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.
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)
