the promotional song of the China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF). The title of song means "Help me (sounded like 'bang bang wo ba' in Putonghua)" and the number "8858" represent the SMS number people can use to donate the money.
In a surprising move in Dec 2005, Lai appeared in a Hong Kong government television advertisement requesting the public to support a gradual political reform package tabled by the ruling government rather than asked for rapid political reform
December 2005 protest for democracy in Hong Kong
On 4 December 2005, tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong protested for democracy and called on the Government to allow universal and equal suffrage. The protesters demanded the right to directly elect the Chief Executive and all the seats of the Legislative Council...
. This marks the first time he got himself involved in a politically motivated advertisement.
Commercial anthem incident
In 2000, Lai's song All Day Love (全日愛) got him into trouble with the Chinese authoritiesGovernment of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
for drawing passages from the Chinese National Anthem, March of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers
March of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...
. The starting tune also sounds similar to the anthem tune. He was warned against using the song for commercial purposes.
Concert
At Hong Kong ColiseumHong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena, in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.It was built by the Urban Council and inaugurated on 27 April 1983....
:
| Year | Date | Title | Chinese Title | No. of Shows | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 16 – 19 July | Leon Dream Wedding Live | 4 | Chow Tai Fook | |
| 2007 | 13 Apr | Leon 4 in Love Concert | 1 | 3 | |
| 2005 | 10 Oct – 15 Oct | Leon Crazy Classic Concert | 6 | Johnnie Walker Johnnie Walker Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch Whisky owned by Diageo and originated in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.It is the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, sold in almost every country with yearly sales of over 130 million bottles.-History:Originally known as Walker's... Black Label |
|
| 2001 | 14–16; 21–25; 28–31 Dec | Leon Live Is Live Concert | 12 | CitiBank Citibank Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York... |
|
| 1999 | 20 Nov – 12 Dec | Leon Live 99 | 23 | AXA AXA AXA S.A. is a French global insurance group headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. AXA is a conglomerate of independently run businesses, operated according to the laws and regulations of many different countries. The AXA group of companies engage in life, health and other forms of... |
|
| 1997–98 | 20 Dec – 8 Jan | Leon Lai Live 97 | 20 | G Sushi 元祿壽司 | |
| 1995 | 2 Nov – 27 Nov | Neon Leon Live 95 | 那一夜我們在霓虹下起舞 | 26 | Hang Seng Bank Hang Seng Bank Hang Seng Bank Limited is the second largest bank in Hong Kong. It is a listed company but it is majority owned by the HSBC Group via The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Hang Seng is also one of the constituent shares of the Hang Seng Index... Credit Card |
| 1993 | 8 Aug – 25 Aug | Summer of Love Concert | 夏日傾情演唱會 | 20 | Saab Saab Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska... |
| 1992 | 7 Oct – 14 Oct | Night Devotion Live # | 一夜傾情演唱會 | 10 | Kao Kao Kao may refer to:* Kao, a Japanese term for face., a stylized signature or a mark used in place of a signature in China and Japan* Kao , a crater on the Moon.* Kaō , a Japanese era name* Kao , a film by Michiyo Okusu... |
| Total | 122 |
(Note: # indicate literal translation)
Source:
Advertisement
| Year | Ads | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Live 3” TV commercial series – “Sharing” | |
| 1999 | Hutchison Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited is a leading global provider of telecommunications services. The Group currently offers mobile and fixed-line telecommunication services in Hong Kong and Israel, and operates mobile telecommunications services in Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and... Orange dual band network |
Acid |
| 1998 | Hutchison new line-Tianshan article | If I Can See You Again |
| 1998 | Airport Express Line | Happy 2000 |
| 1998 | Hutchison new line-Xueshan article | I Love You Like This |
| 1998 | Hutchison new line | Love You, Love You Not |
| 1997 | Hutchison GSM Mobile | 100 Possibilities |
Music pop chart
| Year | Single | Peak positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTHK Chinese Pop | CTHK Ultimate 903 | Metro Radio Pop Chart | JSG Billboard | UFO Mandarin Pop | ||
| 2009 | "It's me" | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| "In Hindsight" | 5 | - | - | - | - | |
| 2007 | "Why did I let you go?" | 14 | - | 3 | - | - |
| "Endless Love" | 3 | 2 | 3 | - | - | |
| 2006 | "You Have Ability" | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| "Love Can Be Crazy" | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | - | |
| "Frequent meeting without purpose" | 9 | 5 | 11 | - | - | |
| 2005 | "Crazy Classic" | 11 | 17 | 6 | - | - |
| "有情郎" | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | - | |
| "心頭高" | - | - | 4 | - | - | |
| "Lasting Love" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | |
| "Love Crazy" | - | 14 | 12 | - | - | |
| "情歸於盡" | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3 | - | |
| "Yi Yen Wei Din" | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | |
| 2004 | "Bei Dian Shang Gao" | 1 | 15 | 1 | 1 | - |
| "What" | 10 | 12 | 9 | - | - | |
| "Bu Ge Yi Shi" | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | - | |
| Year | Album | HMV Sales Chart | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak positions | No. of Weeks in Top 20 | ||
| 2007 | "Leon 4 In Love" | 1 | 6 |
| 2006 | "LOOKING (+DVD)" | 3 | - |
| "A STORY" | 2 | - | |
| "MORE THAN CLASSIC (3CD+DVD)" | 5 | - | |
| "A STORY MUSIC MOVIE" | 7 | - | |
| Total | - | - | |
(source:)
Awards
| Year | Awards | Albums |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Top 10 Sales Album |
Leon Club Sandwich |
| IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Top 10 Sales Mandarin Album |
The Red Shoes | |
| IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Top Sales Male Artist |
||
| 1998 | IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Platinum Disc |
I Love You Like This |
| 1997 | IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Platinum Disc |
IF |
| IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Platinum Disc |
Feel | |
| IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Gold Disc |
Leon's … | |
| IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... HK Gold Disc |
Leon Sound | |
| Total | 8 |
Source:
| Year | Awards | Songs |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Best Male Artist:Silver | |
| Favorite Male Artist | ||
| No.3 professional recommendation | Jin Shen Bu Zai | |
| Best Co-operation | Leon Lai and Hutchison Telecom | |
| 1997 | Best Male Artist:Gold | |
| Favorite Male Artist | ||
| Top 10 Songs professional recommendation | Only if you love me for a day | |
| Favorite Song | Only if you love me for a day | |
| 10th anniversary Top 10 Artists | ||
| 1996 | Best Male Artist:Gold | |
| Best Ads Song | Unspoken words of sentiment | |
| Four Media IFPI Top award | Perhaps | |
| 1995 | Best Male Artist:Bronze | |
| Top 10 Songs professional recommendation | Danger tracking | |
| 1994 | Most Played Artist:Bronze | |
| Top 10 Songs | Not one day I don't think of you | |
| Favorite Song | Not one day I don't think of you | |
| Most Favorite Live Performance | Not one day I don't think of you | |
| Top Composed Song | Not one day I don't think of you | |
| 1993 | Best Male Artist:Bronze | |
| Favorite Songs | Not willing to leave you tonightSummer DevotionSummer is burning | |
| 1992 | Most Played Artist:Bronze | |
| Favorite Song | My LoveWish We Are Not Just Friend | |
| 1991 | Most Played Artist:Bronze | |
| 1990 | Most Played Artist:Silver | |
| Total | 28 |
External links
- A Music
- Leon Lai Family (Hong Kong) 黎明家族 (香港) – fansite
- Leon Family (Taiwan) – fansite
- Leon Lai Fans Club 黎明之友 – fansite
- Leon at UNICEF