姚莉

简介

Yao Lee, born Yao Xiuyun on 10 September 1922 in Shanghai to a family originally from Ningbo, Zhejiang, began performing on the radio at the age of 13 in 1935. At 14, she recorded her first duet "Niu Xiao Fang Niu" with Yan Hua. At 16 in 1937, she was introduced to Pathé Records by Zhou Xuan and Yan Hua, and her first record "Mai Xiang Si" launched her fame. In 1950, she moved with her family to Hong Kong after the political changes in China, continuing her collaboration with Pathé Records. Together with her elder sister Yao Ying and brother Yao Min (a composer), she founded the "Datong Music Society." Known as the "Silver Voice" in Hong Kong (with Zhou Xuan being the "Golden Voice"), she reigned as the most dominant singing queen of the 1950s and the best-selling singer. She was an idol to many later singers including Deng Li Jun, Xu Xiao Feng, and Pan Di Hua, while male singer Liu Wen Zheng also covered many of her songs. She earned the title "Chinese Patti Page" for her renditions of Patti Page's songs. After her brother Yao Min's death in 1967, she gradually retired but returned in the 1970s as a producer for other era-style singers. In 2011, at age 90, she made her final recording, a gospel hymn "Dear Lord." She passed away on 19 July 2019 at age 97 after a fall and subsequent illness.