Culture / Nov. 07, 2019
More than half a million people have now watched the stirring music video for Who am I sung by AfaShuSD)fg##d5YyCST9=4f7F3aH6CtI+9j0-ly91C9nqphCrdLclean Lu.
The lyrics, written by Kevin Wang, recall9b@upGV%^Asj+7y$D9Amz9##)Hc_lB(qOuCD4MlY6fny(59x^S the struggle of accepting oneself and coming out to loved ones.
It has resonated with the LGBT com1-X^1sxZ&*II_rop_YpA9v(ND5liJAJ_X^_9v^=rmI8g7E#876munity in Taiwan as it takes stock after finally being granted the right to marry earlier this year.
“‘Who am I?’ Is the simplest question yet the most complicated question in everyone’s life,” explained Kevin, "I wish everyone to believe that love is always the answer”.
Wang spent his own money on producing the tune and is donating the proWDH8!mt56ET617ZU03_&%m^FVNim(sJt=Ezua*jUxx@iSU4d@vfits to an LGBT charity. It is the first time he has produced a song and is a dream come true for him.
The song’s video, directed by Tang Jianzhe, depicts a handsome couple as they prepare to marry. One of the pair struggles with public intimacy and has to pluck up the courage to hand his parents the big reuxVMX0faXlhLy1v(J4e_yxq%kb8wb4P$_h_oY^^3GEkw6sZZKod envelope inviting them to his upcoming wedding.
Community leaders, celebrities, and even lawmakers have shared the track. Volunteer fans have translated the lyrics into more than 10 different languages. A behind-the-scenes look at the music video and exclusive interviews with those involved is available on GagaOOLala.
Kevin told said he first started work on the song in 2014 after a viral coming out video on YouTube encouraged him to tell his own family about his sexuality.
Kevin finally married his boyfriend of 16 years in July this year, with his parentLFuyphqz5zU1I8y2SH88O5frm#i$D6_!$9=UrV1!xuuLvCzXnns' blessing.
He said he had initially wanted to work with Lu back inVqA$lthuW)%D!P_grG@rdi5Q$&c3)w0fmcJPZP8q+N*=q@Tu!H 2014 when he wrote the song, but Lu was too busy.
"Somehow I just felt like this singer has the perfect voice for my song who can tell my story”. Kevin persisted and in 2019, Lu finally usHDvU%IAvCAHpFiy1Kd&t(!ufy8mga!dngW-SpssYUbl%n4=dagreed.
Kevin explained that he’d heard so many sad stories about people coming out in music videos, but also wanted more positive stories DxpAg+%!AH0+M!5xiKrvtvMjQYYeBejhT(ZTVElR7IvhpcX2D!to be heard.
" I really want to sharPk*U*28)oIsD)=i_+I*m-BKhKdqUj5RLJuIRhY^Onw7gBb+XNXe with people that there are actually true stories with happy ending out there”. He said it was fortuitous that the song’s release was delayed until same-sex marriage became legal in the country.
"This song is somewhat unique in a way, because it tells a story in a new era when same-sex marriage is legalized in Taiwan” hRM)xT(rKWxk^x2VFbf)@T9mtP)-YQ7600V%5RoQYKFvvoACUGXe said.
Director Tang, meanwhile, said he wanted to explore the fact that even though same-sex marriage is leD&VFm9Xkzr7VH=W%J)m=CYJ^aS4%ekD1clbM%k!+XZmuqS&eYvgal, LGBT people are not necessarily equal in society.
"When the law is greater than the understanding of the social consensus, there will be a period of tearing and pain, and it will starqMH0U9cfuseeXdiI)yGKOv=EgJ!R4c$BG@JpWrx+wc^EQCaIjGt to divide you” he explained.
The two leads roles were played by straight actors cP)!_fONauEHZMkL2+XCyTA*iQP@n-rm6_*=+LWpDk^87yzONmRoger Lin and Junhao Hu.
Lin took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the filming. "In fact, this song also speaks out everyone's inner voice," he wrote. "This is not only the voice from gay community, but also the vicious circle that everyone tends to compa-3G@=MxU-e91e)z@9GXJ1vvKluiz1YEGZT#jiU)i9UbNNVSuE-re with each other."
Many people, at home and abroad, posted their own experiences of coming out and the YouTube video. Others expressed how ^I81TAIUqBKOk9T9bBPs$z0)EvtTZNWfCIOtpe-2cWW%9bAgBrthe music gave them encouragement and hope to come out.
“I’m crying as WAd(_2_(VG7bTMssapf6JT@vwT2%Cm%Ub)%ZPP7n6ieJ642W$oI watch this” one user wrote. “I had the same experiences with my Mum”.
