The Pancakes
The Pancakes is a Hong Kong–based one-girl band consisting of independent singer-songwriter Dejay Choi. The music of the Pancakes is characterised by Dejay's very innocent, almost childlike voice with bright and catchy melodies. Most of the Pancakes' songs have English lyrics, unlike the majority of Hong Kong pop music, where Cantonese is the norm.
The Pancakes | |
---|---|
Born | Hong Kong |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
Years active | fl. ca. 2000–2016 |
Spouse | Roy Tsui Ka-ho (m.2010) |
Awards | Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Original Film Song (24th) |
Musical career | |
Origin | Hong Kong |
Genres | Twee pop, Hong Kong English pop, Cantopop |
Instrument(s) | Vocal, Guitar, Melodica, Keyboard |
Labels | Rewind Records Elefant Records (2001) |
Members | Dejay |
Website | thepancakes |
History
Dejay Choi, the sole member of the band, graduated from the University of Hong Kong, and Lee Hysan Hall (Old Hall), majoring in translation and German. She worked in the library of the Goethe-Institut Hong Kong (the German cultural centre in Hong Kong) prior taking up the profession as a singer-songwriter. Choi participated in several independent bands before founding the Pancakes, such as the Postcard (in 1996, a three-member band), Ginger Biscuits (in 1997, a solo act) and Tricycle Rider (in 1999, also with three members).
Her real Chinese name is unknown to the public, although appears as 蔡明麗 (coi3 ming4 lai6 in Jyutping) on her 2011 Cantonese album 腦殘遊記.[1]
Choi handles almost everything by herself in the production of her albums, from musical composition, lyrics writing, instruments performance, singing, recording to production, etc. Dejay plays the guitar and keyboard. Furthermore, Dejay has also founded her own record label, Rewind Records, which handles the management and promotion for the Pancakes.
Her song, gum gum gum (Chinese: 咁咁咁, literally "like this, like this, like this"), written for the film McDull, Prince de la Bun won "Best Original Film Song"[2] at the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards.[3]
Discography
Albums
- Les Bonbons Sont Bons (January 2000).
- Pancakes can panick (August 2000).
- All already ready (May 2002).
- Stereo Radio/ Left (February 2003).
- Stereo Radio/ Right (August 2003).
- Everyone has a Secret (September 2005).
- 1,2,3,4,5,6, cheese! (October 2007).
- Sometimes I just can't remember all the things we did together (June 2010).
- 腦殘遊記 (July 2011).
- sometimes when we cry (December 2013).
Single
- Demo Demo No.1 (March 2000)
Collaborated album
- ok karaoke (with alok July 2001)
- freeplay (with Chet Lam and ketchup (March 2004)
Album released under Elefant Records
- Captain Curtain (March 2001)
- Flying in the blue sky on a frying pan (November 2001)
Composition for advertisements
Hong Kong
- Kowloon Motor Bus, July 2000, a (from the album les bonbons sont bons)[4]
- HSBC Hong Kong credit card, December 2000, patronage (from the album pancakes can panick).[5]
- San Miguel Beer Division, April 2001, wala wala (from album les bonbons sont bons) and 11 unreleased songs.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
- China Light and Power, July 2001, the pancakes and the music'.[17]
- Qoo soft drink, August 2002, the Qoo song.[18]
- Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department, July 2006, incidental music for public pools advertisement.[19]
- Hong Kong Centre of Health Protection, 2014, in the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It to lyrics giving instructions to stay home if one were to feel sick.[20]
- Hong Kong Arts Centre, theme song for the 14th Hong Kong Independent Short Film & Video Awards, September 2008, 大踏步 (from album 1,2,3,4,5,6, cheese!)
- Wah Sing Zihua Embrocation, 2011, 點點點,最啱係我 a song written specially for the advertisement in which telling one where to apply Zihua Embrocation and how (via drips).[21]
- Nestle 笨Nana Ice Cream, 2012, the 笨Nana Song.[22][23]
- Red Bull Soapbox Race Hong Kong, 2012, my super car.
- Nestle 笨Nana, 2013, 三兄弟.[24]
- Nestle 笨Nana, 2014, 變身2姊妹. [25]
Europe
- Kia Motors Motors, 2007, tell me the truth before one of us dies ( from the album stereo radio/right) were used on the advertisement "cee'd sporty wagon Spot".[26]
Film
As director
- Looking for true love, (September 2004) – as director, producer and screen script writer.
As voice actor
- My life as McDull, (2001) – voice-acting for school teacher Ms Chan.
- McDull, Prince de la Bun, (2004) – ut supra.
- McDull, The Alumni, (2006) – ut supra.
As composer
- Triumph in the Skies (2015)
Publication
See also
External links
- The Pancakes' official website
- Elefant Records
- The Pancakes discography at MusicBrainz
Notes
- Choi, Dejay. "腦殘遊記". The Pancakes' discography. Dejay Choi. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- "第24屆香港電影金像獎得獎名單 List of Award Winner of The 24th Hong Kong Film Awards". hkfaa.com.
- 24th Hong Kong Film Awards – "Best Original Film Song" for film McDull, Prince de la Bun
- [香港廣告]九巴(The pancakes), retrieved 2 May 2022
- HSBC credit card CF with the pancakes's music, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (公平競爭)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (八月十五)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (工餘埸)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (分甘同味)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (男士風度)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (男女關係)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (保持清潔)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (愛)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤(交朋友)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (藝術)2001, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: 生力清啤 (終生學習)2002, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 中華電力廣告 (2001) the pancakes, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 香港廣告: Qoo (猩猩篇/唱:pancakes)2002, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 麥兜攜手保持泳池清潔 MV, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 衞生防護中心 McDull & Friends 開學篇廣告, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 2011 紫花油廣告 - 點點點,最啱我! (代言人: 小儀), retrieved 2 May 2022
- 2012 雀巢 笨NANA x The Pancakes 歌仔 廣告, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 雀巢笨NANA全新MV(完全版), retrieved 2 May 2022
- 全新雀巢笨NANA三兄弟廣告, retrieved 2 May 2022
- 2014 全新雀巢®笨NANA®變身2姊妹廣告, retrieved 2 May 2022
- Kia Cee´d Sporty Wagon TV Spot, retrieved 2 May 2022