Jane Lui

Jane Lui
Lui performing in 2010
Background information
Birth nameJane Wing-Chi Lui
Also known asSurrija
LuieLand
BornApril 24
United States
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresPop, rock
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
producer
performer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Piano
Guitar
Percussion
Melodica
Glockenspiel
Music box
Years active2000–present
Labelsunsigned
Websitewww.surrija.com

Jane Wing-Chi Lui is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Southern California.

Biography

Lui grew up in Hong Kong and at the age of 12, she moved to the United States.[1]

Her musical influences include Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Björk.[2] She has opened for Jason Mraz, Jim Bianco, Kate Earl, Vienna Teng, Tom Brosseau, and others. In 2004, she started her solo career.[3] Since then, she has released three albums.

Lui voices Mother Tanaka in the 2012 animated short film, Hibakusha, alongside Karin Anna Cheung, Daisuke Suzuki, and William Frederick Knight.[4]

In 2019, Lui successfully crowdfunded her fourth album[5] under the name SURRIJA. New tracks have now premiered on Earmilk[6] and Audiofemme.[7]

Lui is credited as being Opera Evelyn in the 2022 movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. She is also credited on the movie's soundtrack under the track "Opera Fight."

Education

Lui has a degree in music education from San Diego State University.[8] She is classically trained in piano and voice.[9]

Discography

Albums

  • Teargirl (2004)
  1. "Yellow Light"
  2. "Pigeon Woman"
  3. "Blackest Crow"
  4. "Blue Square"
  5. "Freddie Goodtime"
  6. "Playing God"
  7. "Years of Roses"
  8. "Phaedon"
  9. "Marvelous"
  10. "Rainbow Sleve"
  11. "Pigeon Woman" (hidden track; produced by Greg Laswell)
  • Barkentine (2007)
  1. "Third place Difference"
  2. "West in Me"
  3. "Hunter"
  4. "Libra Armor"
  5. "Barkentine Interlude"
  6. "Snowboots in Summer"
  7. "Firefly"
  8. "Surrija"
  9. "Barkentine Memoir"
  10. "Widowmakers"
  11. "Made of Ribbons"
  12. "Below" (hidden track; live from San Diego performance)
  • Goodnight Company (2010)
  1. "Goodnight Company"
  2. "Jailcard"
  3. "Edelweiss"
  4. "Perished"
  5. "Illusionist Boy"
  6. "Southern Winds"
  7. "Take Me For Now"
  8. "New Jersey"
  9. "Long Ago"
  10. "Last Rose of Summer"

Others

  • Prate and Idle Chatter (2000) – with Jason and Jane (pop duo)
  • Two Fridays for Thursday (2002) – Jason and Jane (pop duo)
  • Vega (2003) – with Starline Theorie, co-wrote & lead vocal (soundscape)
  • Obon (2005) – Starline Theorie, co-wrote & lead vocal (soundscape)
  • Opera Fight (2022) – with Son Lux and YMusic

Awards and nominations

  • 2009 Featured Artist on YouTube[10]
  • 2009 1st Runner up Kollaboration – The Shrine, Los Angeles, CA[11]
  • 2008 Best Recording Nominee – San Diego Music Awards, CA[12]
  • 2008 Winner of Kollaboration – Ford Amphiteatre, Los Angeles, CA[13]
  • 2007 Best of Performing Arts Nominee – San Diego/Los Angeles Asian Heritage Awards[14]
  • 2006 Best Female Performer and Best Keyboard Player – San Diego Honoring Acoustic Talent Awards[15]
  • 2006 Best of Performing Arts Nominee – San Diego/Los Angeles Asian Heritage Awards[16]

Reviews

Justin Roberts writes positively about Lui, describing her vocals as "sultry" and "candlelit".[17] On Barkentine, the San Diego Troubadour notes the originality of her album.[18]

For her performance of Below at Kollaboration 9 in Los Angeles, Ernie Hsiung describes Lui as a "...stand out performer..."[19]

References

  1. ^ "Around the World in Her Mind: An Interview with Jane Lui". Asia Pacific Arts. January 25, 2011. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  2. ^ San Diego Reader | Jane Lui
  3. ^ Jane Lui :: About This Artist – ReverbNation
  4. ^ "HIBAKUSHA Behind The Scenes: Jane Lui". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  5. ^ "Jane Lui • SURRIJA • Fourth Album by Jane Lui – Kickstarter". Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  6. ^ "Surrija is waiting for you in "Barcelona"". February 28, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "Surrija Retells Picasso Muse Lydia Corbett's Story With New Song, "Sylvette"". Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  8. ^ Pacific Media Expo || music
  9. ^ "Bio from JaneLui.com". Archived from the original on December 9, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  10. ^ YouTube – Jane Lui Freddie Goodtime Monterey Park, CA
  11. ^ "Kollaboration – EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT – Kollaboration 9". Archived from the original on August 13, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  12. ^ San Diego Music Awards 2008 | SignOnSanDiego.com Entertainment Guide
  13. ^ "Kollaboration – EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT – Kollaboration Acoustic 2". Archived from the original on May 1, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  14. ^ "AHA Past Nominees – ASIA Media Frontpage". Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  15. ^ "2006 Winners". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  16. ^ "2006 AHA Nominees List – ASIA Media Frontpage". Archived from the original on February 23, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  17. ^ Demo Review 2008 Archived February 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "The San Diego Troubadour". Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  19. ^ Jane Lui’s “Firefly” | Entertainment | 8Asians.com