Ken Lim

Last updated

Ken Lim
Ken lim.jpg
Singapore Idol and The Final 1 judge
Born
Singapore
Occupation(s)Composer, music producer, publisher, artiste manager, concert promoter, campaign management and concepts development.
Years active1977–present
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 林智強
Simplified Chinese 林智强
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Lín Zhìqiáng

Ken Lim Chih Chiang (born 1964) is a composer, music producer, publisher, artist manager, concert promoter, campaign management and concept development.

Contents

Early life and career

Ken Lim runs one of Singapore's most established record companies, Hype Records, [1] a set-up that does PR & Campaign concepts, Concert Promotions, Artiste & Music Promotions across Asia Pacific region, Artiste Management and TV & film productions.

With more than four decades of significant contribution with regards to the development of Singapore's pop culture, he excels not only in one but in many areas of the music and entertainment industry.

Reputed to be a godfather to the local music and entertainment industry since the 1980s, Lim represented Singapore in numerous song festivals and competition since he was 16. Amongst them, Asia Song Contest, Seoul Song Festival, World Popular Song Festival.

Lim began his career behind the scenes until he agreed to be the chief judge of the Singapore Idol. [2] He drew substantial attention and came under the spotlight with his remarks and deadpan expressions.

Known to be brutally honest [3] and direct with his comments, he is noted for being extremely particular on the delivery of his task.

It is known that during the first Asian Idol competition in Jakarta, Indonesia, Ken being the last judge, predicted the unlikely victory of Hady Mirza while the other judges were praising other contestants to win. On another occasion, during the audition rounds of the third season of Singapore Idol , he accurately foretold that one of the contestants, Sylvia, would be amongst the top 10 out of the thousands of participants that auditioned.

Ken has appeared in numerous magazine covers and press articles over the years and is a respected and well-known all-rounder icon.

Since 2010, Lim is also very much involved in communications and branding for many corporations and public campaigns. Projects were in the likes of Pioneer Generation, Skillfuture, Committee for Future Economy, Lee Kuan Yew Bilingual Fund, [4] Passion Made Possible, etc.

Grooming of local talents

Discovered and developed numerous talents in the likes of Stella Chang, Rui En, Jeanette Aw, Taufik Batisah etc. & also responsible for exporting many local artistes Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and China.

Personal life

Ken is married to Judy Hsu, a Taiwanese Canadian and Singaporean PR who is currently the Regional Chief Executive Officer (ASEAN & South Asia) of Standard Chartered Bank. They met while she was a recording artiste more than 36 years ago. They have two boys.

Timeline of réussite

• 1978 – Employed as an engineer and record producer at EMI Recording Studios while still attending school;

• 1978 – Produced recording artistes in the likes of Sudirman, Tracy Huang, Sarah Chang, et cetera;

• 1981 – Awarded 'The Most Outstanding Composition Award' at the Asia Popular Song Festival at the age of 17;

• 1984 – Represented Singapore at the Seoul Song Festival held in Korea with composition 'I Live in the past';

• 1985 – Awarded the 'Most Outstanding Television Theme Song' for 2 consecutive years;

• 1991 – Commissioned to produce the official theme songs for the XI Asian Games in Beijing;

• 1993 – Commissioned to produce the official theme songs for the XVII SEA Games in Singapore;

• 1994 – Released self-debut instrumental album entitled 'Empyrean' under the EMI Taiwan International;

• 1995 – Wrote songs for Sandy Lam, Stella Chang, Power Station, Linda Lan, et cetera;

• 1995 – Secured a record-breaking recording contract for Stella Chang with EMI International;

• 1998 – Commissioned by the Television Corporation of Singapore to write, produce & brand its channel with the theme 'Your World at Home on 5';

• 1999 – Composed the soundtrack for the Hong Kong films The Truth About Jane and Sam [5] and When I Fall in Love...with Both;

• 1999 – Won Best Movie Theme Song at Compass.;

• 1999 – Wrote the National Day Song 'Together'. [6] The song was performed by artists Dreamz FM and Evelyn Tan and the MV was directed by Hong Kong director Tsui Hark; [7]

• 2000 – Executive Producer for the TV drama series 'Chemistry'; [8]

• 2000 – Produced Singapore's millennium song Moments of Magic, starring Fann Wong, Tanya Chua and Elsa Lin.; [9]

• 2001 – Commissioned by Ministry of Information and the Arts to produce a new version of the National Anthem of Singapore, 'Majulah Singapura' [10] • *this was the official version between 2001-end 2019;

• 2001 – Wrote 'The 'V' in you' (performed by Dreamz FM, a local pop group), to commemorate the international year of volunteers • The 1st Asian composition to be presented and performed at the United Nations Assembly in New York and Asia's first cultural presence at the UN;

• 2002 – Partnered Tsui Hark, Hong Kong's top film director, and produced the world's first cyber recording artistes, AM FM

• 2002 – Won the Siggraph awards in New Orleans for the cyber recording artiste video;

• 2003 – Consultant producer – 'True Hearts Charity Show' for Community Chest;

• 2004 – Became a Judge of Singapore Idol;

• 2004 – Consultant producer – 2nd 'True Hearts Charity Show' for Community Chest;

• 2004 – Promoted Kazumasa Oda's Concert;

• 2004 – Promoted Faye Wong's Concert;

• 2005 – Executive Producer for the TV Series 'Shooting Star";

• 2005 – Produced the National Day Song "Reach out for the Skies"; [11]

• 2004 – Consultant producer – 2nd 'True Hearts Charity Show' for Community Chest;

• 2005 – Executive Producer for the TV Series 'Shooting Star";

• 2005 – Appointed Starhub's Ambassador;

• 2005 – Produced Taufik and Olinda's albums;

• 2005 – Named "Music Producer & Extraordinaire " in the Singapore Book of Records;

• 2006 – Returned as a judge for Singapore Idol season 2;

• 2007 – Was one of 2 primary judges alongside Dick Lee for a reality show "Live The Dream";

• 2007 – Became a Judge of Asian Idol, representing Singapore;

• 2009 – Appointed 7–11 Spokesperson;

• 2009 – Consultant producer – 3rd 'True Hearts Charity Show' for Community Chest;

• 2009 – Returned as chief judge for Singapore Idol Season 3 & wrote the winning song 'Touched by an Angel" [12]

• 2010 – Promoted first ever public concert at Resort World by US artiste "Boys Like Girls" [13]

• 2010 – Executive Producer and songwriter of Everyone – 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games theme song • performed by Jody Williams, Jessica Mauboy, Tabitha Nauser, Steve Appleton & Sean Kingston.; [14]

• 2011 – Music Changes Lives Event; [15]

• 2011 – Consultant producer – 'True Hearts Youth Charity Show' for Community Chest;

• 2013 – Creator and Judge of The Final 1 (Season 1); [16]

• 2015 – Executive Producer and producer for Let's Think About It Season 1 (Social Cohesion/Manpower Concerns/Future as a Global City); [17]

• 2015 – Executive Producer, Producer & Judge for The Final 1 (Season 2); [18]

• 2015 – Executive Producer and producer for Let's Think About It Season 2 (Retirement/Population/Education) [19]

• 2016 – Executive Producer and producer for Let's Think About It Season 3 (SkillsFuture) [20]

• 2016 – Executive Producer and producer for Let's Think About It Season 4 (Multiculturalism); [21]

• 2017 – Executive Producer and producer for Let's Think About It Season 5 (Committee on Future Economy); [22]

• 2017 – Executive Producer and producer for Let's Think About It Season 6 (Preschool Education) [23]

• 2018 – Produced Lee Kuan Yew Bilingual Fund Languages Campaign; [24]

• 2019 – Produced Passion Made Possible Campaign(feat.Ashley Isham, [25] Tan Min Liang, [26] Han Sai Por, [27] Shabir, [28] Sabrina Tan [29] & Ang Kiam Meng [30] );

• 2019 – Executive Producer and producer for "Happy Moments @ Ascott" branding videos for The Ascott Limited. Shot in Singapore, Tokyo and Paris; [31] [32]

• 2020 – Executive Producer for COVID19 Video - If anyone can do it, it's Singapore' for MCI

• 2020 - G.E. Campaign Videos

• 2021 - Consultant for Prudential Socials and Comms (Asia);

• 2021 - Shaping Hearts (North East Community Development Council);

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References

  1. ↑ "Hype Records" www.hyperecords.com
  2. ↑ "The First Singapore Idol is held" http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/c7ead313-f19c-4788-ace9-4ff29a4b2bfd
  3. ↑ "Singapore musicians are so full of themselves" https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/singapore-musicians-full-themselves-ken-lim-070229104.html
  4. ↑ "New video series to promote mother tongue in schools" https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/new-video-series-to-promote-mother-tongue-languages-at-schools
  5. ↑ "真心話" 電影原聲帶 https://music.douban.com/subject/3262729/
  6. ↑ "NDP Song 1999 - Together" https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/music/Media/PDFs/Lyric/e56f44d8-a6ab-490c-9c6b-1f7a1b53eb9d.pdf
  7. ↑ NDP 1999 Theme Song: Together by Evelyn Tan and Dreamz FM. NDPeeps. 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  8. ↑ "Chemistry"
  9. ↑ "Moments of Magic" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moments_of_Magic
  10. ↑ "National Anthem" https://www.nhb.gov.sg/what-we-do/our-work/community-engagement/education/resources/national-symbols/national-anthem
  11. ↑ NDP 2005 Theme Song: Reach out for the Skies by Rui En & Taufik. NDPeeps. 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  12. ↑ "Sezairi Sezali Wins Third Season of Singapore Idol" https://www.myfatpocket.com/lifestyle/entertainment/sezairi-sezali-wins-third-season-of-singapore-idol.html
  13. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Really likes Singapore" https://www.todayonline.com/blogs/poparazzi/boys-girls-singapore-really-review-really
  14. ↑ "Singapore 2010 premieres theme song featuring international artistes" https://www.olympic.org/news/singapore-2010-premieres-theme-song-starring-international-artists-1
  15. ↑ "Brand's changes lives with LeeHom" https://www.herworld.com/lifestyle/brand%E2%80%99s-changes-lives-wang-lee-hom
  16. ↑ "Kit Chan, Taufik and Ken Lim named as judges for "The Final 1" https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/kit-chan-taufik-ken-lim-unveiled-judges-final-104436834.html
  17. ↑ Let's Think About It – Our Social Cohesion (Part 1). govsg. 18 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  18. ↑ "Jermaine Leong, 16, wins singing contest" https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/jermaine-leong-16-wins-singing-contest-the-final-1
  19. ↑ Let's Think About It – Our Population Predicament (Part 1). govsg. 21 August 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  20. ↑ Let's Think About It – SkillsFuture as a National Movement (Part 1). govsg. 25 February 2016. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  21. ↑ Let's Think About It - Multiculturalism (Part 1). govsg. 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  22. ↑ Let's Think About It – What's Ahead in the Future Economy?. govsg. 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  23. ↑ Transforming preschool education. govsg. 25 October 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  24. ↑ Connecting through Mother Tongue Languages. MOE Singapore. 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  25. ↑ Ashley Isham – Creating waves on international fashion stage. govsg. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  26. ↑ Tan Min Liang –The man who knows no limits. govsg. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  27. ↑ Han Sai Por - A sculptor against all odds. govsg. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  28. ↑ Shabir – 1st Singaporean music composer to score six Kollywood Tamil feature films. govsg. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  29. ↑ Sabrina Tan – Turning passion into global skincare business. govsg. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  30. ↑ Ang Kiam Meng - Giving the world a taste of Singapore's chilli crab. govsg. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  31. ↑ Check in to happy moments at Ascott. Discover ASR. 29 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
  32. ↑ Happy moments ahead with Ascott Star Rewards. Discover ASR. 29 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021– via YouTube.
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