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Teen Hing Zhe Lee

BELIEVES NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE EVERY BARRIER IS JUST A HURDLE

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the young songwriter Hing Zhe Lee is representing southeast Asia collaborating with big names in the music industry. Hing has been working on his craft from adolescence but his major achievements began when he first captivated the attention of Reshma Martin, a famous Malaysian singer-songwriter. Since then, has worked with her as a guitarist and songwriter.

k INTERVIEW WRITTEN AND CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM JACKSON, ABA, B.ACY., MBA, GQ INSIDER, 2018 FOLIO: 100 HONOREE, AND FOUNDER, CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER, AND PUBLISHER OF INFLUENTIAL MAGAZINE, SPANISH INFLUENTIAL, AND TEEN INFLUENTIAL

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Hing moved to Los Angeles , California to enhance his skillset and connect with industry members through the famous Los Angeles College of Music. At just 19 years old, studying in Los Angeles, Hing made an easy transition to working with some biggest names in the industry.

Hing has proven himself as an extraordinary musician and we’re thrilled to hear his upcoming music. This artist is showing promising signs in his career so far and we look forward to his future as a part of the music industry.

William Jackson: When did you start singing? Hing Zhe Lee: I started singing at seven years of age, my grandmother used to request songs from me, and I’d sing to her. At the age of ten I joined a school choir. At the age of 14 I picked up the guitar after coming across Metallica while researching bands on Youtube and knew I wanted to be like them. This is when my passion for music developed.

William: How did you start singing? Hing: I had an office job but didn’t enjoy it. I thought long and hard about my lack of joy and what to do next and discussed it with my parents. It’s at this point I determined pursuing music is for me. Writing music and playing guitar are a part of me and they’re something I love. Hence, I made the decision to leave everything in Malaysia and travel to the United States to pursue my musical career and education.

William: How has your family supported your dream of being a musical artist? Hing: My mom used to play violin. My dad would frequently pull out the harmonica and play it. They’re supportive because their son has something he is passionate about which is music.

William: What where their thoughts when you told them you wanted to move to Los Angeles, California? Hing: My father was skeptical of me traveling to the United States to pursue music because of the stigma. The timing of my decision was odd. You see, on the day my parents agreed I should pursue music, my grandmother died; I was devastated. As I was close to my grandmother, I felt the

need to write something. I wanted to write a tribute to my grandmother that expresses how much I love and miss her. Upon hearing the song, my dad is impressed. Though, he doesn’t understand the song he realizes it was an excellent effort. He agreed my decision to move to the United States to pursue music was the right thing to do.

William: Who are your music influences? Hing: Two of my biggest influences are Metallica because they’re the reason I picked up the guitar and I’ve always wanted to play in a huge stadium with a rock band. The second is Taiwanese singer Wang Lee Hom.

William: What is your focus right now? Hing: I’m focusing on my songwriting. I write music to pitch to movies and series and I write with other local artists. Sometimes a producer needs a session singer or a guitar player and I’m happy to do both.

William: How has the COVID-10 pandemic affected your career? Hing: I can’t personally go out with my band so I’m doing a little of everything. Song writing, composing, and pitching them to movies and series.

William: What projects do you have in development? Hing: I’m working on four folk indie songs to be pitched for an upcoming comedy movie about two brothers. I’m also working on my personal music with the help of a producer friend, we plan to release a song soon.

William: What inspires you to write a song? Hing: I’m inspired by anything to be honest. I can play a video game about samurais and get inspired. In fact, I’ve written about five songs after watching a video game. Simply driving down the freeway here in the United States with my girlfriend is another source of inspiration.

William: What do you wish to present to the world? Hing: I want to express my creativity through my music. I’m not afraid to incorporate Chinese melodies, Indian rhythms and the sound of Malay Kompang into my music. When I create music, I want to show people a piece of me you can’t see such as the Malay and Indian cultures and how I blend them successfully.

William: Who are the members of your band? Hing: We’re all based in Los Angeles and bring a diverse cultural experience which comes through to our music. My guitarist, Sebastian Jimenez, is from Mexico. My bassist, Austin Ching, is from Hong Kong. Our drummer, Max Bryman, is American.

William: What have been the best moments of your career? Hing: I’ve had the pleasure of working with many wellknown names in the music industry such as Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Flo Rida, and Cheryl Cole.

William: What’s the best advice you’ve been given? Hing: The advice comes from one of my teachers in the United States, “Nothing is impossible because every barrier is just a hurdle. If you fall, stand up, and come back stronger. There’s a point you can’t give up and you have to keep pushing forward. If you push hard enough, you might find something at the place you want to go”. It really resonates to me. I push my boundaries to make myself relevant in a challenging industry. l

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FLUENTIALNOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 TEEN I want to express my creativity through my music. I’m not afraid to incorporate Chinese melodies, Indian rhythms and the sound of Malay Kompang into my music. When I create music, I want to show people a piece of me you can’t see such as the Malay and Indian cultures and how I blend them successfully. “ ”