K-pop star Henry Lau enjoys the weather and food in Malaysia. Photo: Handout
When Chinese-Canadian artiste Henry Lau was asked how life has been in 2023, he couldn’t believe how fast time has passed.
But that’s no surprise, given that Lau has been booked and busy with projects after projects – from a string of new song releases to performing at music festivals and doing promotions throughout the year.
“I released my songs Moonlight, Real Love Still Exists and Summer Sky this year so most of the year was spent preparing for the song releases and promotions.
“I’ve been super busy but feel good about how 2023 went,” the 34-year-old said in an exclusive email interview with StarLifestyle.
Lau was in Malaysia last month to perform at the 9 Wave Music Festival in Sunway Lagoon alongside other K-pop stars such as (G)I-DLE, Xiumin of Exo, Hyoyeon of Girls Generation, Shaun and Bobby.
During his time in the country, he found time to visit the Petronas Twin Towers, Petaling Street and lively Jalan Alor in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Reflecting on his recent Malaysian trip, Lau said: “I was so touched to see my Malaysian fans at the airport when I arrived. The most memorable moment was seeing a fan in a Snoopy costume holding sunflowers.
“I loved the warm weather and enjoyed the amazing food here.”
Pop star in the making
Lau’s passion for music blossomed at six, when he began learning to play the violin. He later added the piano, guitar and drums to his repertoire.
In 2005, the multi-talented idol received the Canadian Royal Conservatory of Music Regional Gold Medal for Level 10 in violin.
Lau has also been been nicknamed “one-man band” by Chinese netizens following a viral performance at the Zhejiang TV Autumn Festival in 2019, where he played multiple instruments – including the electric violin, marimba, drum pads and piano – while singing.
In 2006, Lau passed Korean giant, SM Entertainment’s global audition and jetted off from his hometown in Toronto, Canada to South Korea, ready to start a new chapter in his life as a K-pop star.
But there was one problem. He couldn’t speak Korean and only spoke English and minimal Chinese.
As a result, he had to attend Korean and Chinese language classes daily for six hours, according to a news portal.
Lau’s hard work eventually paid off when he became a part of Super Junior-M, the Chinese subunit of Korean boy band Super Junior, in 2008.
With the group, he released songs like Me, Blue Tomorrow, Break Down and Swing.
In 2013, Lau branched out as a solo artiste with his debut EP, Trap – which won in the Best Selling Korean/Japanese Album category at the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Awards the following year.
After his contract with SM Entertainment expired in 2018, Lau signed with Monster Entertainment Group and released tracks like Untitled Love Song, Nice Things and Radio under the label.
Reflecting on his 15 years in the entertainment industry, the singer told StarLifestyle: “I don’t think this job can ever get old.
“Every festival I go to, every song I release, it’s all unique in its own way and I get to learn and grow from each passing experience.”
Expanding his repertoire
Like many other K-pop idols, Lau has also branched out to explore other artistic endeavours. He ventured into acting in 2013 and has appeared in K-dramas like Oh My Venus (2015) and Level Up (2019).
He has also participated in Korean reality programmes such as Real Man (2014) and I Live Alone (2017-2021), for which he received the Best Newcomer Award and Excellence Male Award respectively at the MBC Entertainment Awards.
As a solo artiste, Lau became more active in China in 2016, appearing in a slew of variety shows in the country, including Sisters Over Flowers 2, Are You Normal 3 and Fly Over Kitchen.
The multi-faceted idol made his Hollywood debut with A Dog’s Journey in 2019 and was given the lead role in the 2020 Chinese fantasy action film, Double Sword.
Lau revealed that it was Malaysian actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh who got him interested and passionate about acting. He starred opposite the Oscar-winning actress in the 2013 movie, Final Recipe.
Lau (top right) stars opposite Yeoh (middle) in 'Final Recipe'. Photo: Handout
“Michelle, she really helped me out a lot throughout that film. She kind of took me under her wing, and she taught me all of these things about acting, and she was actually the one that kind of got me really into acting.
“From there, opportunities just kept coming up,” he revealed in a TV interview.
Yeoh, 61, wasn’t the only Malaysian celebrity Lau had the opportunity to work with. Earlier in March, the K-pop star teamed up with Malaysian songbird Yuna on the track Real Love Still Exists.
Recounting his experience working with her, Lau told StarLifestyle: “I’ve been a fan of Yuna for a long time, so this collaboration was an amazing experience for me.
“(Although) we didn’t get to work in a studio together, I still remember the moment I first received her vocals. I was wowed by her angelic and unique voice.”
Enjoying life’s little pleasures
As someone who juggles work across the United States, South Korea and China, free time is something Lau rarely has.
So whenever those rare moments do present themselves, he always ensures to make the most out of it.
“I either try to learn new things such as playing with new technology or instruments or catch up on sleep.
“A recent hobby of mine is finding new and useful gadgets to put in my office. For example, I turned the small tables in my office into whiteboards where I can write and draw my ideas, so it’s easier to visualise when brainstorming,” he said.
Lau’s source of happiness these days comes from the little things in life such as playing with his dog Charlie, going out for walks, interacting with fans and meeting his friends.
“Recently, I’ve had my childhood friends from Toronto come watch my show. Afterwards, we ate dinner together which made me reminisce about my childhood,” he said.
Lau finds joy in the little things in life. Photo: HandoutIn moments where Lau is caught up with work, he will try his best to inject some fun into his tasks for a fulfilling experience.
In fact, the singer’s latest release, Summer Sky, holds a very special place in his heart as he had “zero stress” while working on the track.
“I tried to make the #SummerSkyChallenge and promotions as fun as possible. For the music video, I called out my best friends – Austin, Gen and Amos – pulled an all-nighter and filmed everything while having a blast,” he said.
But of course, life isn’t a bed of roses. Whenever he’s feeling down, Lau will count on his devoted fans to lift him up.
“When I’m down I look at videos from my fans. No matter how hard the challenge, it helps me keep going.
“It makes me realise my meaning and purpose; bringing joy to the people who love and support me from all around the world,” he shared.
In return for their unconditional support, Lau promises to deliver the highest quality performance possible for his stages, films and television projects.
Presently, the singer is working on a new album. His last album, Journey, was released three years ago.
“I know my fans have been waiting a long time for my new album. I am still preparing for it, spending my time perfecting it. So please wait a little longer!” he said.
Although Lau has spent more than a decade in the industry, there are still many things he hopes to accomplish.
To him, every passing day is another opportunity to learn something new.
“My goal is to do a world tour one day and to just keep doing what I’m doing right now as long as possible,” he said.
