The Dick Lee phenomenon started in 1971, at the tender age of fifteen. Dick started participating in various talent contests with the groups, Harmony and Dick and the Gang (teaming with his siblings). His first album, LIFE STORY, featuring his own compositions, was released in 1974.
Throughout the 70s and 80s, Dick championed the inclusion of Asian elements in pop music. His pioneering album, LIFE IN THE LION CITY (1984), won an acclaim but the album that shot him to regional prominence was his 1989 release, THE MAD CHINAMAN, which achieved platinum status in Singapore in just 3 months.
In 1990 Dick moved to Japan where he continued to develop the new Asian identity through his solo work, as well as collaborate with top Asian artistes like Sandy Lam from Hong Kong and Japanese group Zoo. He has to date, written countless songs for the top singing talents in Asia including Jackie Cheung, Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Anita Mui, Miyazawa of The Boom and Stephanie Sun amongst others.
Dick is also passionate about musicals. He has written many staged musicals including BEAUTY WORLD (1988), FRIED RICE PARADISE (1991), KAMPONG AMBER (1994), SING TO THE DAWN (1997), FORBIDDEN CITY: PORTRAIT OF AN EMPRESS (2002), which opened the Esplanade in Singapore, and Jacky Cheung’s acclaimed SNOW.WOLF.LAKE (1997), which toured Asia in 2005. NAGRALAND (1992) toured Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong in a sold-out season. Dick continues his love of theatre by being Associate Artistic Director of The Singapore Repertory Theatre, an appointment he has held since 1998.
A dream came true for Dick when he was appointed the Creative Director for Singapore’s 2002 National Day Parade. Coincidentally, his song We Will Get There was selected to be 2002’s national song, and the theme song for the parade. Top Singapore-born Chinese pop superstar Stephanie Sun performed the song and also included it in her own top-selling album. This is his second National song, having written Home, performed by Kit Chan, in 1998.
Apart from music, Dick’s other passion is fashion, having studied fashion design at Harrow School of Art in London. His interest began at the early age of 16 when he designed for his mother’s boutique Midteen. His fashion career has taken him to Carrie Models, where he scouted and trained top Singapore models, and designing his own labels for his boutique Ping Pong, as well as in Hemispheres, the first young designer store he set up with his partner Alan Koh. Dick has also worked with Singapore label Celia Loe and is currently Creative Director of Island Shop.
Other forays in the fashion world include Display Director for Tangs departmental store in 1984, fashion editor of Female magazine in 1986 and one of the founders of the Society of Designing Arts, which spearheaded the introduction of Singapore designers to the local fashion market.
From 1982 to 1990, Dick also ran his own event company Runway Productions which specialized in fashion and tourism events, including sales tours of the USA, convention opening presentations and even a fashion parade on orchard Road. His company also had a hand in the creation of the Boom Boom Room, a successful cabaret featuring a transvestite show in the tradition of the legendary Bugis Street.
In addition, Dick was also the Creative Director for the annual Christmas Light-Up on Orchard Road and the Marina area, decorating the streets of Singapore in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Dick celebrated the 30th anniversary of his career in 2004 with the release of a 5 CD compilation as well as his autobiography THE ADVENTURES OF THE MAD CHINAMAN. He also created DICK LEE’S SUNSHINE PROJECT, a charity for handicapped children and youth counselling centres, in conjunction with the Community Chest of Singapore.
More Recently, Dick was one of the judges for the Singaporean incarnation of the popular IDOL platform, was the host for the first ever High Definition Television programme FINER SIDE (2006), and the Creative Director for Singapore Day 2008 held in Melbourne.
In acknowledgement for Dick’s works and contribution to the music scene, he was been awarded numerous accolades. Some achievements include:
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COMPASS Wings of Excellence Award |
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COMPASS Awards Top Local English Pop Song |
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| 2008 |
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Boh Cameronian Arts Awards for Best Music (P. Ramlee the Musical) |
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| 2007 |
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Boh Cameronian Arts Awards for Best Music (Puteri Gunung Ledang) |
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| 2006 |
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Compass Composer of the Year Awards |
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| 2005 |
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Singapore Cultural Medallion |
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Compass Composer of the Year Awards |
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| 2004 |
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Best Malay Pop Song <Sandarkan> in the COMPASS Awards |
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Life! Theatre Awards for Best Music (Forbidden City) |
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| 2003 |
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Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes - Arts & Culture Prize |
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| 2001 |
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Top Local Composer of the Year in the COMPASS Awards |
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| 2000 |
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Top Local Composer of the Year in the COMPASS Awards |
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| 1999 |
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Best Original Movie Theme Song in the Hong Kong Academy Awards for the theme song of the movie The City of Glass, starring Leon Lai and Shu Qi. |
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COMPASS Awards Artistic Excellence Award |
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COMPASS Awards Top Local Chinese Pop Song |
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COMPASS Awards Top Local Composer of the Year |
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| 1998 |
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COMPASS Awards Top Local English Pop Song |
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COMPASS Awards Top Local Composer of the Year |
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| 1996 |
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Best Original Movie Theme Song in the Golden Horse Awards for his song, The Search of My Life, which was selected as the theme song for the hit movie, He is a Woman, She is a Man, starring Leslie Cheung, and Anita Yuen. |
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| 1995 |
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The Perfect 10 Music Achievement Award for outstanding contribution in the Singapore Music scene, by leading radio station, Perfect 10. |
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DICK LEE’S MUSICAL WORKS |
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| ALBUMS |
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| 2004 |
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LIFE/STORIES (compilation) |
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| 2003 |
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RICE (instrumental) |
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| 2000 |
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EVERYTHING |
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| 1999 |
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TRANSIT LOUNGE |
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| 1995 |
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SINGAPOP |
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| 1994 |
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SECRET ISLAND
COMPASS (Cantonese) |
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| 1993 |
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HONG KONG RHAPSODY (instrumental), LIFE STORY (compilation) |
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| 1992 |
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THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY, PEACE, LIFE, LOVE (Christmas album) |
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| 1991 |
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ORIENTALISM |
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| 1990 |
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ASIA MAJOR |
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| 1989 |
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MAD CHINAMAN, WHEN I PLAY (compilation) |
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| 1987 |
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CONNECTIONS |
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| 1986 |
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THE SONGS FROM LONG AGO
THE SONGS OF CHRISTMAS (Christmas album)
FRIED RICE PARADISE (compilation) |
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| 1985 |
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RETURN TO BEAUTY WORLD |
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| 1984 |
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LIFE IN THE LION CITY
SURIRAM (single) |
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| 1979 |
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INTERNATIONALAND (single) |
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| 1974 |
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LIFE STORY |
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| MUSICALS |
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| 2008 |
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KNIGHT STAR – Commissioned by Chivas Regal ( China ), SUNSHINE GIRL – Commissioned by VivoCity ( Singapore ) |
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| 2007 |
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P. RAMLEE THE MUSICAL ( Malaysia, Singapore ) |
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| 2006 |
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PUTERI GUNUNG LEDANG ( Malaysia, Singapore ), MAN OF LETTERS ( Singapore ) |
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| 2002 |
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FORBIDDEN CITY: PORTRAIT OF AN EMPRESS ( Singapore , also 2003, 2006) |
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| 1997 |
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HOTPANTS ( Singapore ), A TWIST OF FATE ( Singapore , also 2005)
SNOW. WOLF.LAKE ( Hong Kong , Singapore , Taiwan , China , also 2004, 2005) |
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| 1996 |
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SING TO THE DAWN ( Singapore ) |
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| 1994 |
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KAMPUNG AMBER ( Singapore ), MORTAL SINS ( Singapore ) |
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| 1993 |
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HONG KONG RHAPSODY ( Japan ), FANTASIA ( Singapore , Japan ) |
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| 1992 |
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NAGRALAND ( Singapore , Hong Kong , Japan ) |
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| 1991 |
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FRIED RICE PARADISE ( Singapore ) |
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| 1988 |
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BEAUTY WORLD (Singapore, also 1993, 1998, 2008) |
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| TELEVISION MUSICALS |
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| 1999 |
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PHUA CHU KANG ( Singapore ) |
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1998 |
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UNDER ONE ROOF ( Singapore ) |
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| SPECIAL COMMISSIONS |
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| 2008 |
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Singapore Kindness Movement theme song (Singapore), Orchard Central theme song and music programming (Singapore) |
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| 2006 |
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15th ASIAN GAMES ( Qatar ) |
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2003 |
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NATIONAL DAY PARADE ( Singapore ) |
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| FILM MUSIC |
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| 2000
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AND I HATE YOU SO ( Hong Kong Film Academy Nomination) |
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CITY OF GLASS ( Hong Kong Film Academy Award) |
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| 1993 |
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SHE’S A MAN, HE’S A WOMAN (Hong Kong Film Academy Award) |
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| RECENT APPEARANCES |
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| 2007
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Judge on Live the Dream (Mediacorp) |
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2006 |
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Performances:
- Allen & Gledhill Christmas Lunch
- 6th Japan Singapore Symposium
- President’s Star Charity
- Cold Storage 28th Anniversary
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| 2005 |
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Silk Road Charity Concert with The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Judge on Singapore Idol (Mediacorp) |
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| 2004 |
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Judge on Singapore Idol (Mediacorp) |
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| OTHERS |
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Creative Director for Singapore Day 2008 (Melbourne, Australia) |
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Wrote the Theme song “Alive” for Singapore International Water Week (2008) |
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Performed at the SCO/Woodbridge Charity Concert |
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Host on The Finer Side (Mediacorp) |
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Delivered Speech at 40th Anniversary of Japan and Singapore Diplomatic Relations |
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