Chet Lam Yat-Fung is a Hong Kong–based independent "city-
folk" singer-songwriter. He is the elder brother of singer
Eman Lam
Eman Lam Yee-man ( zh, 林二汶, born 25 October 1982) is a Hong Kong singer and songwriter. Lam and Ellen Joyce Loo were part of the vocal duo at17.
In contrast with Ellen Joyce Loo (who had been writing songs which incline more toward Cant ...
.
Biography
Lam was born at
Kwong Wah Hospital
Kwong Wah Hospital is a 1,141-bed Charitable hospital in Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong. Located on 25 Waterloo Road, Kwong Wah Hospital is the main district general hospital was founded by the Tung Wah Group in 1911, and managed by the Hospital A ...
in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. He grew up in a public estate, studying at Choi Hung Estate and Chi Wan Shan. He started his own label LYFE Music in 2003, with records distributed by Warner Music and East Asia Records. From 2005 he started expanding his label by presenting shows for blooming artists in town such as
at17
at17, consisting of Eman Lam and Ellen Joyce Loo, were a Hong Kong–based folktronica and Cantopop all-female band managed by People Mountain People Sea (label), People Mountain People Sea.
Biography
Loo and Lam first met each other at a s ...
,
FAMA,
Wildchild, and
My Little Airport
My Little Airport (stylized as my little airport) is a Hong Kong–based indie pop band. They are distinguished by the outspoken political lyrics and distinctive local flavor of their songs, many of which featuring English lyrics influenced by ...
. Lam has been collaborating every two years with the Hong Kong theatre "W theatre" from 2003 to 2011.
Lam has been performing professionally from age ten, in broadcasting drama and TV commercial songs. After graduating from
City University of Hong Kong
The City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is a public research university in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1984 as the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and formally established as the City University of Hong Kong in 1994 ...
, where he majored in Japanese Business, he started songwriting, and has released more than 200 compositions in the Chinese music industry.
In 2003, Lam's debut album "Pillow Songs" was released to warm reception from critics and listeners. As a result, Lam became one of the best-selling singers in Hong Kong. His second album "Travelogue, One" brought him a Best New Artist Award and a Top Ten Album of the Year in the
Chinese Music Media Awards.
As a songwriter, he has written many pop hits for such singers as
Sammi Cheng,
Stefanie Sun,
Eason Chan
Eason Chan Yick-shun ( zh, s=陈奕迅, t=陳奕迅, first=t, p=Chén Yìxùn; born 27 July 1974) is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He is one of the most popular and influential singers in both Cantopop and Mandopop. Besides holding the record ...
,
Dadawa,
Elva Hsiao and
at17
at17, consisting of Eman Lam and Ellen Joyce Loo, were a Hong Kong–based folktronica and Cantopop all-female band managed by People Mountain People Sea (label), People Mountain People Sea.
Biography
Loo and Lam first met each other at a s ...
.
Lam has released seven written collections.
In 2012, Lam started another label 'Seeing Creative' organizing shows for independent music acts including Arai Soichiro (Singing Hands), and the Future Sounds of Hong Kong Music Festival which featured five acclaimed local bands: Chokchukmo, RedNoon, ToNick, Modern Children and Supper Moment.
In 2015, Lam founded a crowd funding website www.MusicBee.cc with musicians Vicky Fung, Victor Tse and creative team Why Interactive, dedicated to Chinese independent music artists.
Personal life
In 2005, Chet, who is openly gay,
has endorsed Hong Kong Gay Pride, and made headlines in 2005 with a cross-over concert with Miriam Yeung singing "Boys Like Me." As an honest assertion of his same-sex romantic inclination, he had openly addressed his sexual identity in ''The Advocate''.
Quotes
"Lam's appearance not only could start a new chapter in the movement of Hong Kong singer songwriters, his subtle tenderness and fragility that set him apart from the mainstream stereotypical pop music emotions could make his success significant."
– by Tam Kit Wang, Hong Kong, from
Ming Pao
''Ming Pao'' () is a Chinese-language newspaper published by Media Chinese International in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, ''Ming Pao'' established four overseas branches in North America; each provides independent reporting on local news and coll ...
"Chet Lam Yat-fung proves with his latest
Cantonese
Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...
-language album, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, that he is Hong Kong's leading singer-songwriter, capable of conveying a wide range of feelings on relationships and life in a touching and entertaining manner."
– Album Review, Hong Kong, from
South China Morning Post
The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remaine ...
Discography
Full albums:
*【床頭歌】Pillow songs (Cantonese)(2003)
*【遊樂】Travelogue 1 (Cantonese)(2003)
*【一個人在途上】Travelogue, too (Cantonese)(2004)
*【你今日拯救咗地球未呀?】The Soundtrack of Our Lives (Music Theatre Soundtrack, Cantonese) (2005)
*【Camping】 (English) (2006)
*【思生活】the private life of c (Mandarin) (2007)
*【一期一会】Once in a Lifetime (Music Theatre Soundtrack, Cantonese) (2007)
*【城市旅人】Travelogue, three (Cantonese)(2008)
*【思路】my lonely planet (Mandarin)(2009)
*【Back to the Stars】(English) (2010)
*【One Magic Day】(Cantonese) (2011)
*【愛鄖書】I Love You Best (Cantonese) (2012)
*【Oh My Goodness】(Cantonese) (2013)
*【Playlist】(Mandarin) (2014)
*【Crossroads】(Cantonese) (2015)
*【Absolutely Innocent】(Mandarin) (2017)
*【Like Ripples, Like Love】(Cantonese) (2017)
*【Travelogue 4 Escape】(Cantonese) (2018)
Live album:
*【林一峰遊樂會】Travelling Live (2004)
* CAMPiNG iN Hong Kong (2006)
*【The Storyteller Show】(2008)
*【One Cake One LYFE】(with
the pancakes) (2008)
*【一峰二汶好天氣演唱會】Chet Lam and Eman Lam Live at the Coliseum (2009)
*【一峰不能藏二汶演唱會】Chet Lam and Eman Lam Live (2010)
*【One Magic Day Live】(2011)
*【林一峰遊樂會2013】Chet Lam Dream on Live (2013)
*【Made in Hong Kong】Chet Lam x Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (2015)
Special projects:
*【這一路走來】Introducing Chet Lam (Mandarin compilation) (2005)
*【夜生活】the night life of c (Limited EP) (2007)
*【三種幸福】3 Kinds of Happiness (Limited EP) (2007)
*【為你含情】Hum Ching for You (w/my little airport) (2008)
*【山谷裡的音樂】Music from the Valley (w/XiaoJuan and the Residents of the Valley, EP) (2009)
*【好天氣】Good Weather (w/Eman Lam, EP) (2009)
*【戀愛總是平靜地意外...來臨】Love Comes Slowly, Naturally & Silently (Love Songs EP)(2009)
*【花訣】Requiem for Flowers (w/Shin Wong & Alex Fung)(2010)
*【One Magic Christmas】(Christmas EP)(2011)
*【家課】(Homework) (Compilation album)(2012)
Concerts
* Live in Vancouver/Toronto (2003)
* Traveling Live,
Queen Elizabeth Stadium
The Queen Elizabeth Stadium is an indoor sport facility on the Morrison Hill in Wan Chai, on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. First opened in 1980, it has a 3,500-seat arena, gymnasia, squash and badminton courts, and a multi-purpose hall. ...
Arena, Hong Kong (2004)
* Live in Calgary/Toronto (co-headline with at17) (2005)
* Camping in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Arts Centre (2006)
* Singapore Music Festival (2006)
* Taiwan Music Festival (2006)
* Camping in Vancouver,
SFU &
UBC (2006)
* Make It Happen Live Series, Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2006)
* Chinese National Tour (Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Xiaman, Fuzhou) (2007 to 2008)
* The Storyteller Show, KTC Star Hall, Hong Kong (2008)
* One Cake One Live, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong (co-headline with the pancakes)(2008)
* Music from the Valley Show, Music Hall of Forbidden City, Beijing (co-headline with Xiaojuan)(2009)
* Chet Lam and Eman Lam Live at the
Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum (), commonly and informally known as the Hung Hom Coliseum (, ) is a multi-purpose indoor arena, in Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong near Hung Hom station. It is in Yau Tsim Mong District.
It was built by the Urban Council ...
(2009)
* Chet Lam and Eman Lam Live at
Queen Elizabeth Stadium
The Queen Elizabeth Stadium is an indoor sport facility on the Morrison Hill in Wan Chai, on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. First opened in 1980, it has a 3,500-seat arena, gymnasia, squash and badminton courts, and a multi-purpose hall. ...
Arena(2010)
* Live in Singapore at Esplanade (2011)
* One Magic Day Live, HKAPA Jockey Club Amphitheatre (2011)
* 2011 The Last Magic Day Cabaret, Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2011)
* 2012 The First Magic Day Cabaret, Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2012)
* Chet Lam Dream on Live 2013,
Queen Elizabeth Stadium
The Queen Elizabeth Stadium is an indoor sport facility on the Morrison Hill in Wan Chai, on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. First opened in 1980, it has a 3,500-seat arena, gymnasia, squash and badminton courts, and a multi-purpose hall. ...
Arena (2013)
* When
Teresa Carpio Meets Chet Lam, Sun Beam Theatre, Hong Kong (2013)
* One Man One Guitar... and some, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2013)
* Simple Life Festival, Taipei (2014)
* Playlist, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2014)
* Playlist, Central Station, Guangzhou (2015)
* One Man One Guitar, Po Bar, Hong Kong (2015)
* Chet Lam x Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre (2015)
* Chet Lam Live in Concert, KTC Music Zone, Hong Kong (2016)
* Chet Lam Sings
Danny Chan
Danny Chan Pak-Keung (; 7 September 1958 – 25 October 1993) was a Hong Kong singer, songwriter and actor. One of the first Cantopop idols in Hong Kong, he gained fame alongside performers Alan Tam, Anita Mui, and Leslie Cheung, who wer ...
, KTC Star Hall, Hong Kong (2017)
* Joox Presents: Mr. Nice Guys in concert, KTC Rutanda Hall, Hong Kong (2017)(co-headline with
Phil Lam)
* Escape Live, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2018)
* Chet Lam x Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre (2019)
* Chet Lam x Millennium Youth Orchestra
, Tsuen Wan Cultural Centre (2019)
Filmography
* I Am Not What You Want (2001)
* Buffering (2003)
* Beyond Our Ken(2004)
* Mcdull The Alumni(2006)
* Trivial Matters(2007)
* Death Laughing(2009)
Voice Over
* Garfield the Movie(2004)
* McDull, Prince de la Bun(2004)
* Racing Stripes(2005)
* The Journey to the West(2013)
* The Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (2017)
Stage
* 【馴情記】Best Memories in my Life (2003)
* 【你今日拯救o左地球未呀】Superman Forever (2005)
* 【一期一会】Once in a Lifetime (2007)
* 【戀愛總是平靜地意外身亡】Love Dies Slowly, Naturally & Silently (2009, 2010)
Books
* 【音樂．旅．情】(Music, Travel, Love) (2004) - collective articles
* 【隨身聽．隨心唱】(Take it Easy) (2005) - collective articles
* 【一人一峰一結他】(One Man One Guitar) (2006) - scores
* 【思生活】(Never Forget How to Feel) (2007) - collective articles
* 【遊子意外】(Travelling Bugs and Blocks) (2009) - travel stories
* 【半滿 半空】(Half Full, Half Empty) (2013) - collective articles
* 【慢煮，快活】(Slow Food in Asia's Fast Cities) (2014) - cookbook
* 【歌裡人】(The Man in Songs) (2018) - collective articles
Selected awards
* Best Song Written for a Movie – "Turn Left, Turn Right", Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan (2003)
References
External links
Chet Lam's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lam, Chet
Cantopop singers
Hong Kong LGBTQ singers
Hong Kong LGBTQ songwriters
Hong Kong male singers
Hong Kong singer-songwriters
English-language singers from Hong Kong
Alumni of the City University of Hong Kong
1976 births
Living people
Gay singers
Gay songwriters
20th-century Hong Kong LGBTQ people
21st-century Hong Kong LGBTQ people