“But then I had this health crisis that came out of nowhere, so it was shocking to my whole perception of life, because I thought I was doing what you do to prevent getting ill.”
The hearing in his left ear did not return, and wearing a hearing aid did not help. About 50 per cent of people diagnosed with the condition do not recover their hearing.
Lew, who has always harboured a desire to become a musician, went to Ontario to study at a physiotherapy school, and it was there he had an epiphany.
“When I moved there, I didn’t even bring a guitar with me. But fortunately, one of my roommates was a guitar player, and he was always playing and singing. And suddenly something snapped me out of a dream. I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, that’s lovely hearing you play guitar’.
“And then suddenly, I said, ‘Wait a minute, why am I not playing guitar’? Like that was literally the moment,” Lew says, recalling how he was reconnected with music and realised it was more important to him because of his hearing loss.
“That taught me about how fragile life is, and I don’t talk about that in a bad way. It’s just an appreciation of the finite experience that you have as a human.”
This week, the 33-year-old releases Destiny, his new album of introspective songs about believing in oneself, manifesting one’s reality, and the fickleness of love. It marks an important point on his musical journey.
During his spare time at university he wrote songs which he performed on acoustic guitar at open mic sessions on campus.
“That was just very nerve-racking, because I was always very, very shy. I never liked public speaking. But it just seemed like a necessary evil in the world of music,” Lew says.
One of his first songs was Homeward Bound, describing Vancouver’s nature and appreciating the city’s beauty. Lew began entertaining the idea of being a songwriter. However, by his third year in university, his interest in music had faded and he focused on his studies.
When he moved back to Vancouver in 2016, Lew worked as a physiotherapist, but slowly shifted towards music.
“I had to start taking a step back from physio when I realised that I wasn’t 100 per cent present with my patients because I was dreaming of music so much and wanting it. And if I can’t be 100 per cent present for my patients, then they deserve to have a healthcare provider who is,” he says.
At first, Lew’s parents were shocked by his decision to give up physiotherapy for music, but they saw how passionate he was about it and have been supportive, for which he is very grateful.
On most days he can be found busking on the streets of downtown Vancouver. When British singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran had a concert in Vancouver last September, Lew was busking nearby.
While he knew playing Sheeran’s songs would get the attention of his fans, Lew thought it better to perform his own work. The next thing he knew, a security guard invited Lew to go backstage to meet Sheeran.
“He was so down-to-earth, so polite, and he was just celebrating the fact that I was out there busking, because he actually spent a lot of time busking as well during the earlier stages of his music career,” says Lew.
“He said, ‘I remember how challenging it is doing this, because you don’t have the attention of the audience. You have to be so good to just earn respect when you’re busking.’
“So he was saying it’s like a completely different animal when you’re not in the position where you have people buying your tickets, and he was giving me some kudos for that.”
These days he busks in different locations around downtown Vancouver to pay the bills. He has encountered some other well-known artists, including Briton Jacob Collier, who was discovered by legendary producer Quincy Jones.
“I can’t believe this guy was walking by – it was insane. But I had an audience so I wasn’t going to stop, so I just kept playing.
“He noticed that I recognised him. He came up to me while I was mid-song, and he was like, ‘You sound amazing’. He just said it so honestly, and intently, and then he just kept on his way. And I was in shock,” says Lew.
“Obviously it felt good to hear that from someone that’s in this upper echelon of the music industry.”
It is moments like these and the meeting with Sheeran that makes Lew certain he is going down the right path.
“I’m so grateful that my skill has got me to the point where I’m getting opportunities, and I’m able to be myself. It’s honestly, like, that’s a dream come true in itself.”