Coming from Hong Kong, how do you incorporate elements of your Cantonese and C-Pop background into your music, especially when producing tracks in English?
I have been mostly influenced by classic Cantonese and C-POP songs, from catchy pop songs to sentimental ballads. When producing tracks in English, I tried to integrate those iconic vibes and emotions. For example, in my debut single ‘New Reality’, I included a rap in Mandarin to highlight Chinese music culture. My ultimate goal is to integrate English and Chinese music, whether the audience are from the East or the West.
Beyond CoCo Lee, are there other artists or personal experiences that have significantly influenced your music and artistic journey?
Nicole Scherzinger has influenced my music and how I perform on stage. She is best known as the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls. Her music genres include dance-pop, electropop and R&B. Her voice is versatile and incredible. Not only contemporary music, Nicole is also a great dancer and she also participates in opera shows. Her charisma and stage ownership attract me the most.
BTS is a South Korean boy group. Their powerful music, dance performances and engaging music videos have also influenced how I interpret music. Their songs also hit Billboard’s HOT 100 Chart and the music videos have billions of views on YouTube. They release songs in their mother tongue Korean as well as English. Hence, I regard them as my idol and role model.
How has your music evolved between your debut single and your latest release, Music Warrior?
After the experience of releasing my first song, this time I have a better understanding of all the procedures involved. In the past year, I spent a considerable amount of time to redefine myself, learn more about vocal techniques, music theory and production. I have also evolved my vocal style so it sounds more mature and versatile. I ended up using a mix of both breather and stronger vocals to express my latest release ‘Music Warrior’
Specifically for this song, I would like to have a strong dance beat with a dance break to showcase both singing and dancing performance. When compared to my debut single, I also have clearer concept and direction about the song.
What has been the most challenging and rewarding aspect of starting formal music training later in life?
The most challenging aspect is that I have to start building everything from zero. When I was young, I never received any formal training in music. I was also very timid and shy to perform on stage and in front of others. But now, I am more mature, confident and have more control over what I would like to achieve. My previous working experiences in the banking and education fields also equipped me with real-life work scenarios, multi-task abilities and better communication skills. Hence, I treasure the opportunity to start formal music training later in life.
What are your long-term aspirations in the music industry, and are there any particular collaborations or styles you wish to explore?
In the longer term, I am eager to hold my own mini-concert where my friends and supporters can attend and enjoy the time together. In order to achieve this goal, I will start busking and participating in live shows to gain more experiences first.
I would also like to release a full album with songs in both English and Mandarin. Apart from dance and electronic songs, I will also try other music genres such as pop ballad and city pop to showcase a different side of me. Collaborating with other artists is also something on my wish list.
Watch “Music Warrior” MV:
