The Pancakes
Encyclopedia
The Pancakes is a Hong Kong
based, award-winning one-girl band
consisting of independent singer-songwriter
Dejay Choi. The music of the Pancakes is characterised by Dejay's very innocent, almost child-like 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.
major. Her real name is unknown to the public. Before working full time as a singer-songwriter, she worked in the library of the Goethe-Institut
(the German
cultural centre) in Hong Kong
.
Dejay 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 established her own record label
, Rewind Records, which handles the management and promotion for the Pancakes.
Prior to the Pancakes, Dejay participated in several independent band
s including 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 song, gum gum gum (Chinese: 咁咁咁, literally "like, like, like"), written for the film McDull, Prince de la Bun
won "Best Original Film Song" at the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards
.
Single
Collaborated album
Album released under Elefant Records
Europe
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
based, award-winning one-girl band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
consisting of independent singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Dejay Choi. The music of the Pancakes is characterised by Dejay's very innocent, almost child-like voice with bright and catchy melodies. Most of the Pancakes' songs have English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
lyrics, unlike the majority of Hong Kong pop music, where Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
is the norm.
About the Pancakes
Dejay Choi is the only member of the band. She graduated from the University of Hong Kong as a translationTranslation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
major. Her real name is unknown to the public. Before working full time as a singer-songwriter, she worked in the library of the Goethe-Institut
Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German...
(the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cultural centre) in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Dejay 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
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. Furthermore, Dejay has also established her own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Rewind Records, which handles the management and promotion for the Pancakes.
Prior to the Pancakes, Dejay participated in several independent band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
s including The Postcard (in 1996, a three-member band), Ginger Biscuits
Ginger biscuits
A ginger biscuit, ginger nut or ginger snap is a globally popular biscuit based snack food, flavoured with ginger.These hard twice-baked biscuits are flavoured with powdered ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices...
(in 1997, a solo act) and Tricycle Rider (in 1999, also with three members).
Her song, gum gum gum (Chinese: 咁咁咁, literally "like, like, like"), written for the film McDull, Prince de la Bun
McDull, Prince de la Bun
McDull, Prince de la Bun is a 2004 animated Hong Kong film directed by Yuen Toe. Telling the life a the fictional pig McDull, it is a sequel to My Life as McDull and it was followed by McDull, the Alumni .There was significant word play in this movie, some of it is based on the "pineapple bun"...
won "Best Original Film Song" at the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards
24th Hong Kong Film Awards
Ceremony for the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards was held on 27 March 2005 in the Hong Kong Coliseum and hosted by Carol Cheng and Lawrence Cheng. Twenty-nine winners in nineteen categories were unveiled, with films Kung Fu Hustle and 2046 being the year's biggest winners...
.
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).
Single
- Demo Demo No.1 (March 2000)
Collaborated album
- ok karaoke (with alok July 2001)
- freeplay (with Chet LamChet LamChet Lam is a Hong Kong based independent singer-songwriter whose style has been described by many as "city-folk". He is the elder brother of singer Eman Lam.-Biography:...
and ketchup (March 2004)
Album released under Elefant Records
Elefant Records
Elefant Records is an independent record label based in Spain. Elefant records was founded in 1989 by Luis Calvo as an offshoot of a fanzine he produced called "La Línea Del Arco"...
- Captain Curtain (March 2001)
- Flying in the blue sky on a frying pan (November 2001)
Musical composition for advertisements
Hong Kong- Kowloon Motor BusKowloon Motor BusThe Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited , a company of the Transport International Holdings Limited, is the largest franchised bus operators in Hong Kong, and one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world...
, July 2000, a (from the album les bonbons sont bons) - HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
credit card, December 2000, patronage (from the album pancakes can panick). - San Miguel Beer Division, April 2001, wala wala (from album les bonbons sont bons) and 11 unreleased songs.
- China Light and PowerChina Light and PowerThe CLP Group and its holding company, CLP Holdings Ltd , is a Hong Kong electric company that businesses in a number of Asian markets and Australia....
, July 2001, the pancakes and the music. - QooQoois a non-carbonated beverage from the Coca-Cola Company. Originally introduced in Japan in 1999, Qoo is now available throughout much of Asia in a variety of flavors including grape and orange. In Germany, the product line was discontinued in November 2005....
soft drink, August 2002, the Qoo song. - Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services DepartmentLeisure and Cultural Services DepartmentThe Leisure and Cultural Services Department , often abbreviated as LCSD, is a department in the Government of Hong Kong. It reports to the Home Affairs Bureau, headed by the Secretary for Home Affairs. It provides leisure and cultural activities for the people of Hong Kong, which was also one of...
, July 2006, incidental musicIncidental musicIncidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
for public pools advertisement. - 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!)
Europe
- Kia MotorsKia MotorsKia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
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". View the advertisements here.
As director
- Looking for true love, (September 2004) – as director, producer and screen script writer.
As voice actor
- My life as McDullMy Life as McDullMy Life as McDull is a Chinese animated feature film from Hong Kong released in 2001. The film surrounds the life of McDull, a hugely popular cartoon pig character created by Alice Mak and Brian Tse which has appeared on comics ever since the 1990s...
, (2001) - voice-acting for school teacher Ms Chan. - McDull, Prince de la Bun, (2004) - ut supra.
- McDull, The AlumniMcDull, The AlumniMcDull, the Alumni is a 2006 Hong Kong live action/animated film directed by Samson Chiu. It is the third film adaptation of the popular McDull comic book series, following My Life as McDull, and McDull, Prince de la Bun...
, (2006) - ut supra.
Publication
- 班門弄戟 (CantoneseStandard CantoneseCantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
：Baan Mun Nung Gig; PinyinPinyinPinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: bān mén nòng jǐ), Chinese proses collection, published by Kubrick in July 2005. ISBN 988-97905-3-X