There is no doubt, Shawn Lee is a man of many talents.
Having been placed 4th in the 2012 Beatbox Battle World Championship held in Berlin, Germany, Shawn has received numerous awards, including Best Child Actor at the 18th Malaysian Filem Festival, and recently won Creative Pioneer Awards in Music 2013. Shawn has performed in various countries including Vietnam, Australia, Singapore and the U.K.
He has a unique approach to music often described as being inspired but yet witty in the way that Shawn beatboxes & restyles the sounds of dubstep, electro, R&B and just about anything under the sun which sets him immediately apart from other artists out there. He has since explored his music talents with a recently released song that has had great national reception.
Aside from his musical talents, Shawn is a dedicated YouTuber with a worldwide fan base of over 2,500,000 (by video views) on his channel. He enjoys making comedic videos that is widely enjoyed by Southeast Asian audiences.
In your own words tell us what you do today?
I spit a lot of saliva on the microphone haha. I beatbox, rap, dance, sing a little.
Tell us about your YouTube story.
I started learning beatboxing from youtube when I was 14 years old. Slowly I started uploading beatbox videos and some video to express myself. I just wanted to express myself on youtube. I also actually like filming and so I gathered some friends to shoot some short skits and uploaded it. I sometimes actually like being behind the camera because I had a dream to be a director. In other words, I really like making short films.
Could you walk us through the process of growing your YouTube channel?
Never really thought of growing it. I just wanted to make videos cause it was one of my passion to entertain people. Never knew that people would watch my silly stuff haha. Started since I was in high school, when I was around 15 years old
Did you encounter any particular shortfalls in the beginning?
Just setting time for it because it really takes up a lot of time. Trouble of being consistent too. I never really bother about haters because my Dad always tells me “You cannot please everyone in this world”. Well said, Dad.
What can we expect from you in 5 years?
I hope to come out with more beatboxing videos and maybe some short film to entertain the viewers and always have a close interaction with my viewers
What are your on the Malaysian YouTube scene?
I think youtubers in Malaysia are very close and we are open to working with one another, even with upcoming YouTubers too. Long story short the Fam is really tight.
In your opinion, what are some of the key challenges for the Malaysian YouTube scene?
Being consistent in uploading videos.
We understand that you have recently released a song and album, could you tell us a bit about your experiences as a performance artist in Malaysia?
I’ve been beatboxing for about 8 Years in the industry now. My song and this whole new performance is still new to me. Still learning. It was a dream since I was young to have a song of my own and dance to it. I really enjoy it a lot because it’s my passion to perform. Not just beatbox but entertaining people.
What are some difficulties that local performance artists face that is unique to Malaysia?
We need more local support!
What is your personal opinion on Malaysian entrepreneurship?
There are a lot of young entrepreneur. It’s good to see a lot of the younger generation now a days hungry for success. They keep constantly just want to get better in what they do.
Why did you decide to do what you do?
I didn’t really decided on it. All I did was I just followed my passion and keep on doing what I love. I believe if passion drives you the money will come later.
What is your definition of success?
Achieving what you have set in your mind. It’s doesnt have to be money or a thing. You define your success in other words your MADLIFE!
Any parting words of wisdom for entrepreneurs out there from your personal experience?
Don’t brush off what haters say. Take it in and prove em wrong. Constructive criticism.
Connect
Instagram : Shawnleebeatbox
Twitter : Shawnleebeatbox
Youtube : www.youtube.com/shawnleebeatbox
