Kelly Chen

ABOUT

Kelly Chen (陈慧琳) is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress. She has been referred to as a "Diva of Asia" (Chinese: 亞洲天后; literally: 'Asia's Heavenly Queen'). Chen has great success in the Asia entertainment industry with nearly 20 million record sales of 38 albums. She has won over 300 awards and is involved in many philanthropic activities. She was rewarded as one of "The Outstanding Young Persons of the World" in 2004 by the Junior Chamber International and "Young Global Leaders" by World Economi

PROFILE

• Name: Kelly Chen 陳慧琳
• iBirth Name:  Vivian Chen Wai-man
• Birthday: September 13, 1973
• Birthplace: Hong Kong
• Height: 173 cm
• Spouse(s): Alex Lau (m. 2008)
• Children: Chace Lau (son)
  Riley Lau (son)
• Labels: Go East Entertainment Company, DECCA, Universal Music
• Occupation: Singer
• Years Active: 1995 - present

FILMOGRAPHY

 Movies

    The Monkey King | Da Nao Tian Gong (2014) - Goddess of Mercy - Guanyin
    Tales From The Dark Part 1 (2013)
    All's Well, Ends Well 2012 (2012)
    An Empress and the Warriors | Jiang Shan Mei Ren (2008)
    It's a Wonderful Life | Sum seung si sing (2007)
    McDull, the Alumni | Chun tian hua hua tong xue hui (2006)
    Super Model | Wo yao zuo model (2004)
    Breaking News | Daai si gin (2004) - Commissioner Rebecca Fong
    Infernal Affairs III | Mou gaan dou III: Jung gik mou gaan (2003) - Dr. Lee Sum Yee
    Infernal Affairs | Mou gaan dou (2002) - Dr. Lee Sum Yee
    Between Calmness and Passion | Reisei to Jonetsu no Aida (2001) - Aoi
    Merry-Go-Round | Choh luen kwong cha min (2001) - Fung's admirer
    Lavender | Fan yi cho (2001) - Athena
    And I Hate You So | Siu chan chan (2000) - Luna Ng
    Tokyo Raiders | Dong jing gong lüe (2000) - Macy
    Metade Fumaca | Ban zhi yan (1999) - Policewoman
    Hot War | Waan ying dak gung (1998) - Blue Szeto
    Anna Magdalena | Ngon na ma dak lin na (1998) - Mok Man-Yee
    Lost and Found | Tian ya hai jiao (1996) - Chai Lam
    The Age of Miracles | Ma ma fan fan (1996) - Policewoman
    Whatever Will Be, Will Be | Xian yue piao piao (1995) - Wing (Ms Lee) 

TRIVIA

Famous characters
    TV series :c Forum in 2009. Chen is a lyric mezzo-soprano.
Chen has earned 83 million HKD (US$10.7 million) in 2014.

Chen was born Vivian Chen Wai-man on 13 September 1973 in Hong Kong. She attended Canadian Academy International School in Kobe, Japan, for high school. During her time in Japan, she worked for a bakery as a summer job, it was that time she experienced first hand the diligence of Japanese's working culture. She later went to Parsons The New School for Design in New York City, where she studied graphic art.

Chen speaks fluent Cantonese, and in various degrees of fluency, Mandarin, Japanese, and English. She has an elder sister and a younger brother, singer Victor Chen Si-hon.

Early career:
In 1994, while still a student at Parsons The New School for Design, Chen made two commercials, one for Shanghai Beer and one for the Bank of Hong Kong.  After graduating from Parsons in 1995, Chen returned to Hong Kong. She was introduced to an acquaintance who owned a production studio and was chosen to feature in a Jacky Cheung music video. 

1995: Chen made her film debut in Whatever Will Be, Will Be (仙樂飄飄) and sang the film's theme song. In September 1995, Chen performed the song "Mou Tian" composed by composer Steve Barakatt then released a compilation album, Break the Sky, with three other singers, and then her first Cantonese album, Intoxicated Lover (醉迷情人), in December. It was a success in Hong Kong and furthered her acting and musical career.

1996: Chen released her first Mandarin language album, I Don't Think So (我不以為), in, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore, which sold over 150,000. Following the album's success, she produced another Cantonese CD in October 1996, Wind, Flower, Snow (風花雪). "Wind, Flower, Snow" is a very popular song in Hong Kong. In November 1996, Chen released her first Cantonese single, "Traveler". in Japan That year also saw her first stint as a Japanese singer when she released two Japanese singles.

1997: Chen performed her first ever concert, Starry Dream of Love (星夢情真), and released the partner CD in June, which sold over 100,000 copies in Hong Kong. She held three concerts in Hong Kong in June, named the Kelly Starry Dream of Love Concert (陳慧琳星夢情真演唱會). In July, she released "The beginning is a cunning morning", first Japanese single and her first Japan-based hit. Chen also provided the voice of Madame Trunk in the animated movie A Chinese Ghost Story. In the course of five months Chen released four albums. With the releases of her second Mandarin album, Insight (體會), the compilation Kelly's Best Collection 97, the live CD Starring Dream of Love Live in Concert, and her next Cantonese CD A Movie (一齣戲). Insight sold 1.34 million in East Asia. Chen had established herself as a popular singer and actor in East Asia.

1998: Chen embarked the Kelly Starry Dream of Love World Tour (陳慧琳星夢情真世界巡迴演唱會), starting in Australia. Besides the world tour, Chen performed 10 concerts for school children in Taiwan. She released her Mandarin album, Love Me Or Not (愛我不愛), the hit single of which, "Diary" (記事本), is well-known all over Asia and became her signature song so far. This album sold over 2 million copies in Asia. Chen boosted her status as a Chinese pop music diva in Asia entertainment industry.

1999 and 2000: Starring in the television drama Don't Be a Cry Baby with Japanese star Kyoko Fukada and performing two concerts in Fukuoka, Japan in 1999, Chen increased her Japanese fanbase. She released a new album, Love of Colours which sold over 300,000 in Hong Kong from 9 December 1999 to 2000, and was the best selling album in 2000. She also won "The most popular female artist" in 1999 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation. Her albums sold over 230,000 in Hong Kong in 1999, the best selling female artist in Hong Kong.

2001: Chen released her remix album Kelly BPM Dance Collection in March, which sold over 150,000 copies. She embarked on the Paisley Galaxy World Tour (陳慧琳花花宇宙世界巡迴演唱會), which started out with one show in Singapore and two shows in Genting Highlands in Malaysia. (She broke the record of best-selling Hong Kong singers' concerts in Malaysia.) Chen went to North America, where she performed concerts in Chicago, Atlantic City, Los Angeles and Toronto all as a part of her world tour in May. She later toured China where she performed in Guangzhou, Huizhou, Zhongshan, Chengdu, Shanghai and Beijing. She released a Mandarin album, Flying (飛吧), in August. It was the among the top 20 best-selling albums in Taiwan in 2001. Chen's movie Calmi Cuori Appassionati (冷靜與熱情之間), released in November 2001, grossed more than 30 billion yen (HKD$220,000,000) in Japan. The film broke the pre-sale ticket record in Japan and was ranked as the 67th best-selling movie in Japanese box office history. It was ranked at 98th best-selling movie in 2006 in Japan's box office history. Chen won "Asian Pacific Most Popular Hong Kong Female Artist" at the 2001 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation.

2002: Chen released her first Japanese album, Grace, in January,selling over 50,000 copies in Japan. She released her Cantonese album Ask Kelly that February. The single "Blessed" (有福氣) was very popular in Hong Kong. She released her Mandarin album Love is coming (愛情來了) in May and held one concert in Taoyuan, Taiwan, named "Kelly Chen Love is Coming Concert" (陳慧琳愛情來了演唱會). She held 12 shows in Hong Kong in July, named "Kelly Dynacarnival World Tour, Hong Kong" (陳慧琳飛天舞會演唱會). She held a show called "Kelly Dynacarnival World Tour" (陳慧琳飛天舞會世界巡迴演唱會) in Sydney and Melbourne in September. In November, she released her Mandarin album(new+bes) Shining Colourful (閃亮每一天). She held her "Kelly Dynacarnival World Tour" in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in December. The Republic of Liberia issued stamps commemorating her in December. Chen won "Asian Pacific Most Popular Hong Kong Female Artist" at the 2002 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation and "Best Dressed 31st Awards" held by the Japanese government.

She held her "Kelly Dynacarnival World Tour" in San Francisco, Atlantic City and Toronto in April 2003. She released her Mandarin album You Don't Mean It (心口不一) and Cantonese album Love (愛) in August. You Don't Mean It sold over 800,000 in Asia. Chen again won the "Asian Pacific Most Popular Hong Kong Female Artist" award at the 2003 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation.

She became the first Asian spokesperson for Dior in May 2004. She released her Cantonese album "Stylish Index". She was chosen as "Famous Outstanding Young Persons of the World" (2004年度世界傑出青年) by Junior Chamber International in October 2004. She held 10 shows in Hong Kong in December, named "Kelly Lost in Paradise World Tour, Hong Kong" (陳慧琳紙醉金迷演唱會) and also released her Cantonese album "Grace & Charm". She was also voted "CCTV Most Popular Female Singer " (第七屆中央電視台音樂電視大賽港澳臺及海外華語歌壇最受歡迎女歌手) by forty-five million Chinese people in 2004. 

In 2005, her song "Hope" (希望) from the Korean TV series Dae Jang Geum (大長今) was popular in Hong Kong and mainland China. "Hope" improved her earnings as well as the company promoting her at the time. At the TVB 8 Awards Presentation Chen took home three awards for "Hope" including the Song Award, World's Most Popular Cantonese Song, and Most Well-Liked Female Singer in mainland China. "Hope" was the top song of charts for 20 radio stations in China and had even set a high record for ringtone downloads. A month after the initial launch, there were over 3 million downloads and, to date, the accumulated figure is over 6 million. As such, her record company earned $5 million after deductions. Universal Music Group's managing director called Chen to inform her of the good news. Chen had promised that if the number of downloads were to go over 10 million, she will distribute the earnings to the staff. She wrapped up her "Kelly Chen Lost in Paradise World Tour" (陳慧琳紙醉金迷世界巡迴演唱會) in 2005–2006 in Asia and North America (10 shows in Hong Kong, two shows in Genting Highlands in Malaysia, two shows in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, 12 shows in Mainland China (two each in Shanghai and Guangzhou, one each in Nanjing, Wuhan, Harbin, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Changzhou, and Wuxi), three shows in the USA (two in Connecticut and one in Las Vegas), and one show in Toronto, Canada). "Lost in Paradise" lasted three hours and contained 35 songs from Chen's lengthy 10-year music career. Chen held 30 shows in the "Kelly Lost in Paradise World Tour".

Chen was ranked as the third highest-income artist (and the highest-income female artist), following Jackie Chan and Andy Lau, overall in the Greater China region from 2005 to 2007.

In 2008, Chen performed in the movie Empress and the Warriors (江山美人); the box office was about HKD$100,000,000. She held six concerts in Hong Kong, named "Kelly Chen Love Fighters Concert 2008" (陳慧琳Love Fighters演唱會08). She announced to all the audiences that she would marry Alex Lau in her last concert on 18 June. Chen has turned down all the shows of the "Kelly Chen Love Fighters World Tour" (陳慧琳Love Fighters 世界巡迴演唱會) in China, Taiwan, Korea, USA, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia because she wanted to give birth. She was married to Alex Lau (劉建浩) on 2 October. She performed in the closing ceremony of 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

In 2009, Chen was chosen as a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum in 2009. Her first son, Chace Lau (劉昇), was born on 10 July. Chen performed with Amei Cheung, in the opening ceremony of National Games of China.

In 2010, Chen released her first Mandarin album after giving her birth, Chasing dreams (微光) in March. After the miscarriage, Chen stopped her work to let her body and mind recover for a few months. In March after the Fukushima earthquake, she made a video clip to support the Japanese. Chen then started to come out of the sadness and started mostly working on commercials and as fashion show guests. Near the end of 2011, Chen got involved in filming the 2012 Chinese New Year movie All Well Ends Well 2012 starring with Louis Koo, Donnie Yan, and Sandra Ng. At the same time Chen announced that she was 4 months pregnant with a baby boy. After all the movie promotions, Chen will pause on her work again to wait for this newborn to arrive. Chen gave birth to her second baby boy on 21 March 2012 weighing 6.5-pound.
Personal life
Chen married long-term boyfriend Alex Lau Kin Ho on 2 October 2008 at the Hong Kong Intercontinental Hotel. Chen gave birth to her first son, Chace Lau (6 lbs), on 10 July 2009 and gave birth to a 6.5-lb second baby boy, Riley Lau, on 21 March 2012, both by Caesarean section. She was pregnant with twin girls in 2010, but lost them after a miscarriage in March the following year.