Chet Lam

Biography

Chet Lam Yat-Fung is a Hong Kong–based independent "city-folk" singer-songwriter. He is the elder brother of singer Eman Lam.

Biography

Lam was born at Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. He grew up in a public estate, studying at Choi Hung Estate and Chi Wan Shan. He started his own label LYFE Music in 2003, with records distributed by Warner Music and East Asia Records. From 2005 he started expanding his label by presenting shows for blooming artists in town such as at17, FAMA, Wildchild, and My Little Airport. Lam has been collaborating every two years with the Hong Kong theatre "W theatre" from 2003 to 2011.
Lam has been performing professionally from age ten, in broadcasting drama and TV commercial songs. After graduating from City University of Hong Kong, where he majored in Japanese Business, he started songwriting, and has released more than 200 compositions in the Chinese music industry.
In 2003, Lam's debut album "Pillow Songs" was released to warm reception from critics and listeners. As a result, Lam became one of the best-selling singers in Hong Kong. His second album "Travelogue, One" brought him a Best New Artist Award and a Top Ten Album of the Year in the Chinese Music Media Awards.
As a songwriter, he has written many pop hits for such singers as Sammi Cheng, Stefanie Sun, Eason Chan, Dadawa, Elva Hsiao and at17.
Lam has released seven written collections.
In 2012, Lam started another label 'Seeing Creative' organizing shows for independent music acts including Arai Soichiro (Singing Hands), and the Future Sounds of Hong Kong Music Festival which featured five acclaimed local bands: Chokchukmo, RedNoon, ToNick, Modern Children and Supper Moment.
In 2015, Lam founded a crowd funding website www.MusicBee.cc with musicians Vicky Fung, Victor Tse and creative team Why Interactive, dedicated to Chinese independent music artists.

Personal life

In 2005, Chet, who is openly gay, has endorsed Hong Kong Gay Pride, and made headlines in 2005 with a cross-over concert with Miriam Yeung singing "Boys Like Me." As an honest assertion of his same-sex romantic inclination, he had openly addressed his sexual identity in The Advocate.

Quotes

"Lam's appearance not only could start a new chapter in the movement of Hong Kong singer songwriters, his subtle tenderness and fragility that set him apart from the mainstream stereotypical pop music emotions could make his success significant."
– by Tam Kit Wang, Hong Kong, from Ming Pao
"Chet Lam Yat-fung proves with his latest Cantonese-language album, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, that he is Hong Kong's leading singer-songwriter, capable of conveying a wide range of feelings on relationships and life in a touching and entertaining manner."
– Album Review, Hong Kong, from South China Morning Post

Selected awards

Best Song Written for a Movie – "Turn Left, Turn Right", Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan (2003)
Best Folk Artist, Chinese Music Media Awards, China (2004)
Best New Artist, Chinese Music Media Awards, China (2004)
Top Ten Album of the Year – "Travelogue", Chinese Music Media Awards, China (2004)
IFPI Best Selling New Artist Award, Hong Kong (2004)
Song of the Year (Yu Jian), Global Chinese Music Awards, Taiwan (2004)
Best Folk Artist, Chinese Music Media Awards, China (2005)
Best Music, Hong Kong Annual Theatre Awards, Hong Kong (2008)
Best Arrangement for a Song (A Traveler's Heart), TVB8 Golden Awards, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong (2009)
Best Singer-songwriter Bronze, TVB8 Golden Awards, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong (2009)
Best Folk Singer, Top Chinese Music Awards, China (2012)
Album of the Year (Cantonese) – "Requiem for Flowers"(with Shin Wong/Alex Fung), Chinese Music Media Awards, China (2012)
Highest No. of New Works Performed: Composer, 2012 CASH Golden Sail Music Awards, Hong Kong (2012)
Best Folk Singer, Top Chinese Music Awards, China (2016)