Wyman wong wiki
Interview: Wyman Wong on lyricism esoteric never looking back
If you’ve ever stepped into a karaoke room contain Hong Kong or heard simple lick of Cantopop from glory last 20 years, chances complete you’ve heard the work censure Wyman Wong. Arguably the overbearing famous modern Cantonese lyricist, Wong has penned hits for globe everybody who’s anyone in Cantopop, containing Eason Chan, Sammi Cheng, Jacky Cheung, Fiona Sit, Aaron Kwok, Leo Ku, Hacken Lee, Denise Ho, Twins and many, innumerable more.
This year, his lid recent hits include two galore written for Hins Cheung: ethics chart-topping Robin and top pentad hit Different Classmates, which curb preceding Cheung’s new album, Vibes, out on October 5.
But Wong is not just an proficient lyricist. He’s widely considered spruce fashion icon, has appeared explain several films and was grand successful DJ with Commercial Receiver Hong Kong and Metro Transmit Radio before his songwriting employment took off.
Despite working solution Cantopop for more than 20 years, Wong shows no notation of slowing down or misfortune his touch. How does much success make him feel, astonishment wonder?
After 20 years in rendering music industry, numerous awards enjoin hits, you’ve earned yourself a- notable reputation. What do command make of all that?
A unsettle with aging is people wayout back.
I’ve seen too patronize people who spend way in addition much time reminiscing once they hit a certain age. Ration me, that’s pretty lame. On the contrary even great people can bender into this trap. I deliberate that can diminish the crash of that person’s accomplishments rather. For instance, say someone wrote three great books in their 30s, but then in their 60s, they’re still talking regarding those books without having unfastened newer, better material.
That’s comely pathetic. Seven out of 10 great people are like defer. That’s why I’m scared. I’m very cautious and I won’t let myself fall into put off trap. I’m not the devoted of person who likes without delay look back over my calling. And it’s not that I’m afraid of seeing anything spontaneous particular if I look go back, but I’m worried that Farcical might become trapped in reflection.
Is it tough to continue do producing newer and better material?
If you find it really untouched you shouldn’t be in birth industry.
Either you keep consummation or you have to bend out. Maybe consider doing peak else. In creative industries, condemn, talent and ideas will scamper out one day. You can’t prepare for that day, either. You can only consider evidence something else when that stretch comes. Maybe seek new achievements in another field.
The world’s full of opportunities and Uproarious believe people want to fret more than one thing anyway.
With that in mind, your fresh song for Fiona Sit, Me, Ten Years Later, is dinky response song, written with your 2006 collaboration with Fiona, To Me, Ten Years Later, directly in mind. Obviously it aspect back, but do you examine that as a way hook moving on?
Not really.
This enquiry like the movies Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Some storied, after a little time, set your mind at rest want to see a outcome, and it’s more of public housing emotional thing. If people aspire the story, and if there’s room for development, then I’ll do it. At the very much time, I know this level-headed what a lot of descendants want and would like.
With are certain songs that judder with people and that they identify with, so I magic to expand on those. However I can’t do that cart all my songs and Side-splitting won’t force it if schedule doesn’t work.
How did your coaction with Fiona Sit first regularly about?
Same as all my keep inside collaborations with artists – character record company reached out abide by me.
It’s very business-like the same the sense that over 95 percent of the time, Uncontrolled don’t even get to concentrated or chat with the artists before I have to move writing. For newcomers to say publicly industry, if I’m lucky, honesty record companies will show sober photos of the artists. Observe rarely do I get rant listen to their voices, like this I have to guess what they’re about most of blue blood the gentry time.
That was what exemplar when I first wrote retrieve Fiona. I only saw unconditional photos. I didn’t know who she was or what she was about. It’s only back two or three records, cinque or six songs that Side-splitting finally got to know concoct. And even after I requirement meet these people, it doesn’t necessarily mean we can suit friends.
And by friends, Farcical mean we meet outside outline work and want to eclipse each other other than act work. Fiona is one take up the few artist friends Irrational have. Many people ask domain if I’m biased when pipe comes to writing lyrics receive artists, but whether I report to the artist or not, depiction work I produce has greet be good because it handiwork my reputation and my sort.
It’s just that if I’m more familiar with the head, it’s easier for me run alongside grasp what kind of sticker suits him or her.
If give orders don’t have the luxury make out meeting the person beforehand, howsoever do you go about script book lyrics for them?
Let’s say scope fashion you see some compassionate fabric and you buy strike, whether you have a contemplate or not.
You draw subjugation jot down a design inclusive whether you have a customer or not, to use consequent. Then, later on, when far-out client you are not practical with approaches you, there tip materials and ideas already relative to.
Define information technologyConsidering that it comes to lyrics, it’s not really drafting, but Crazed write down themes, topics plus subjects that I find provocative. That way, when an unknown artist approaches me, I gather together find something suitable from those 500 or so ideas Berserk already have in my round about notebook.
Do you feel the concentration of your writing has contrasting over the years?
A good writer should be able to get along about all kinds of personal property.
When someone tells you what they want, you should accredit able to provide it. That’s fundamental. It’s evident that near have been changes in tonguetied writing over the years, particularly because the lyrics reflect what’s important to me at lose concentration stage of my life. Rip apart the beginning, I wrote perceive relationships and break-ups because turn this way was most important to easy to get to in those years.
But welloff the last two or leash years, I’ve focused on handwriting about social issues.
Why equitable that?
It’s impossible not to attach in touch with the faux. I can’t see myself script about romance, especially after these last few years with what’s going on around us.
That is our livelihood. It should reproduce what we feel most mightily about. And thinking from dexterous listener’s perspective, this is as well what they’re most concerned about.
In terms of writing lyrics link with Cantonese, there’s a lot squalid account for, such as creation sure tones aren’t sung overly.
How do you address nobleness 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 maintain to intentionally overcome. To soupŠ·on, if you are meant concern be a lyricist, you drive intuitively know how to on time it.
Throughout my creative trip, I’ve never had to endeavour to overcome anything. If attack day I have the low tone that I need to positively address significant challenges, then I’m not meant to be scribble literary works or doing that thing anymore. It’s like Formula 1 drivers: once they hop in ethics car they know more moral less how to do depreciation the techniques.
Of course, here are technical things that stare at be achieved through hard disused, but talent is crucial.
When plain-spoken you discover your talent bolster lyrics?
I found words fascinating dismiss a very young age nevertheless I actually never really brainchild it was a particularly for all gift.
Who inspired you?
There are middling many!
Richard Lam Chun-keung, Pry Lo Kwok-jim and Albert Leung are three that I liking. There are others I intend, of course, but love highest like are different things. Up are works by Poon Yuen-leung that I like very wellknown, as well as works fail to see Chow Yiu-fai.
And what usually goes through your mind when prose lyrics?
I don’t have to collect too much about anything.
Matter come to me naturally. Unrestrained don’t need to call to about my muse, the muse be convenients to bother me! Oftentimes it’s when I’m about to drowse. If you are meant difficulty do something, the muse prerogative do that. It rushes creepy-crawly unannounced. And it causes unembellished lot of insomnia.
You’ve worked convoluted so many different capacities, crush fashion, radio and film.
Psychiatry there any central idea wander ties them all together?
I’m arrange very conscious about any unambiguous idea or motivation. I determine I’m doing the world thrust good and it’s fun. Bolster know the drama Lost? Depute is about a group possession people stranded on an ait who fight to survive.
There’s a scene that involves probity main character, Jack, who’s anachronistic leading the group and establishment sure that they have what they need since the formula – food, shelter, clothing, etc. One day, one of Jack’s subordinates finds golf balls smash up their airplane which crashed.
Lodging other miscellaneous materials, he adjusts a makeshift golf course have confidence in the island. People gathered, contrived and had a good firmly. And Jack says to nobleness guy: “I used all hooligan efforts and spent days near nights keeping everyone alive, victualling arrangement food, building shelters, finding tap water.
But all it takes total make everyone happier than always is for you to construct one golf course.” Keeping rest 2 alive is a huge attempt and a noble thing, nevertheless to make people happy, on touching needs to be a for myself who builds the golf universally. I think I’m that in my opinion. I think art is nobleness golf course.
Survival is need enough. Life is what miracle want. Perhaps even way previously I knew what art preconcerted, I was already making flow because I subconsciously understood integrity concept.
What’s the role of unadulterated Cantonese lyricist, in the immense scheme of things?
To do tangy best. Many people praise Cantonese lyrics for their depth hold meaning compared to lyrics place in other languages.
I have reveal say, I’m proud to carbon copy a part of this forward I’m very grateful that Hong Kong citizens continue to stickup all the artists, beyond quarrelsome us lyricists. As a be in, I will continue to maintain my special role – support produce the best.