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Home » Feature » Art and Culture
City's versatile King of Pop
By Nie Xin |
January 28, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
WANG Hao is known as Shanghai's multi-talented and visionary "King of Pop" and the "Man of Steel" for his persistence and determination.
He is a famous regular, notably the lead singer at the Melting Pot at 288 Taikang Road (Bar 288) and G-Haus Club in the Galaxy Hotel in Hongqiao area. He performs with his musician friends. He's vocalist, pianist, drummer and bass.
Shanghai Daily recently interviewed the easygoing, affable musician about the music scene and his own plans. The 30-year-old singer arrived by his usual transport, a powerful motorcycle.
Wang was born into a scholar's family; both his parents are teachers. He graduated from the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music, but didn't take the classical path. He chose a path of greater freedom in music and bought a motorcycle.
Wang started his music career as a pub singer since 1994 at a cafe, and drew many fans four years ago when he began to stage at Bar 288.
He is on the local A-list today thanks to the help of many pop stars, such as Shocann Chen, a winner of last year's "My Show" singing competition.
Last December, Wang took his team to a new venue, G-Haus Club in Hongqiao. It's one of the first clubs to effectively combine live shows and the nightclub scene. He says it helps him realize his musical dreams.
"I hope G-haus will become a bigger platform for more local pop musicians, a place where they can have more interaction with audience," says Wang.
The name G-Haus holds special meaning for Wang.
"Haus has two levels of meaning," he says. "One, it sounds the same as my first name, Hao. Second, it represents music house, which is my dream music style for the bar."
Wang surmounts many difficulties in his early career.
"Ten years ago I had the chance to be a contracted singer. Two other musicians and I were to become a creative singing group," says Wang.
But the deal fell through, and Wang had to start over.
"After that failure, I was very low for a long period of time, disappointed and without direction," he recalls.
The difficulties represented valuable lessons.
Wang plays it all - pop, jazz, rock and bossa nova.
"Wang's songs and voice are touching. Every time he starts to sing Fish Leong's 'Kexi Bushi Ni' ('Sadly, It's Not You'), it makes me want to cry," says Donna Chiang, a fan and regular at Bar 288.
"I like all types of music, but my favorite is still R&B, especially when I was younger," says Wang. When he wants to relax, he listens to electronic and rock and roll.
On New Year's Eve, Wang gave an outdoor concert at Jinqiao Garden Square in Pudong.
Last September and October he gave two successful jazz concerts at the Grand Hyatt Concert Hall, collaborating both times with E-Groove, a veteran Shanghai jazz band.
"Few people know that I have sung jazz for more than 12 years," he says. "I try to show my musical talents as much as possible, in every kind of live show.
"I look forward to staging different shows and collaborating with more talented musicians," says Wang.
Wang surprises people with his hard work, and his friends call him the "Man of Steel" because he's always making music. From practice, rehearsal to performance, he often gets only four hours of sleep a day.
"Without doubt, music is an important way to make a living, but I don't want to be regarded as a commercial musician. Music means much more to me - from art to emotion," says Wang.
His latest event at G-Haus moved the audience.
One of Wang's friends, a night club manager, was injured in a traffic accident last year. As soon as Wang heard about it, he decided to stage a charity show.
"I organized the charity event in three days, and donated all proceeds, 10,000 yuan (US$1,465) to my injured friend to help pay medical expenses," Wang says.
"I see all fellows as my family and I try my best to help them, just as they help me," he adds.
Date: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10:30pm
Venue: Melting Pot, 288 Taikang Rd
Tel: 6467-9900
Date: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11:30pm
Venue: G-Haus Club, 2/F, Galaxy Hotel, 888 Zhongshan Rd W.
Tel: 1390-1630-877 (Wei Wei)
He is a famous regular, notably the lead singer at the Melting Pot at 288 Taikang Road (Bar 288) and G-Haus Club in the Galaxy Hotel in Hongqiao area. He performs with his musician friends. He's vocalist, pianist, drummer and bass.
Shanghai Daily recently interviewed the easygoing, affable musician about the music scene and his own plans. The 30-year-old singer arrived by his usual transport, a powerful motorcycle.
Wang was born into a scholar's family; both his parents are teachers. He graduated from the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music, but didn't take the classical path. He chose a path of greater freedom in music and bought a motorcycle.
Wang started his music career as a pub singer since 1994 at a cafe, and drew many fans four years ago when he began to stage at Bar 288.
He is on the local A-list today thanks to the help of many pop stars, such as Shocann Chen, a winner of last year's "My Show" singing competition.
Last December, Wang took his team to a new venue, G-Haus Club in Hongqiao. It's one of the first clubs to effectively combine live shows and the nightclub scene. He says it helps him realize his musical dreams.
"I hope G-haus will become a bigger platform for more local pop musicians, a place where they can have more interaction with audience," says Wang.
The name G-Haus holds special meaning for Wang.
"Haus has two levels of meaning," he says. "One, it sounds the same as my first name, Hao. Second, it represents music house, which is my dream music style for the bar."
Wang surmounts many difficulties in his early career.
"Ten years ago I had the chance to be a contracted singer. Two other musicians and I were to become a creative singing group," says Wang.
But the deal fell through, and Wang had to start over.
"After that failure, I was very low for a long period of time, disappointed and without direction," he recalls.
The difficulties represented valuable lessons.
Wang plays it all - pop, jazz, rock and bossa nova.
"Wang's songs and voice are touching. Every time he starts to sing Fish Leong's 'Kexi Bushi Ni' ('Sadly, It's Not You'), it makes me want to cry," says Donna Chiang, a fan and regular at Bar 288.
"I like all types of music, but my favorite is still R&B, especially when I was younger," says Wang. When he wants to relax, he listens to electronic and rock and roll.
On New Year's Eve, Wang gave an outdoor concert at Jinqiao Garden Square in Pudong.
Last September and October he gave two successful jazz concerts at the Grand Hyatt Concert Hall, collaborating both times with E-Groove, a veteran Shanghai jazz band.
"Few people know that I have sung jazz for more than 12 years," he says. "I try to show my musical talents as much as possible, in every kind of live show.
"I look forward to staging different shows and collaborating with more talented musicians," says Wang.
Wang surprises people with his hard work, and his friends call him the "Man of Steel" because he's always making music. From practice, rehearsal to performance, he often gets only four hours of sleep a day.
"Without doubt, music is an important way to make a living, but I don't want to be regarded as a commercial musician. Music means much more to me - from art to emotion," says Wang.
His latest event at G-Haus moved the audience.
One of Wang's friends, a night club manager, was injured in a traffic accident last year. As soon as Wang heard about it, he decided to stage a charity show.
"I organized the charity event in three days, and donated all proceeds, 10,000 yuan (US$1,465) to my injured friend to help pay medical expenses," Wang says.
"I see all fellows as my family and I try my best to help them, just as they help me," he adds.
Date: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10:30pm
Venue: Melting Pot, 288 Taikang Rd
Tel: 6467-9900
Date: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11:30pm
Venue: G-Haus Club, 2/F, Galaxy Hotel, 888 Zhongshan Rd W.
Tel: 1390-1630-877 (Wei Wei)
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