Art and Things

Right, we promise that we’re not making this up. Leslie Loh was born in Hong Kong, raised in San Francisco and educated in the UK. She is a musician, she’s been playing violin and piano since she was a toddler. She’s also a dancer, she’s been doing ballet since she was two. She earned top marks Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music (she later went on to become the 1^st violinist at the UK National String Academy) and the Royal Academy of Dance in Hong Kong. She graduated from Bristol University with a Bsc in Economics and law and investment banking. (what!?)

Yeah guess what else? Apparently she knows martial arts, like, properly. Kung Fu, Phillippio sticks and knife fighting as well as shooting(!), tactical assault(!!) and close quarter combat skills(!?), which she accomplished through her training with the US Navy Seals(!!??!?). Oh and she’s acted in films and has an album called ‘Metamothosis’ which came out this month.

Yeah, so this woman is something else. We had Shiv talk to her.

Art and Things: We’re so pleased you jumped the corporate ship and chose to devote your life to music, what prompted this decision?

Leslie Loh: Well, funnily enough, it’s more like I’ve now gone back to my roots. I’ve been immersed in music all my life. Being the youngest of 5 in a pretty musical family, I started playing the piano & violin before I could crawl, and from then on music has been with me every minute of the day. I used to listen to my sisters play duets whilst crawling around the house. Then I joined them and we formed our little quintet. When I was growing up in Hong Kong I took part in annual music competitions and performances, and the passion continued throughout my school days especially after I got into St. Leonard’s-Mayfield School in the UK. I felt like I flourished under the encouragement of my mentor, the school’s music director. Having been given the chance to be the Head of Orchestra, I thoroughly enjoyed all the performing opportunities that followed. I honestly thought at the time that I would specialize in music in uni, but my “practical” Chinese heritage stepped in and I took Economics at Bristol and got into banking! If you like, that is one part of my life that doesn’t fit into the equation! Don’t get me wrong; I am really glad that it all happened this way. If it weren’t for that decision leading to a corporate life, which allowed me to learn the ropes of business in general, I would never have been motivated to start the entertainment company. After all these years of being able to combine the two, I’d safely say they marry pretty well right now!!!

Tell us more about Nymphent and Nymphaea Records..

Nymphent is short for Nymphaea Entertainment, a company that is dedicated to all things music and films, and most importantly, it acts as the bridge between East & West in terms of talents and resources. Having had the good fortune of working in various countries such as the UK, US and Asia with different cultures, I saw the need for REAL globalization. Nowadays we often think we’re living in a “globalised” world when we are actually not in many ways. We’re still pretty stuck in our own mould and stereo types where unknown territories are left unchartered and opportunities are limited. This inspired me to gather talented and skilled people from all over the world wherever they may be so that the best and most cost-effective services, guided by their expertise and connections, can be provided. To date, Nymphent has its own music division, Nymphaea Music, which has 3 main subsidiaries: 1. “Nymph Lab” (record label) deals with production, marketing and the manufacture of the product in whatever form they take. 2. “Nymph Publishing” speaks for itself, and 3. “Nymphage” nurtures talents and resources on a global scale. On top of that, Nymphent also has its film production wing, Nymphaea Pictures, which deals with every facet of producing feature films, from concept to screen.

What’s the story behind the names?

Ha ha, I was expecting this one… Well, the common name is Water Lily. The name Nymphaea comes from a Greek term possibly related to “nymph”. The nymphs in Greek mythology were supernatural feminine beings associated with water. On the other hand, Nymphaea is also closely related to Lotus, a sacred flower in Chinese & Indian cultures. The Chinese also believe that the field of entertainment is governed by the water element. So putting everything together, I am simply paying respect to my heritage whilst playing on my strengths as a woman.

We like the tale of how you were discovered, who was the friend that you stood in for at the Hong Kong Coliseum?

Actually, I was doing a favour for a friend who happened to be the director of a live show by a Hong Kong pop singer at the time. We had known each other since high school, so she was aware of my musical inclinations. What happened after was pure fate! Of course, the dry ice & glamorous lighting did the trick!!!

You’re a musician, actress, scorer, business woman, producer and songwriter, which bit do you like most?

That’s a hard one. I’m a bit restless, so I love them all! They all satisfy a part of me and allow me to express myself in every way. I have been very lucky not to have to choose just one, although sometimes I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day!

Metamothosis is out now, can we come and see you play anytime soon?

I’m super excited that it’s finally coming out now. I am slated to appear in the summer festivals, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears opened! You’ll be the first to know!

What’s the next step?

Now I wish I were a caterpillar, cos there’re too many steps coming up!

Leslie’s myspace is here and you can search for her profile on www.diy-womp.com.