New Teen Idol Wang Dreams of Bringing Chinese Music to the World 新青少年偶像王力宏 要让世界听见华人音乐

Project Eyeball, October 2, 2000

Rising above the popcorn is artist Wang Lee Hom, teen idol with dreams of bringing Chinese music to the world. Our reporter reveals the heart of this descendant of the dragon.吃爆米花长大的艺人、青年偶像王力宏有一个梦想，就是将华人音乐带入世界舞台。我们的记者为您揭露这位龙的传人的内心世界。

By Tan Dawn Wei

Never mind that in Chinese music's teeny-bop hinterland, idol status is rather a result of a winsome smile than serious music.
在华人音乐的青少年世界里，偶像的地位藉由迷人的微笑来塑造，而非认真的音乐。

Rising star Wang Lee Hom, with his own fair share of screaming fans, holed himself up in the studio for weeks, concentrating intently on producing the best for his latest album.
窜红中的明星王力宏，拥有为他尖叫的歌迷，他曾经窝在录音间好几个礼拜，全然专注地把这张最新专辑做到最好。

For his efforts, the classically trained singer-songwriter-musician emerged with his seventh Mandarin album--a work that includes 11 tracks fused with elements of rap, rock’n’roll and R&B, written and arranged by him.
在他的努力下，古典音乐出身、身兼歌唱创作的音乐家王力宏，推出他的第7张国语专辑。这张新专辑里的11首新歌均由力宏亲自制作与编曲，融合了饶舌、摇滚、R&B等多种元素。

At a deeper level, the 24-year-old American-born Chinese reckons it’s the closest one to his heart yet.
从较深的层次来看，这位24岁的美籍华人认为，这是目前为止最能表达他内心世界的专辑。

Of the album which took a year to produce, he touts: “If you want to hear my thoughts, my background, something with more meat, it’s in here.”
对于这张花费一年期间制作的专辑，力宏透露：「假如你们想听到我的想法、我的背景、更多真切的内容，都在这张专辑里！」

The glimpse into his soul begins with the slow title track, “Forever’s First Day”, which tells of the day a woman gives up everything and flies to be with a man.
瞥见力宏内心的第一步，是起始于这首与专辑同名的慢歌「永远的第一天」，这首歌描述一位女子放弃一切，飞到男子身旁陪伴的那一天。

When they meet, it’s the first day of forever. Hence the title.
他们相聚的这一天，就是永远的第一天，这是标题的源由。

Though the scenario never actually took place, Wang’s fantasy might be rooted in the reality of a truncated long-distance relationship with his Taiwanese girlfriend.
尽管这一幕在现实生活中不曾出现，力宏的想象源自于他与台湾籍女友一段真实而锥心刺骨的远距离恋情。

What is significant about the album is Wang’s reflection of his Asian-American identity, best heard in his funky remix of the traditional Chinese gung-ho song, Descendants Of The Dragon.
这张专辑的意义在于，它反映了王力宏对自己亚裔美人的认同；这一点可以从翻唱传统中文老歌「龙的传人」中听得出来。

The Boston native, whose parents migrated to New York from Taiwan, recalls the sentiment not from being pushed around in the playground, but from meeting other Asian-Americans in university, where “nobody is clear about what Asian-American identity is”.
力宏的父母从台湾移民纽约，从小生长在波士顿的力宏回忆起自己身为华裔的感觉，那种感觉不是来自在操场上被排挤，而是在大学里遇到其它的亚洲裔同学，但是「没有人清楚知道亚裔美人的认同是什么」

"There was no solidarity, and that was the saddest thing for me," he laments.
他悲叹道：「大家并不团结，这是最让我伤心的事！」

As with his music, it's a conviction he acts out, by performing at campuses in the US, like a recent gig at Harvard for the Taiwan Student Association.
力宏坚信，藉由在美国校园演出的活动，比如最近的哈佛台湾同学会举办的演奏会，他可以用音乐让大家团结。

It's his contribution, albeit in a small way.
这是他的贡献，即使是以这么微小的方式。

On a larger scale, the multi-talented star has bigger plans:
在大格局上，这位多才多艺的艺人有较远大的计划:

"I'd like to help create an internationally recognisable Chinese pop music sound."
「我要协助创作出一种国际知名的华语流行乐声音。」

Already he is co-producing the original soundtrack to Stanley Tong's China Strike Force with American rapper Coolio, a movie in which both artists also star, alongside Aaron Kwok.
他已经和美国饶舌歌手库力欧共同制作了唐季礼的「雷霆战警」原声带，在这部电影中，这两位歌手和郭富城一起演出。

So, what's his idea of "internationally recognizable" Chinese pop?
那么，力宏心中，什么是「国际知名」的华语流行乐声音呢？

"Of course, there are certain clichés like instrumentation, using Chinese instruments like the guzheng, and adapting Chinese chords and scales," he reasons.
他解释道：「当然要有某些陈腐的套用，比如器乐编曲，使用古筝等中国乐器，并改编中国和弦与音阶。」

What's more important, however, is a "Chinese sensibility", a magic touch that permeates the work of Taiwanese director Ang Lee.
但是更重要的是一种「中国式的识别度」，就象台湾导演李安的作品中，所渗透弥漫的奇妙感触。

"Growing up in the US, relationships among people are not that xi (refined)," he elaborates.
他阐述道：「因为在美国长大，所以人与人之间的关系，并没有那么细。」

"But in Chinese music, a lot of that nobility in love is present."
「但在华人音乐中，会呈现很多爱的崇高性。」

Noble are his ambitions indeed. Hopefully, his hard work transcends the realm of short-lived disposable ditties.
力宏的抱负当然是崇高的。他希望，自己的努力能超越那些昙花一谢的歌曲范畴。

Are we looking at the Ang Lee of music?
我们看到了一个音乐界的李安吗？

Perhaps, if he can get Chinese pop on the world map.
如果他能把华人音乐带进世界版图，答案，就是肯定的。

http://bbs.leehom-cn.com/thread-77-1-1.html