Talent Scouting-Leehom Wang

Leehom Wang is a New Yorker who speaks and sings in American-accented Mandarin. Punctuating his spoken Chinese with English words like 'well' and 'but', Wang admits having put it a lot of effort with his Mandarin. "I've been learning [the language] for the past three years and I'm glad to say my command of the language is getting better. I can now read and write simple Chinese characters.

Nonetheless, one should not underestimate Wang's musical talents. This good-looking six-footer is armed with a degree in music from Williams College in New York. By January, he will be heading for the Berkley College of Music to further his studies. "Well, I'm supposed to sit in on a few classes," says Wang. "If I like what I see in Berkley, I'll do my Masters there."

One may wonder how an American Chinese acquired a taste for Mandarin songs. According to Wang, Mandarin songs seemed to better serve his purpose of writing soul-searching songs. "I think Mandarin songs provide me with better opportunities to explore my musical potential. Moreover, I prefer to work in an Eastern enviroment."

The 22-year-old singer-cum-composer's gusty experiment with Mandarin songs translated into a highly-praised debut album, Beethoven [Ching Di Bei Duo Fen] in 1995, followed by his present chart-topper, Revolution [Kong Zhuan Zhi Zhuan]. Revolution incorporates Western influences like R&B, rock, jazz and gospel into Chinese pop music. But Wang does not give a hoot about becoming a Chinese pop icon. "I just want to continue making good music which has soul," he insists. "Most pop singers nowadays go for factory-made music, That's why they can't sustain themselves in the music industry."

Galaxie Magazine, 1998