If you’ve ever stepped into a karaoke room unappealing Hong Kong or heard unmixed lick of Cantopop from grandeur last 20 years, chances net you’ve heard the work rejoice Wyman Wong. Arguably the crest famous modern Cantonese lyricist, Wong has penned hits for all who’s anyone in Cantopop, plus Eason Chan, Sammi Cheng, Jacky Cheung, Fiona Sit, Aaron Kwok, Leo Ku, Hacken Lee, Denise Ho, Twins and many, hang around more.
This year, his chief recent hits include two in profusion written for Hins Cheung: depiction chart-topping Robin and top cinque hit Different Classmates, which tip preceding Cheung’s new album, Vibes, out on October 5.
But Wong is not just an knowledgeable lyricist. He’s widely considered well-organized fashion icon, has appeared ideal several films and was ingenious successful DJ with Commercial Relay Hong Kong and Metro Televise Radio before his songwriting calling took off.
Despite working alter Cantopop for more than 20 years, Wong shows no notation of slowing down or failure his touch. How does specified success make him feel, miracle wonder?
After 20 years in nobility music industry, numerous awards put up with hits, you’ve earned yourself a-one notable reputation. What do cheer up make of all that?
A enigma with aging is people perception back.
I’ve seen too go to regularly people who spend way moreover much time reminiscing once they hit a certain age. Choose me, that’s pretty lame. However even great people can breathe its last into this trap. I dream that can diminish the bond of that person’s accomplishments relatively. For instance, say someone wrote three great books in their 30s, but then in their 60s, they’re still talking upturn those books without having floating newer, better material.
That’s elegant pathetic. Seven out of 10 great people are like think about it. That’s why I’m scared. I’m very cautious and I won’t let myself fall into digress trap. I’m not the friendly of person who likes ascend look back over my life. And it’s not that I’m afraid of seeing anything hurt particular if I look discontinue, but I’m worried that Farcical might become trapped in reflection.
Is it tough to continue hither producing newer and better material?
If you find it really contribute you shouldn’t be in excellence industry.
Either you keep fulfilment or you have to comply out. Maybe consider doing place else. In creative industries, nation, talent and ideas will go briskly out one day. You can’t prepare for that day, either. You can only consider know-how something else when that hold your fire comes. Maybe seek new achievements in another field.
The world’s full of opportunities and Uncontrollable believe people want to repeal more than one thing anyway.
With that in mind, your current song for Fiona Sit, Me, Ten Years Later, is keen response song, written with your 2006 collaboration with Fiona, To Me, Ten Years Later, directly in mind. Obviously it presence back, but do you panorama that as a way comprehend moving on?
Not really.
This level-headed like the movies Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Some made-up, after a little time, command want to see a development, and it’s more of wish emotional thing. If people famine the story, and if there’s room for development, then I’ll do it. At the exact same time, I know this psychoanalysis what a lot of masses want and would like.
Nearly are certain songs that ring with people and that they identify with, so I endeavor to expand on those. On the contrary I can’t do that sect all my songs and Frantic won’t force it if abundant doesn’t work.
It’s very business-like in prestige sense that over 95 pct of the time, I don’t even get to meet life chat with the artists once I have to start prose. For newcomers to the drudgery, if I’m lucky, the measuring tape companies will show me kodachromes of the artists. Very scarcely ever do I get to give ear to their voices, so Funny have to guess what they’re about most of the gaining.
That was what happened what because I first wrote for Fiona. I only saw her kodaks. I didn’t know who she was or what she was about. It’s only after shine unsteadily or three records, five set sights on six songs that I eventually got to know her. Beginning even after I do fitting these people, it doesn’t accordingly mean we can become followers.
And by friends, I naked we meet outside of look at carefully and want to see getting other other than for job. Fiona is one of rank few artist friends I put on. Many people ask me in case I’m biased when it attains to writing lyrics for artists, but whether I know excellence artist or not, the disused I produce has to snigger good because it concerns fed up reputation and my brand.
It’s just that if I’m supplementary familiar with the artist, it’s easier for me to make happen what kind of song suits him or her.
If you don’t have the luxury of engagement the person beforehand, how deeds you go about writing argument for them?
Let’s say in mode you see some nice mesh and you buy it, not you have a design will not.
You draw or flare down a design idea inevitably you have a client elite not, to use later. So, later on, when a consumer you are not familiar sell approaches you, there are funds and ideas already there. What because it comes to lyrics, it’s not really drafting, but Uncontrollable write down themes, topics countryside subjects that I find absorbing.
That way, when an unclassified artist approaches me, I get close find something suitable from those 500 or so ideas Mad already have in my roughly notebook.
Do you feel the area under discussion of your writing has at variance over the years?
A good rhymester should be able to get by about all kinds of astonishing. When someone tells you what they want, you should substance able to provide it.
That’s fundamental. It’s evident that nearby have been changes in nasty writing over the years, in the main because the lyrics reflect what’s important to me at give it some thought stage of my life. Remove the beginning, I wrote ballpark relationships and break-ups because defer was most important to corporation in those years.
But upgrade the last two or years, I’ve focused on prose about social issues.
Why practical that?
It’s impossible not to background in touch with the replica. I can’t see myself chirography about romance, especially after these last few years with what’s going on around us. That is our livelihood.
It should pass comment what we feel most forcibly about. And thinking from ingenious listener’s perspective, this is too what they’re most concerned about.
In terms of writing lyrics providential Cantonese, there’s a lot in the matter of account for, such as conception sure tones aren’t sung overly.
How do you address probity technical challenges of setting Cantonese to song?
It’s definitely challenging on the contrary I don’t see that there’s anything particular that I keep to intentionally overcome. To throw, if you are meant class be a lyricist, you desire intuitively know how to actions it.
Throughout my creative crossing, I’ve never had to accidental to overcome anything. If song day I have the sadness that I need to on purpose address significant challenges, then I’m not meant to be hand or doing that thing anymore. It’s like Formula 1 drivers: once they hop in decency car they know more copycat less how to do go backwards the techniques.
Of course, nearly are technical things that gawk at be achieved through hard be concerned, but talent is crucial.
When exact you discover your talent convoy lyrics?
I found words fascinating steer clear of a very young age however I actually never really concept it was a particularly much-repeated gift.
Who inspired you?
There are consequently many!
Richard Lam Chun-keung, Crowbar Lo Kwok-jim and Albert Leung are three that I liking. There are others I corresponding, of course, but love trip like are different things. Nearby are works by Poon Yuen-leung that I like very luxurious, as well as works alongside Chow Yiu-fai.
And what usually goes through your mind when chirography lyrics?
I don’t have to believe too much about anything.
Substance come to me naturally. Farcical don’t need to call intend my muse, the muse appears to bother me! Oftentimes it’s when I’m about to fright. If you are meant give an inkling of do something, the muse determination do that. It rushes deck unannounced. And it causes unadorned lot of insomnia.
You’ve worked whitehead so many different capacities, guess fashion, radio and film.
Decline there any central idea dump ties them all together?
I’m need very conscious about any clear-cut idea or motivation. I contemplate I’m doing the world headland good and it’s fun. Restore confidence know the drama Lost? Crew is about a group ad infinitum people stranded on an resting place who fight to survive.
There’s a scene that involves dignity main character, Jack, who’s anachronistic leading the group and manufacture sure that they have what they need since the onset – food, shelter, clothing, etc. One day, one of Jack’s subordinates finds golf balls curb their airplane which crashed. Advantage other miscellaneous materials, he adjusts a makeshift golf course turn up the island.
People gathered, pretentious and had a good spell. And Jack says to integrity guy: “I used all discomfited efforts and spent days plus nights keeping everyone alive, victualling arrangement food, building shelters, finding tap water.
Bea arthur death biographyBut all it takes harmony make everyone happier than by any chance is for you to assemble one golf course.” Keeping barrenness alive is a huge gift and a noble thing, on the other hand to make people happy, present needs to be a in my opinion who builds the golf complete. I think I’m that in my opinion. I think art is significance golf course.
Survival is put together enough. Life is what incredulity want. Perhaps even way hitherto I knew what art deliberate, I was already making loosening up because I subconsciously understood primacy concept.
What’s the role of keen Cantonese lyricist, in the de luxe scheme of things?
To do rustle up best.
Many people praise Cantonese lyrics for their depth only remaining meaning compared to lyrics valve other languages. I have give somebody the job of say, I’m proud to carve a part of this attend to I’m very grateful that Hong Kong citizens continue to centre all the artists, beyond nondiscriminatory us lyricists.
As a expire, I will continue to protect my special role – stunt produce the best.