Faye Wong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Faye Wong
王菲
Wong in 2011
Born	Xia Lin (1969-08-08) 8 August 1969 (age 55) Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Citizenship	Chinese (Hong Kong)
Occupation	Singer-songwriter record producer actress
Years active	1989–2005 2010-present
Spouse(s)	Dou Wei ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 1999)​ Li Yapeng ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2013)​
Partner(s)	Nicholas Tse (2000–2003, 2014–present)
Children	Leah Dou Li Yan
Musical career
Also known as	Shirley Wong (王靖雯)
Origin	Hong Kong
Genres	C-pop (both Mandopop and Cantopop) C-rock dream pop Buddhist music J-pop
Labels	Cinepoly EMI Sony Music
Chinese name
Chinese	王菲
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wáng Fēi Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Wong4 Fei1 Hong Kong Romanisation Wong Fei
Stage name
Chinese	王靖雯
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wáng Jìngwén Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Wong4 Zing6man4 Hong Kong Romanisation Wong Tsin-man
Birth name
Chinese	夏林
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xià Lín Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Haa6 Lam4 Hong Kong Romanisation Ha Lam

Faye Wong (Chinese: 王菲; pinyin: Wáng Fēi; born on 8 August 1969) is a famous singer, songwriter, and actress from Hong Kong. She was born in Beijing, China. When she was 18, she moved to Hong Kong.

Faye Wong started her music career in 1989 with her first album, Shirley Wong. She became well-known for mixing different music styles, like alternative music, with popular Chinese pop songs. After 1994, she mostly sang in Mandarin, which is her first language.

She is one of the biggest pop stars in places where Chinese is spoken. She also has many fans in Japan and Southeast Asia. In Western countries, she is best known for her roles in movies by Wong Kar-wai, such as Chungking Express (1994) and 2046 (2004). Faye Wong has worked with international groups like Cocteau Twins. She has also sung a few songs in English, including "Eyes on Me" (1999), which was the theme song for the video game Final Fantasy VIII.

Faye Wong is known for being a "diva with few words" in public. She has a reputation for her "cool" personality. In 2000, the Guinness World Records recognized her as the best-selling female Cantopop artist. By March 2000, she had sold about 9.7 million copies of her albums. After her second marriage in 2005, she took a break from music, but she has returned to perform sometimes.

Early Life and Moving to Hong Kong

Faye Wong was born in Beijing, China, in 1969. Her father, Wang Youlin, was a mining engineer. Her mother, Xia Guiying, was a singer. Faye also has an older brother named Wang Yi.

As a student, Faye Wong loved to sing. She even released six cassette albums of cover songs between 1985 and 1987. Many of these songs were by her favorite singer, Teresa Teng.

In 1987, when she was 18, Faye moved to Hong Kong to live with her father. She planned to study at a university later. However, she felt lonely because she didn't know Cantonese, the language spoken in Hong Kong. She started taking singing lessons with Tai See-Chung, a famous teacher. In 1988, she signed with Cinepoly Records after winning third place in a singing contest.

Music Career Highlights

Early Years: 1989–1991

When Faye Wong started her career, her music company asked her to use a stage name, Shirley Wong. Her first album, Shirley Wong, came out in 1989. She released two more albums that featured many cover songs from American and Japanese artists.

Later, Faye Wong went to the United States for professional training. She spent about two months in New York, taking classes and exploring the city. This experience helped her feel more independent and rebellious, like she was before moving to Hong Kong. When she returned, she found a new agent, Katie Chan, who has been her agent ever since.

Finding Her Sound: 1992–1995

In 1992, Faye Wong released Coming Home. This album showed a new musical style with R&B influences. It also featured her new English name, "Faye." A song from this album, "Fragile Woman," became a huge hit after being used in a popular TV show. This success made her decide to stay in Hong Kong and continue her music career.

In 1993, she wrote the lyrics for her song "No Regrets," which became very popular. Her album 100,000 Whys (1993) showed influences from alternative music from the West. She also covered "Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos.

Faye Wong loved the Scottish band Cocteau Twins, and their style influenced her album Random Thoughts. Her version of The Cranberries' "Dreams" was used in the movie Chungking Express and became very popular. She also wrote her own songs, like "Pledge" with her boyfriend Dou Wei, and "Exit," which shared her thoughts on life and her future.

In 1994, she released two Mandarin albums, Mystery and Sky, in Taiwan. These albums made her famous in all Chinese-speaking regions. The song "I'm Willing" from Mystery became one of her most famous Mandarin songs. By the mid-1990s, with many best-selling albums and concerts, Faye Wong was known as a "heavenly queen" in the Chinese music world.

In 1995, she released Decadent Sounds of Faye, an album of songs by her idol, Teresa Teng. She also released Di-Dar, a Cantonese album that mixed alternative styles with Indian and Middle Eastern sounds.

Artistic Growth and International Fame: 1996–1999

In 1996, Faye Wong released Fuzao (meaning Restless or Impatience). This album was very artistic and included songs written by the Cocteau Twins. Even though it was her favorite, some fans found it too experimental. After this album, Faye Wong became the first Chinese singer to be featured on the cover of Time magazine.

In 1997, Faye Wong signed with EMI and started singing more in Mandarin. Her first album with EMI, Faye Wong, was more commercial. In 1998, she sang a duet with Na Ying, a famous singer from mainland China, at the CCTV New Year's Gala. Their song, "Let's Meet in 1998," became a huge hit. This helped Faye Wong become even more popular in mainland China, and she held her first concerts there.

Her album Sing and Play (1998) included four songs she composed herself. It was one of the best-selling Chinese albums in Singapore in 1999.

In 1999, Faye Wong recorded "Eyes on Me" in English for the video game Final Fantasy VIII. This was the first time a Japanese video game used a Chinese singer for its theme song. The song sold over 335,000 copies in Japan and 500,000 worldwide, winning "Song of the Year" in Japan. This made her popular among gamers in Western countries. She also held two sold-out concerts in Japan at the Nippon Budokan, becoming the first Chinese singer to perform there.

Her album Lovers & Strangers (1999) sold over 800,000 copies and topped charts across Asia. This album was written by Albert Leung, who often writes lyrics for Faye Wong.

New Millennium and Hiatus: 2000–2009

In 2000, Faye Wong released Fable, which was known for its unique song structure and themes inspired by fairytales and Buddhist ideas. She also collaborated with producer Zhang Yadong and lyricist Albert Leung, who were known as the "iron triangle."

Her 2001 album, Faye Wong, included songs produced by new artists. One popular song, "Vertigo," was composed by her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Tse. Faye Wong also sang theme songs for movies like Hero and performed at charity concerts.

In 2003, she released To Love, where she wrote the music and lyrics for several songs. This album was very successful. In 2004, she won the Best Female Artist award at the Golden Melody Awards.

In January 2005, Faye Wong announced she was taking a break from music. In July 2005, she married actor Li Yapeng. Their daughter, Li Yan, was born the next year. For four years, Faye Wong stayed out of the spotlight, even turning down big offers to perform. She did sing at a charity event for Sichuan earthquake victims in 2008 and a Buddhist ceremony in 2009.

Return to Music: 2010–Present

Faye Wong made her comeback at the CCTV New Year's Gala in 2010. From 2010 to 2012, she went on her Faye Wong Comeback Tour across Asia. Since then, she has released singles, mostly theme songs for Chinese movies. She also attends fashion shows and appears on TV.

In 2016, Faye Wong held a concert in Shanghai called "Faye's Moments Live 2016." Her daughter, Leah Dou, sang backup vocals. The concert was streamed online and watched by 20 million people. Some critics had mixed reviews about her performance, but her boyfriend, Nicholas Tse, defended her.

In 2018, Faye Wong appeared on two TV shows. In 2020, she was part of an online benefit concert for Covid-19 frontline workers. She also hosted a karaoke live stream with Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma. In 2021, she performed the theme song for the CCTV Mid-Autumn Festival Gala. She released a new song in 2025 for the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Acting Career

Faye Wong started acting in Hong Kong TV dramas in the early 1990s, such as The Legendary Ranger (1993). After becoming a pop star, she took a break from TV acting until 2001, when she starred in the Japanese drama Uso Koi.

She gained international praise for her role in Wong Kar-wai's film Chungking Express (1994). She won the Best Actress Award at the 1996 Stockholm International Film Festival for this role. Wong Kar-wai said she was "the most unique actress" he had ever worked with. She also filmed 2046 (2004), another movie by Wong Kar-wai, over several years.

In 2000, she starred in Okinawa Rendez-vous. In 2002, she was in the comedy Chinese Odyssey 2002, which earned her a Best Actress nomination. In 2004, she also starred in the romance film Leaving Me, Loving You.

Personal Life and Charity Work

Religion

Faye Wong has been a Buddhist since the early 1990s. She has released many Buddhist songs. In 2001, she released a Buddhist album to help raise money for a Nepalese guru and to build a large Buddha statue. She also donated a lot of money to the project.

Relationships

Faye Wong married rock star Dou Wei in 1996. Their daughter, Leah, was born in 1997. Leah's voice can be heard in some of Faye Wong's songs. Faye and Dou Wei divorced in 1999.

From 2000 to 2003, Faye Wong had an on-and-off relationship with Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse. In 2003, she started a relationship with Chinese actor Li Yapeng. They married in July 2005. After their marriage, Faye took a long break from her entertainment career. Their daughter, Li Yan, was born in 2006. In 2013, Faye Wong and Li Yapeng announced their divorce. In 2014, Faye Wong and Nicholas Tse got back together.

Charities

In 2006, Li Yapeng shared that their daughter, Li Yan, was born with a cleft lip. Faye Wong and Li Yapeng started the Smile Angel Foundation to help children with clefts.

In December 2006, Faye Wong made her first public appearance since 2005 at the foundation's first fundraising event. She sang her new song "Cheerful Angel," which became the charity's official theme song. In 2007, she sang a version of the Diamond Sutra at another fundraising event. In 2008, Faye and her husband visited children in Tibet who had been helped by their charity.

In 2008, after a terrible earthquake in Sichuan, the couple welcomed a local girl who lost a leg into their family. They agreed to pay for her medical needs and visit her every year. In 2012, the Smile Angel Foundation opened China's first charity children's hospital in Beijing. In 2013, Faye Wong and Li Yapeng were named top philanthropists in China.

Artistry and Concerts

Faye Wong's concerts are mostly about her amazing singing. She rarely dances or talks much to the audience. She is also known for her unique and sometimes unusual fashion on stage, like wearing dreadlocks or silver-painted tears. She once said she wore long sleeves because she didn't know what to do with her hands without choreography.

She usually does not perform encores. She often leaves the stage by sinking below it. For several years, she ended her concerts with the song "Mortal World" while shaking hands with the audience. However, during her Comeback Tour from 2010 to 2012, she ended with "Flower of Paradise." She has performed concerts in North America, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

Legacy and Influence

Faye Wong is a very influential celebrity in China. In 2009, a government website asked people to vote for "The Most Influential Chinese Cultural Celebrity in the Past 60 Years." Faye Wong received over 7 million votes, coming in second only to Teresa Teng, her idol. In 2014, she was named one of the 10 most admired female singers in Asia. A Chinese DJ compared her influence in the Chinese-speaking world to Madonna's in America, saying Faye Wong represents a unique style of pop music.

Many artists have created songs that pay tribute to Faye Wong. Her songs have also been covered in other languages, like Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. The Japanese director Shunji Iwai said that a pop star character in his 2001 film All About Lily Chou-Chou was inspired by a Faye Wong concert.

Discography

Concert Tours

Setlists

The following setlists only include songs released in the concert albums, not all songs performed during the tours.

Filmography

Films

Television

Awards and Achievements

See Also

In Spanish: Faye Wong para niños