Three weeks more to the end of May and World Cup 2002 would open at the new World Cup Stadium in Korea. The world cup theme song , Voices of Korea/Japan- let's get together now, was getting quite good airtime in the TVs in Korea. It was hard not to know Brown Eyes, Lena Park, Chemistry and Sowelu who were the singers of the theme song. Among them, Lena Park's voice was clearly in a class of her own.
Back in Singapore after my holiday in Korea, I went searching for Lena Park's albums. Surprisingly, they were sold in the CD shops. Back then, I was not quite sure of Lena Park's international appeal. Korean music was not that popular in Singapore four years ago afterall. So I did not blame the CD shop owner for looking stun when I handed over two Lena Park's albums to him for payment.
If I have to make a comparison, Lena Park is in the same league as Mariah Carey(US), Misia(Japan) and Zhang Huimei(Taiwan). They are similar in that they all have a powerful lung and a "voice kissed by the God". Mariah Carey's vocal range was said to stretch over seven octaves while Misia could hit five octaves with ease. Normal singers would be considered to have a good vocal range if they can hit three octaves.
Lena Park is a Korean-American. Born and educated in America, she only found fame when she went back to Korea to start her singing career in 1998. While she speaks with an authentic American accent, it is unlikely that her talent in singing will have garnered much fans if she has decided to sing only in English. Despite America being a melting pot, Asian singers are unlikely to get the same support as compared to white or black singers. Asian singers should only know it too well that support usually comes from fans who look like them.
Lena Park is the first Korean singer whom I know but she has continued to be the number one Korean singer to me. To know how well she sings just watch the music video 달(moon) from her fifth album "On & On".
Back in Singapore after my holiday in Korea, I went searching for Lena Park's albums. Surprisingly, they were sold in the CD shops. Back then, I was not quite sure of Lena Park's international appeal. Korean music was not that popular in Singapore four years ago afterall. So I did not blame the CD shop owner for looking stun when I handed over two Lena Park's albums to him for payment.
If I have to make a comparison, Lena Park is in the same league as Mariah Carey(US), Misia(Japan) and Zhang Huimei(Taiwan). They are similar in that they all have a powerful lung and a "voice kissed by the God". Mariah Carey's vocal range was said to stretch over seven octaves while Misia could hit five octaves with ease. Normal singers would be considered to have a good vocal range if they can hit three octaves.Lena Park is a Korean-American. Born and educated in America, she only found fame when she went back to Korea to start her singing career in 1998. While she speaks with an authentic American accent, it is unlikely that her talent in singing will have garnered much fans if she has decided to sing only in English. Despite America being a melting pot, Asian singers are unlikely to get the same support as compared to white or black singers. Asian singers should only know it too well that support usually comes from fans who look like them.
Lena Park is the first Korean singer whom I know but she has continued to be the number one Korean singer to me. To know how well she sings just watch the music video 달(moon) from her fifth album "On & On".
Nice music video, it really shows her vocal. Lena Park projects "American Soul Singer" kind of image.
ReplyDeleteShe is exposed to American culture so it not surprising that she sings like one of those American singers.
ReplyDelete