Coco
Lee
Just
No Other Way
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CoCo Lee is amazing. Jaws inevitably drop in disbelief whenever the
striking siren sings for those who would judge her solely by her Asian
looks.
"They cannot imagine what I'll sound like," admits Lee, who
is blessed with a soulful set of lungs that simultaneously devastate
listeners and change the preconceived notions of who can or can't
sing R&B. "But always when I'm done singing, people are very
surprised."
Although she can count the element of surprise as one of
the facets of her vast musical repertoire, CoCo Lee is by no means
a novelty act. The 23 year-old songstress signed with 550 Music
in the US after making an impact overseas that continues to reverberate:
CoCo has recorded and released twelve albums since her 1994 debut,
eight of those released through Sony Music with whom she signed
in 1996. Whether in Mandarin or English, all of these discs have
enjoyed brisk sales in Chinese-speaking territories throughout Asia.
"People liked my voice so much, it was so different," says
CoCo about her Asian audience. "I also combined the R&B feel
with the pop music of Taiwan. Everyone there used to sing really
conservatively -- they sing to the melody and that's it. The music
just sounded so dead. I wanted to bring the R&B flavor and other
Westernized sounds to my music, because that's the type of music
I grew up listening to."
Her Stateside debut, Just No Other Way, is
a vibrant, pulsating collection that reveals a special voice of
not only power but also range and emotion. Whether moving the dance
floor with the joyous and sexy rapture of "Do You Want My Love"
(punctuated by a cameo from rapper A-Butter from Natural Elements)
or exploring the untamed longing of lost love on "Can't Get Over"
with second vocalist Kelly Price, CoCo commands your attention with
her tone, taste, and drive.
Born in Hong Kong but raised in San Francisco, CoCo Lee is
the youngest of three girls - all of whom can sing. Their mother,
a medical doctor and a musical talent in her own right, encouraged
her children to pursue more traditional careers.
Nevertheless, CoCo's
older sisters began entering local singing contests and were quite
successful. CoCo, for her part, spent much of her spare time singing
songs by such favorite artists as Whitney Houston, Madonna, Debbie
Gibson and George Michael -- so her move to the next level of performing
came naturally.
"I really idolize
everything my sisters do, so I went into singing contests and won
also," says the chanteuse. "That's how I really got into singing."
Unforgettable moments like the standing ovation she received after
performing for her high school junior class kept the dream alive
for the then tennaged Lee.
"I remember going
to a karaoke place at Fisherman's Wharf where you can record your
own songs," she recalls. "My best friend paid for it, and I made
a tape. Later, she'd play it in the restaurant she worked at and
people would want to buy it. And that's when I was like, 'Wow, I
can actually sing [as a career].'
CoCo's first big break
came during a vacation in Hong Kong following her high school graduation.
Just for fun, she entered an annual singing contest -- the Asian
equivalent of Star Search, and a breeding ground for some
of the country's biggest stars. CoCo took second place; remarkably,
she was the only contestant to sing in English, delivering a heartfelt
rendition of whitney Houston's "Run To You."
"The next day a local record company called and wanted to
sign me," Lee remembers, "because they felt that my voice was so
different compared to those of all the other Asian artists."
Aside from releasing a slew of albums, in August 1998 CoCo
Lee performed in concert to more than 30,000 fans. (Only Michael
Jackson has performed before a larger audience in Taiwan.) She also
worked opposite international action star Jackie Chan, supplying
not only the voice for the lead character in the Mandarin-language
version of Disney's animated adventure Mulan but singing
the film's theme song as well.
Now poised to take on the US, the sultry singer shines on
her 550 Music debut album Just No Other Way. She harbors
a serious love jones on "All Tied Up In You" while telling a potential
lover all the things she needs on the tender "Before I Fall In Love."
"Crazy Ridiculous" revels in the splendor of the super '70s and
finds CoCo getting playful with modern urban wordplay. And Frankie
Knuckles drops by on "Don't You Want My Love," an up-tempo dance
track bound to leave clubgoers sweaty and satisfied.
The artist herself isn't afraid to sweat" "When I work, I
work. I don't think about anything else. I just wanna get the work
done. And I'm a perfectionist." Knowing no boundaries, CoCo Lee
is singing from the heart with nothing but soul on Just No
Other Way .
-- Sony 550 Music
Purchase
CoCo Lee's album "Just No Other Way"
| CoCo's
Official Site | CoCo's Bio | CoCo's
Photo Gallery |
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