World of His Own

January, 2002 Lime Magazine

All Leehom wants is to plug his new album The One and Only! But will the American-bred Mando-pop whiz talk about anything else other than music? Chelsia Toon has quick chat with the serious musician who insists stoutly: "I party haaard!" Jeepers!

Shuffling betwen Four Season's Hotel's conference rooms for a string of TV interviews, Leehom is singing like his life depends on it. Yup, even if the 25-year-old musician/composer is just strolling along the marble-tiled floor for all of 30 seconds, he's gotta showcase a coupla lines from his latest single 'The One & Only'. Which is quite a sight if you're a LIME reporter loitering round 'cuz mind you, this rendition ain't your amateurish, bathroom-style warbling. This corridor crooning is delivered with so much emotional gusto and vibrato, one fellow journo cleverly coins the term 'Hom-phobia' as "a fear of people not taking you seriously as a musician". Giggle! Yes, the songster comes off a little showy, but wouldn't you flaunt it if you've got it?

Never mind that he's a little exhausted from all that jet-setting trying to promote his latest album, The One and Only. "Being tired makes me feel like I'm fighting a battle. Packing my bags in 20 minutes and getting out of that door in half an hour, deciding which cities to go to, when to go, taking my album and my music all round world to places I've never been to. It's like waging war really! Being tired is part of me."

So Leehom ain't the least shy about letting you know he is the goods when we're talking music. This no-nonsense overachiever is all eager to dish about his new CD (he wrote the title tune "at a club in Greece at five in the morning when everyone leaving was drunk and singing on top of their lungs."), but what we really wanna know is: does this guy have any fun at all?

LIME: The highlight of your new album The One and Only is its raw sound. Were most of the songs recorded on the spot?

LEE HOM: Well, I didn't want to sound too contrived when I produced this album. I'm doing a world tour after this so I wanted it to be a fun record that I'll really enjoy performing live. That was the vibe I went for. By the way, most of it is live! I went into the studios with nothing written and recorded 'Can't Quit You'. That was the most painless composition.

LIME: Quick, name The One and Only person whose opinion you value.

LEE HOM: Hmm...I have to say it's me. I'm definitely my harshest critic. When I write a song, I've to be confident it's gonna work when I'm 100 percent done. I really value the opinions of others, but I also know I can use some feedback and ignore the irrelevant bits.


LIME: This record has been described as a testament of how you've grown over the last year. Describe one incident that has made you more mature.

LEE HOM: Working on movies! That was the first time I worked with so many other artists and it made me realise we're all different. I used to think...oh, let's not worry about that! Now I think even though artists may release albums at the same time or we may be compared all the time, we're all different in what we wanna accomplish. (Seriously) I know I'm really here for music.

LIME: You say composing a song is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration. How much of that is exasperation?

LEE HOM: (Smiles) I'm never exasperated when writing a song! I'm kind of a masochist. If I'm having a hard time writing and I get frustrated, I'll find some way to convince myself that I'm making progress - and I'll actually enjoy the pain. It's good pain!

LIME: Er...OK. You worked one of your production folks so hard on the last album, he passed out! None of those nasty accidents this time, we hope?

LEE HOM: (Chortles) No, thank goodness! I was too obsessed the last time and since then, I've learnt alot more about the logistics of producing. It's like having a kid. Overbearing parents are bad for the kid. On this album I was more relaxed, confident...but not overbearing!

LIME: But you've lost quite a bit of weight!

LEE HOM: That's what I've heard! It's not a conscious effort though. I dunno, I tend not to eat when I'm alone. And I totally forget about it when I don't leave the studio! (Rolls his eyes) And it's not like I have a girlfriend to remind me! Plus, my normal body type is really skinny, so I've to work really, really hard to put on weight.

LIME: Although you've proven yourself to be more stuff than fluff, it's still hard to shake off that idol tag. Does that bug the heck outta you?

LEE HOM: No! That's a huge compliment! But I'm just going to be myself and concentrate on my music. I want to be a better musician but I'm not shying away from being an idol. It's just that I'd rather not spend my time taking pictures with flowers and stuff! Haha!


LIME: You've admitted to being wary of journalists and often lie to get them off your back. What's the most ridiculous story you've cooked up to feed the prying press?

LEE HOM: (Thoughtfully) Gee. This is a good question 'cuz I really should create better stories! But it's not like they're big, elaborate, fabricated lies. I'm not very good at lying at all! But when nasty reporters are obviously asking pointed questions to corner you, then you have to tell yourself, 'I don't owe these people the truth because they just wanna use it to hurt me anyway.'

LIME: When we fisrt interviewed you yonks ago, you were an inexperienced newbie. How much of a seasoned pro are you now? Fallen for any showbiz trappings so far?

LEE HOM: (cheekily) Trappings? What kinds of trappings? I'm into some of the trappings. Heh heh. I enjoy the independant life of a travelling musician. And I love staying in some of the nicest hotels! Over the last six years, I've always lived in hotels. My room is always in a mess but it's clean when I get back. See, I've really been spoilt. It's gonna be a problem when I finally want to settle down and buy a house!

LIME: Teehee! Do you have a girlfriend in every port?

LEE HOM: (Chuckles) No. That would be very uncool.

LIME: You're dead serious about being seen as a credible musician. What's the fun side of you we don't get to see?

LEE HOM: Well, it wouldn't be so fun if you did get to see it, would it?

LIME: We wouldn't know if we don't get to see it, would we?

LEE HOM: (Guffaws) Well, it wouldn't be fun for me if you got to see it!

LIME: So, this is the fun side of you, we suppose?

LEE HOM: Well, I mean, I ...I have a great time just like everyone else. And I party hard. Harder than most people my age do. Really.

LIME: How hard exactly?

LEE HOM: I get crazy!

LIME: How crazy?

LEE HOM: Erm...(Thinks hard) Crazier than...crazier than...it's suitable for the average G-rated movie. (Waves dismissively) OK, leave it.

LIME: Right. What are your other passionate pursuits, then?

LEE HOM: Anything creative! I have lots of friends who are directors, painters, sculptors and scriptwriters. (Enthusiastically) I just like being around creative people. It makes me so excited! My other hobbies include acting and writing. I write a lot, like, I write in my diary! And I love admiring the creativity in films. I just saw 'Being John Malkovich'. I really liked the movie 'coz it's like no other I've seen before!

LEE HOM: I get crazy!