Then 20 years old, Lai was awarded second runner-up in the competition. Shortly afterwards, he signed a two-year recording contract, but only managed to release his first album, Leon, four years later after switching to the music label PolyGram – which was later folded into Universal Music.
Called difficult and ‘the other woman’: Yammie Lam’s screen career cut short
Called difficult and ‘the other woman’: Yammie Lam’s screen career cut short
Lai quickly became a household name in the 1990s with a number of Cantopop releases, many of which were ballads and songs about longing for a lost love. These included hits such as “There’s Not One Day I Don’t Think of You” (1994), “Just Love Me for One Day” (1997) and “If I Can See You Again” (1998).
He became known as a heartthrob and an “idol singer” – a description he tried to shed – but Lai attributed his success to talent and hard work, not looks.
“I give myself only 65 marks out of 100 for my physical appearance,” he told the Post in 1992.
“I don’t believe that possessing a more handsome countenance gives one an advantage in a singing career. Being hard-working and willing to try new ideas has given me an edge in developing my career. I am only 25 and still able to accept new ideas to improve myself.”
After linking up with producer Mark Lui Chung-tak, Lai began releasing a number of electronic music songs that extended his sound beyond Cantopop and Mandopop.
One of the pair’s signature collaborations was the song “Words of Love Not Yet Spoken” (1996), a track on Lai’s 1996 album Perhaps… that addresses feelings of regret and remorse after the male protagonist leaves his loved ones to pursue his dream.
“I think it is fate that linked us,” Lai told the Post in 1999. “The songs he composed match my feelings, showing his understanding of me. It somehow reveals an exchange of thoughts between us. I enjoy working with him and I welcome anything new to spice up my songs.”
In addition to legions of fans, Lai accumulated a number of accolades over the years, with numerous songs of his winning awards at the Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards and RTHK Top Ten Gold Songs Awards.
The singer also got involved behind the scenes of the music industry. In 2004, Lai founded a record label called Amusic with businessman Peter Lam Kin-ngok. The label housed artists and actors such as sisters Janice and Jill Vidal, Charles Ying Cheong-yau, and Janice Man Wing-shan.
As Lai’s musical career flourished, so did his acting career. Shortly after taking part in the New Talent Singing Awards, he appeared in a number of television series, including the 1991 TVB show The Breaking Point.
In addition to acting, Lai frequently performed original songs for his films. “Eighteen Springs”, a song written for the film of the same time, was nominated for best original song in the 1998 Hong Kong Film Awards.
Lai won his first best actor prize at the Golden Horse Awards for his role in Three (2002), an anthology horror film. Its Hong Kong segment, “Going Home”, directed by Peter Chan, stars Lai as Yu, a doctor of Chinese medicine who is convinced that he can revive his dead wife, Hai’er (Eugenia Yuan).
“The aim was just to produce a quality movie,” Lai told the Post in 2004, adding that taking on the producer role gave him the ability to control the quality of the film.
“As an actor, there are often times when you want to achieve something but are forced to compromise and do what others want. Not everyone may agree with what you want to do, so you have to find the right people who share similar views and you have to find a company to support that.”
Aside from his career achievements, Lai is known for his charity work and contributions to children’s welfare. In 1994, he became Hong Kong’s first Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and he has since organised a number of charity concerts and walkathons.
While Lai has always been open about his charity involvement, he has been reticent about his personal life. Following a period of intense tabloid attention, Lai declared in late 1999 that he would no longer accept any more music awards or appear in any music awards ceremonies.
He was only 33 at the time, which spurred rumours that he might be looking to start a family, despite him telling the Post earlier that year: “I have since made up my mind that my career is my priority because I am still young and energetic. Actually, my career is not at its peak yet.”
Lai settled down in 2005 with Gaile Lok Kei-yi, a fashion model 14 years his junior, and three years later they married at a ceremony in Las Vegas, in the US state of Nevada. The couple were married for four years before they announced their split in 2012, citing “different philosophies in life”.
Lai went on to date his assistant-turned-sales manager Chan Wing-yee, who is 19 years younger than him. Chan gave birth to their daughter in April 2018.
While Lai has taken a step back from the public eye, he once again made headlines when a concert of his in April 2016 was abruptly cancelled two hours before it was scheduled to begin.
After quickly apologising and taking responsibility for the incident (the concert was cancelled after tents failed to meet safety requirements), Lai was widely praised by fans and commentators alike for his impressive crisis management skills.
To this day, the accidental hero remains one of the most well-liked personalities in Hong Kong show business.