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March 08, 2007
Hero on world stage
Wang lee hom proves he is equally at home singing chinese ballads and heating up the grooves with western hip hop
Author:Sharyn Yap
Source: Sun2Surf, Malaysia
Date: March 07, 2007
If there is one man who is blessed with just about everything anyone would ever want, it must be Wang Lee Hom. He not only comes from a well-to-do family but is also drop-dead gorgeous and extremely talented to boot.
At the risk of sounding like a gushing fan, I must admit that attending a Wang Lee Hom concert is an experience to remember.
An ABC (American-born Chinese), Wang can be considered a poster boy for Western hip-hop and rap culture, yet he is also very much rooted in his Chinese ancestry.
And he manages to merge the two beautifully in his music.
The show he put up on the last stop of his Heroes on Earth World Tour 2007 at the National outdoor Stadium in Bukit Jalil last Sunday night was a good example. In the process, he fulfilled his promise to go out with a bang.
Descending from the air in traditional Chinese get-up and wielding a giant red flag with the dragon symbol imprinted on it, the singer immediately launched into the theme for the night, Kai Si Ying Xiong (Heroes on Earth).
Wang went on to set the mood for the evening with a rousing non-stop rendition of three of his hits.
Every tilt of the head, every smile and every move he made elicited screams of adoration from his fans and he knew just how to woo them.
Those facing the front of the stage would often find him missing ... he would wander to the far left and right of the stage to get closer to those sitting way up on the slopes of the stadium, throwing flying kisses and expressing his gratitude and thanks.
Fans sitting near the stage showered him with gifts and flowers - after all, it's the Chinese Valentine's Day (Chap Goh Meh) night.
One of the gifts was a huge red heart-shaped pillow which Wang hugged as he sang Forever Love, and a lucky teddy bear in a basket which was placed on his piano while he sang Yi Sou Jian Tan De Ke (A Simple Song).
Wang also showcased his skills on other musical instruments, playing the guitar in an unplugged session, the drums for the track Love Love Love and the erhu for Jai Na Yau Yuan De Di Fang (That Faraway Place).
He was energetic with his fast, dance numbers but emotional and totally submerged in his renditions of the ballads.
With his guest artiste for the night - Lin Jun Jie or J.J. as he is known - the rapport was electric.
J.J. started off on the piano with the track Ni Pu Jai (You're Not There) and then Wang appeared on another piano with Jiangnan, their vocals blending beautifully and the two songs merging smoothly.
It's a guy thing and the two finished off with That's What Friends Are For before J.J. presented two new songs, complete with a mesmerising dance display.
Then it was time for Wang's signature chink-out segment.
It's a battle between the East and West with the Monkey God on wushu against dancers doing hip hop. But when Wang, in what appeared to be typical hip-hop attire of loose pants, cap and jacket, made his entrance, it became a fusion of the two.
Then upon closer look, you realised that his jacket has a Chinese-style cutting with Chinese symbols embossed on the breast and the cap, and it's no longer hip hop but uniquely Wang Lee Hom.
It's amazing how he could look so westernised and yet appeared so naturally Chinese.
After mesmerising the crowd with Jai Mei Bian, Hua Tian Chor, Xin Chung De Re Yue and Jai Na Yau Yuan De Di Fang, Wang ended his show with the track Loong De Chuan Ren (Dragon's Descendant).
Naturally, there were calls for an encore but all good things must eventually come to an end and after returning for a couple more songs, he called it a night - leaving sweet memories for his fans, until the next time.
Wang Lee Hom Heroes on Earth World Tour 2007 is organised by Galaxy Group and presented by Celcom.
Posted by staff at March 8, 2007 06:31 PM