Because I had to say this, even if no one out there is listening…

I’ve seriously fallen in love with Wang Lee Hom (王力宏), an American-Taiwanese singer currently living in Taiwan.

It may just be a phase, because I’m finally really understanding Chinese music after learning Mandarin in China. But this feels a lot different from my phase with F4, which was a time in my life where I was too caught up in the Meteor Garden series to actually really say that was learning Mandarin. Which brings me to this point, I’m already 24 (turning 25 this year), yet I’m still star-struck  over some pop-singing sensation who has over 25 million people following him on Weibo, and who knows how many others in the Western world, who adore him.

Every time I see him on my computer screen, I just get giddy all over. He’s such an adorable geek. Looking at him, he’s nothing like the normal pop star. He’s cute, but sometimes he’s so geeky and so into what he’s doing, you wouldn’t imagine that he’s actually past his mid-30’s. He puts himself so much into his music, and even though he’s singing pop or some romantic Chinese song, all of it just reaches out to you. The amazing thing about him, besides his ability to sing, is his ability to compose music and arrange the music composition of his songs. As a fellow writer, I can relate to his writing, and admire and envy his talent at the same time. But finding out that he can compose his own music and arrange the composition of the songs he makes, AND he plays musical instruments. I’m just totally head-over-heels. Add to that the fact that he can speak English, and wears glasses. Physical appearance-wise, he is definitely my type. But not only that, LeeHom exudes an aura of innocence and humility. He speaks his mind, but is always polite, he’s funny and sweet, and he’s really down-to-earth. Those are the kinds of personalities I find really attractive in a guy.

I had a friend before who was really into Jay Chou (周杰伦), and I couldn’t understand why she was so into him, besides the fact that my Mandarin at that time was really poor. Now though, I am starting to understand her feelings.

Unlike most other fans, I cannot say I am obsessed. Most of what I know comes from reading about him on wikipedia and whatever source I might find, as well as listening to his music (and trying to understand what the Chinese words mean),  and the few months that I’ve come to realize how attracted to him and his music I am. I barely know him compared to other fans, but it doesn’t mean that my admiration and respect for him is any less. Looking back at when it started though, it must have been when I went to visit my friend Jerry back when I was living in Beijing, and he had the music channel on. I heard LeeHom’s “春雨里洗过的太阳” (The sunshine washed by the spring rain) and just loved how the music flowed so well, besides it being catchy and nothing too exuberant. I loved it so much that I sang it for my speaking class when we went KTV-ing for our midterms.

I know I should have done this more seriously back when I was still in High School – find a Chinese singer that I really liked and translate their songs into English, or at least use their songs to inspire me to do better in Chinese. But as they say, it’s never too late to start anything, and it’s never too late to fall in love. And so, recently, I listen to Lee Hom’s music and slowly, step by step, try to understand what he’s singing…though I sometimes need the use of my dictionary.

He’s quite amazing though. Musically talented and he speaks Chinese so well. I wonder how he got to become so good in speaking Mandarin, even though he grew up in the US. Unless his parents spoke to him in Mandarin at home, but still, I can only hope that my Mandarin improves more and more, just like him.

Oh my, I am hopelessly in love. I even had a dream of him recently, where we accidentally met on the street and became good friends, and even fell in love. Of course, it all felt so real in the dream (especially since I did meet him by accident – in the dream), that I woke up wanting to go back to sleep. Well, as they say in Tagalog, libre lang naman mangarap, which just means that dreaming doesn’t cost you a thing (so keep dreaming/wishing).

Time to go back to my dreams and to my hopes that I can dream about Wang Lee Hom again.

王力宏，我爱的就是你！