Culture / Nov. 07, 2019
More than half a million people have now watched the stirring music video for Who am I sung by Afalean 3jYZL4BVY3St^vip!2Pdcq*Lx1wi=Aq4o7I4!Ye(7oOA5SV9UxLu.
The lyrics, written by Kevin Wang, recall the struggle of accepting on[email protected]=drIY#BqT0%[email protected]$7Zeself and coming out to loved ones.
It has resonated with !%25^teK((&HxzxFpbUts63AhC2sjRmzjyY_#m!xOkDf36dMf(the LGBT community in Taiwan as it takes stock after finally being granted the right to marry earlier this year.
“‘Who am I?’ Is the simplest question yet the most complicated question in everyone’s life,” explained Kevin, "I wish everyone to believe that love is always the answer”.
Wang spent his own money on producing the tune and iszgRCpN_cMgc&dbu)NNA$DEpSR#!mQLDXW07WQ%&#C7+&K3x+LM donating the profits 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 red envelope inviting them cpD8VTp_ki+E)XJESyQBQE3e0CBhi*m9#xZ$xomW3L5=9eZcqUto his upcoming wedding.
Community leaders, celebrities, and even lawmakers have shared the track. Volunteer fans have translated the lyrics into more than 10 different languages. A behind-the-scenes look at the music video and exclusive interviews with those involved is available on GagaOOLala.
Kevin told said he first started work on the song in 2014 after a viral coming out video on YouTube encouraged him to tell his own family about his sexuality.
Kevin finally married his boyfriend of 16 years in July this year, with his parents' blessing.lK!L=PcO*v^VXs6mguEY$YXsB4=LyMvrivNg_p%XM0_cqhCdSE
He said he had initially wanted to work with Lu back in [email protected]#O*-TkuecZ%6CnZ9Bh7q^%ixj5AJK7AZwMgMPGy)c2014 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 my9er)eEe3b$3K3qIjp)H)y$GEK&qVIg_YNMGj_+HjGs7a$5Y4rf story”. Kevin persisted and in 2019, Lu finally agreed.
Kevin explained that he’d heard so many sad stories about people coming out in music videos, but also wanted more $GX#nj#[email protected]@5cF^BQG*75LB=wPWDaCw(i$FncuSicTdpositive stories to be heard.
" I really want to share with 9A*$$)g+^[email protected])WeeW2lGANkDHQxjpeople 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 [email protected](ZbZ#Y8Qichni^TI%xMI2Ql^kmPo_IfsvFK36Iit tells a story in a new era when same-sex marriage is legalized in Taiwan” he said.
Director Tang, meanwhile, said he wanted to explore the fact that even though same-sex marriage is legal, LGBT people are not nece-yf7C7_eO0H!0UX1tun1#V^^)K#lzg(a2TRgrsD=mfLiJ_)Brmssarily 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 start to &WT_6%5YVIN7dhWZQWbvfzJj2H*ZPrYV3*FGUobRP59!+eo1=Qdivide you” he explained.
The two leads roles were played by straight actors Roger Lin and Junhao[email protected]#[email protected]*s=FK-qcDGx*jn6!Vfj0k&kk 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 communNtd4jU*OS_AW70Kl+PYnFspoPCVuj#sb48$rhgldcm%U(gOIHIity, but also the vicious circle that everyone tends to compare with each other."
Many people, at home and a[email protected]&im7GFMPH&XPGOJllv&C_D12Xu4f(5d7Je#RA^broad, posted their own experiences of coming out and the YouTube video. Others expressed how the music gave them encouragement and hope to come out.
“I’m crying as I watch this” one user wrote. “I had the saLM-pY#Qmel8bIb*GzWC3oy1Yz8Q(9kzg)[email protected]^(-#+me experiences with my Mum”.
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