Howard Lee: Midem Talent Exporter
Howard Lee is one of 12 selected artists from around the world taking part in the Midem Talent Exporter section and interact with Steve Aoki.
Indie singer-songwriter Lee has emerged only recently, but has already made a major mark in Taiwan. Since 2018, he has been a vocalist in two bands Formoza and Mono, which perform in completely different genres. But it is as a solo act that he has really gained a following. In 2019, he uploaded his first single “Loser” and followed that with his first album “Diamond in The Rough.” He claims soul, blues, funk, indie rock, and post-hardcore, as major influences, with “Diamond” straddling R&B, pop, and electronics.
Midem Songwriting Camp
Using a multitude of Zoom meetings over a period of four days in October, five Taiwanese musicians met up with international producers and artists, to compose original songs online. The results will be performed at a closed-door listening session on Nov. 19. Artist descriptions below are sourced from Midem’s blog.
ØZI
Born in America, R&B and hip-hop artist ØZI often rhymes his beats with subjects like sophisticated stylishness and erotic love affair. He also directs most of his music videos. ØZI’s collaboration with other singers and metal bands goes beyond the border and he is now becoming a recognizable name in Asia.
Chih Siou:
Young yet talented, singer-songwriter Chih Siou started his creative career from his bedroom and is now one of the biggest upcoming new waves in Taiwan. His works of art pop, alongside his unique vibe of quirkiness and gender-neutral image, has made him an icon of Generation Z in Taiwan.
Trout Fresh
Trout Fresh raps mostly about mundane daily life and “normal people” which resonates with his audiences. His talents are without a doubt beyond average as he has written and produced numerous compositions for fellow rappers of his generation.
Shi Shi Sun
Recurrent music award nominee and winner, Shi Shi Sun’s soothing and tender vocal and crafted production have made her a familiar face for R&B lovers in Taiwan. She is also well known in the Mandopop realm for singing theme songs of major drama series.
Starr Chen
Music producer Starr Chen is not to be missed. He has more experience than the rest of the attendees and is known for his production of Taiwanese megastar Jolin Tsai’s album Play. From a solo rapper, shout-out with witty lyrics to a well-rounded producer, Starr Chen specializes in hip-hop, R&B, DubStep and Progressive House.
