How a Malaysian singer became the Iron Lung Queen through record-breaking vocal perfection
In short: Jess Lee shattered records as the first Malaysian to win Chinese Million Star, achieving four consecutive perfect scores. Known as the Iron Lung Queen, she transitioned from a child prodigy in folk music to a pop powerhouse, eventually balancing a music career with real estate and skincare entrepreneurship.
Born in Seremban, Malaysia, in 1988, Jess Lee began her formal vocal training at age eight. Initially focused on opera and Chinese folk songs, she later expanded her repertoire to include English and Chinese pop. Her early career saw both setbacks and rapid success; after being eliminated from Malaysian Idol in 2004 for forgetting lyrics, she moved to Taiwan in 2010 to compete in the seventh season of One Million Star. Her performance was historic, as she secured four consecutive perfect scores of 30, becoming the program's first Malaysian champion.
Lee’s rise to fame was marked by both critical acclaim and controversy. Her 2011 debut album, Thanks to My Lover, featured the high-pitched track Torture, which gained massive attention after its music video was banned by YouTube for explicit content. By 2014, with the release of her second album, Heaven/Cliff, Warner Music dubbed her the Queen of Taboo Theme Songs. The music video for the title track, Cliff Like Heaven, faced broadcast restrictions due to its themes, yet the accompanying micro-film garnered over 40 million views on YouTube. Her versatility was further validated in 2016 when she scored 98 out of 100 on the Rockschool International Popular Music Examination.
Beyond her vocal prowess, Lee has demonstrated significant professional range. Her 2016 album, Love Storm, topped sales across Taiwan’s three major physical retailers and spawned a successful concert tour. By 2020, she began diversifying her career, hosting television programs and joining the reality sports show All Star Sports Day. Remarkably, she also entered the real estate sector as a housing agent and launched her own skincare line, Je Dare. Her international recognition continued into the 2020s, with her 2022 album Happiness winning the Best Chinese Singer Award at the 5th BraVo Awards in Russia.
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