Leehom vs PSY "Gangnam Style"

Big congratulation to Leehom for winning "Best Asian Artist Award" at MAMA 2012.

I have watched his performance from live streaming, but still... when Indosiar (local TV in Indonesia) broadcasted MAMA 2012 and I saw Leehom on the TV screen, I cant help but jumping on my bed and greening ear to ear. I don't know why.. I feel so happy to see him in my own local channel, which would be very very rare to happen.

Youtube has blocked the link to his performance in MAMA 2012, but we still can watch it here.

K-POP may have been ruling the world right now, but it is just not my fave. I didn't bother to see the jumping and energetic dances from other performance at all, cos once Leehom was done, I ran to other channels. I appreciate those K-POP singers, they must have been practising the moves like hell to be able to dance like that.. but hey ... song is for ears and heart, the dance is just a bonus. So I dont really care if Leehom can't dance (which I dont think he is the master .. yet), it's the voice and the melody that blow me away ...

So when I read this post in his weibo, I feel a little bit sad.






I understand Leehom has been doing the "same effort" for so many years, trying to make Chinese music sounds international and heard by people around the globe too. He may have not been there yet...phenomenally, but what touches me is that he was not discouraged. He took it as a motivation to work even harder. Way to go, Leehom! I will always be there to support you.

 

For me, PSY is just another phenomenon. It's not yet proven whether he will consistently create good music in the future, or whether people will still look for his new works, or whether people will still listen to the Gangnam Style after a few years.. or  whether he will even survive in the industry. Don't get me wrong. I love the Gangnam dance and have actually hurt my legs and broke my shoes for doing that dance in one afternoon at my office. Our APJ boss decided to make Gangnam Dance competition and all countries should submit a video of local employees doing the moves. It was hillarious and fun.

 

Leehom has been consistently making good music, consitently creating hit songs, consistently awarded in every single year through-out his long music journey from 1995. Check how many awards he got, here Sorry, data is only up to 2007. [Somebody, please update the list ..... please :)] But he has won many awards up to today, Best Asian Artist Award is one of the proof.

Try listen to his song "Revolution" from album Revolution (1998). It's an old song, produced and released when he was just 21 years old. Even though it's 14 years old, but the song still sounds modern, not out-of-date at all. That's what I call classy, a masterpiece ... something that will last forever.

 

thanks to weloveleehom.com for providing daily English translation from Leehoms' weibo.