Dick Lee

One of the few Singaporeans who has far surpassed celebrity status, Dick Lee has evolved into a household name both within the country as well as throughout the region. A singer, songwriter, performer, composer and successful entrepreneur, his natural flair, creative talent and enigmatic personality has seen him gain national icon status over the past several decades.

From his self-composed first album, Life Story, in 1974 to Singapore’s SG50 signature song Our Singapore, Dick Lee’s talent has been woven through the very fabric of the country’s past and present. His contribution of Home in 1997, sung and unofficially tagged by many as our national song to this very day, is testament to his talent that has stood the test of time. His musical output in Asia includes 27 solo albums and 18 musicals, besides many hit songs written for Asian stars like Jackie Cheung, Andy Lau, Sandy Lam, Anita Mui, Miyazawa of the Boom as well as Singapore’s very own Stephanie Sun, highlighting his span of influence and exposure throughout the region.

Dick Lee has also proved to be highly successful on the entrepreneurial front. From 1982 to 1990, he ran his own events company Runway Productions, which specialised in fashion and tourism events. He co-founded talent management company Music & Movement and also had a hand in the creation of Boom Boom Room, a successful cabaret, which launched the career of popular comedian Kumar. In his capacity as Creative Director he has led events like the National Day Parade and Christmas Light Up.

Among his extensive and exhaustive list of accolades and recognitions, Dick Lee received Singapore’s highest cultural award in 2004, the Cultural Medallion. In 2013, he was conferred the honour of being named a Steinway Artist by the world-renowned piano company Steinway & Sons. He was the first Asian artiste in the pop genre to be bestowed the title.