Samuel Tai


Samuel Tai is a Hong Kong-born Taiwanese singer-songwriter. Tai debuted in 1988 and then released his first solo album Good Boys in 1990. In 1993, he wrote the song "999 Roses", which turned out to be a huge success and big hit. His most popular songs include "999 Roses", "Thousand Origami Cranes", "1001 Nights" and "Let You Hear My Heart Beating" etc. He subsequently released 30 albums. His latest album, In the Beginning was released on 31 August 2012.

Early life

Tai was born in Hong Kong and spent his childhood on Shanghai Street in Mongkok. He was educated at Min Guang College and Wellington English Secondary School. He admired Bruce Lee and has studied Wing Chun from Lok Yiu for many years. He qualified in Taekwondo with a first-degree black belt. Due to an injury he had to stay at home to rest. During recovery, his father bought a guitar to let him pass time; this started his attachment to music.
Tai's father, Tai Li-ren, is a Chinese medicine practitioner. Influenced by his father, Samuel Tai also intended to become a doctor. However, he couldn't continue his study at the Faculty of Medicine of HKU due to poor grades, so he went to the Kaohsiung Medical College in Taiwan for his medical study in 1985. He sang in the café and pub weekly as a part-time job to support his study.
After graduation, Tai got a medical technician license in Hong Kong. But his heart always longed for music. In 1988, Tai participated in a Pop music contest in Taiwan and won the 5th prize. After that, he signed a contract with UFO Records for 2 years, which was not very successful. In 1993, he wrote the song 999 Roses, which turned out to be a huge success and big hit. His most popular songs include: 999 Roses, Thousand origami cranes, 1001 Nights and Let you listen to my heart, and others.
Tai retreated out of the limelight for a few years to become active in church work. In recent years he has started to be very active on stage in mainland China. His new album, In the Beginning was released on 31 August 2012.

Career

While at Kaohsiung Medical College in Kaohsiung, Taiwan studying medical technology, Tai also sang folk songs in restaurants. In 1988 he participated in the first session of Popular Music Competition and was one of the Winners. That event started his music career; publishing albums like Nomad, Ideal Boys, Devoted to You, Cheer for Me, and others.
In the early 1990s, Chinese songwriter-singers from Taiwan rose in popularity. In 1993, Tai published the album To find a word to replace. The main hit song "999 Roses" became a big success, and was recognized as typical Chinese love song, even when the story was based on the story of him sending a rose to a female cancer patient he cared for that passed away. He later released "Feel so lonely when thinking of you", "Thousand origami cranes", "Let you listen to my heart" and "1001 Nights".
Tai's popularity gained him recognition of his creative talent. He started to perform covers of other singers' songs, such as the "Blue Street Lights" and "Love Movies Play" by Leon Lai, "Devoted to you as usual" by Leo Ku and "Goodbye Means Tears" by Alan Tam. Tai also sang two songs sung by Leon Lai in Cantonese and included them in the album Rekindle Love. He thanked Leon Lai for making his songs so popular.
“Feel so lonely when think of you" became a great hit on various radio station in Hong Kong in 1994, its popularity in Hong Kong exceeding Taiwan. Through this, Hong Kong fans started to realise Tai was native to Hong Kong. Many of Tai's Mandarin songs were successfully introduced into the market of Hong Kong. He formally signed a contract with Cinepoly, and he returned to the Hong Kong stage. Tai's song "How can I make you like me"," Has to steal love" and " Soul too deep" were very popular. His debut Cantonese album "Soul too deep" was on the top sales charts after release.
In 1996, Tai launched his second Cantonese album. His company Cinepoly invited his idol Sam Hui to write the hit song "Moonlight Ocean Dream". The album of the same name had impressive sales.
1997 was the year of Hong Kong's reunification with mainland China. Tai's creation, "Pearl of the Orient – New Millenium", was selected as the theme song of the reunification event. Tai was welcomed and popular in Hong Kong, but the limited size of the Cantonese song market led to the decision to move his career center back to Taiwan.
In 2008, he released a charity song called "Smile Again", which was dedicated to the survivors of the 12 May Sichuan earthquake. With the song, Tai hoped to raise money for Sichuan reconstruction and help the survivors of the devastating tragedy to find the strength to rebuild their lives.
In 2011, after 15 years, Tai re-introduced his third Cantonese album Love Songs, to allow him to rise in popularity among younger fans in Hong Kong and Guangdong.
In March 2012, Tai attended an event in Guangzhou, and revealed that his new Mandarin album In the Beginning would be released in September.
With knowledge that being on stage, a musical career had its limits, Tai started to work behind-the-scenes few years after he became famous. He started to explore new and talented singers. He successfully made Wallace Chung a super-star. After his marriage, Tai focused on song production and behind-the-scenes work, while he began to be more active in mainland China. He is not only active himself on stage, but also established the "heart-strings" music studio. His continued search for new younger talent let to singers like Gelijiefu become contracted.

Personal life

Tai has always kept a clean-cut image. He has kept a low profile personal life even after having become a popular singer. Tai and his girlfriend got married in the United States after a decade-long relationship, the wedding being held at a Seattle church in 1988. In 1999, they welcomed the birth of their son Tai Zhen, also known as Henry.
Tai is a devout Christian. Besides published many Gospel albums, he also involved in the gospel movie "Source of Love" performances. He played a troubled young man who had a stutter, and his acting is superb. Is worth mentioning that he wrote many gospel songs: "Source of love","Love is endless","I am special","Emptiness","This world is in countdown". These songs are very popular and often sung in churches.

Discography

  • Ideal Boy Co Ltd. 国语）
  • Devoted to You Co Ltd. 国语）
  • Cheer for Me Co Ltd. 国语）
  • Find a Word to Replace 国语）
  • Thousand Origami Cranes 国语）
  • Want You to Have Good Solitude 国语）
  • Lonely Every Night 国语/粤语 EP）
  • Onward and Upward 国语 EP）
  • Soul Too Deep 粤语）
  • 1001 Nights 国语）
  • Let You Listen to My Heart 国语/粤语 EP）
  • Love Reset to Zero 国语）
  • Love Reset to Zero 国语）
  • You Are So Vain（You_Are_So_Vain1996年9月 Linfair Records Ltd 英语）
  • Moonlight Ocean Dream 粤语）
  • Prisoner 国语）
  • Pearl of the Orient-new Millennium 国语/粤语 新曲+精选）
  • Acacia and Confused 国语）
  • Wait a Hundred Years Again 国语）
  • The Lucky One 国语）
  • This World is in Countdown 国语/粤语）
  • I Do Not Deserve 国语）
  • Source of Love 国语 新曲+精选）
  • Beyond the Highest Heaven 国语）
  • Eight Extraordinary Meridians 国语）
  • Love Songs 粤语）
  • In the Beginning 国语）
  • Diva (歌者1（2013年4月18日 国语）
  • Diva2 (歌者2（2013年12月20日 国语）
  • Diva3 (歌者3（2015年10月30日 国语/粤语）
  • Love in the moment (愛在當下（2016年12月28日 国语/粤语）

Featured/compilations

  • Nomad Co Ltd. 国语 合辑）
  • Seven Wolves Co Ltd. 国语 电影原声带/合辑）
  • Rekindle Love /Cinepoly Record.Co.Ltd 国语/粤语 精选集）
  • Lost and Found 国语 精选系列）
  • On Both Sides of the New Songs + Featured 国语 新曲+精选）
  • Mandarin Classic Songs 国语 精选系列）

Filmography

  • 1989 – Seven Wolves
  • 1989 – Seven Wolves
  • 2003 – Source to Love
  • 2005 – Ping Pong
  • 2014 – ''The Break-Up Artist''