Deb Fung

Deb Fung (born 1 April 1979 in Melbourne, Australia) is an award-winning Australian Chinese singer-songwriter. Since 2003, she has been based in Sydney and continues to perform regularly across Australia and Asia. She is also one of the worship leaders at North Shore Christian Centre in Sydney.

Biography

Winner of the 2003 National Gospel Award for Best New Gospel Artist with her music debuting the public arena in late 2002, this Australian-born Chinese singer-songwriter continues to lift her audiences with her inspiring lyrical melodies and soul-searching tunes. Recognised nationally for her songwriting in 2006 through the Australian Songwriter’s Association, Deb combines honest and thought-provoking lyrics with an acoustic ballad, pop/rock flavour, with both her solo and full band performances captivating and communicating to people at all stages of life. From heart warming songs such as “I Understand You Understand” through to songs of personal struggle such as “Darkest Place”, Deb’s signature theme in her music is her unquenchable joy and tenacity for life and an inner strength which pervades her music and draws her listeners into moments of reflection, rest and release – a necessary antidote in the midst of our busy 21st century existence.

Coming from a commerce/law background, having grown up in Melbourne, Australia, at 23 years of age Deb took the plunge in pursuing her passions for this career of music full time. No stranger to performance, Deb was singing and playing before audiences from the age of 8, has enjoyed the throes and woes of playing in orchestras, singing in choirs and performing in musicals all through her high school years. With her roots in Gospel songwriting, Deb has gone on to perform commercially throughout Australasia in festivals, clubs, conferences and cafes as well as her international tours throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Based in Sydney, Deb has three albums and one EP to her name, with her latest album Whoever You Are released in 2007. Featuring some of Australia's leading musicians such as drummer Damian Rogers (Delta Goodrem, Guy Sebastian, Christine Anu) and guitarist Mark Cullen (Parachute Band, Darlene Zschech), Deb has also captured international flavours through New York based jazz bass maestro Christian McBride and UK based rhodes musician Dave Tymo. Produced by Brad Evans, mixed and mastered in Nashville by Salvo (Mercy Me, Israel Houghton, Amy Grant)

In her music, Deb writes not only in an effort to encourage and uplift, but also to stretch people in their capacity and their perception. In a number of her new songs she boldly addresses hard realities of our weaknesses and struggles, at the same time engaging the human spirit to inspire and spur us on to betterment. As Deb explains, "The more we grasp and analyse about ourselves, the better we understand who we are and who we are becoming. I think a key to improving the way we treat others and ourselves is being self-aware. Music has a way of stripping through pretence and baring the soul. I am compelled to be honest in my songwriting and while it might be uncomfortable at times and show vulnerability, perhaps that is precisely what people need and want to feel today. It wakes us up."

Touring with her band throughout Asia from March 2007, Deb continues to make regular appearances in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia.

Personal life

After the success of her first album, Deb moved to Sydney, where she is now based. Deb is a worship leader at North Shore Christian Centre; and is also a collaborator on their latest release worship album, "King Above Us All". She is a Christian, and much of her life and testimony are evident through the lyrical content of her songwriting. She also actively participates in many Christian and church events, including RICE Interchurch Evangelism, an annual youth outreach event in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. On May 22 2004 she married Adrian Chen in Sydney.

Charity Work

Deb is passionate about humanitarian causes, connecting her music with annual visits to China for the past four years where she is involved with AIDS and HIV prevention work. Deb has a love for the people of China, and is involved with the LightAID organisation and their charity events. Deb also has taken part in charity activities with Watoto , a non profit organisation that cares for orphan children in Uganda.

Discography

Albums

References

• Official Deb Fung Website
• Official MySpace
• Management
• Deb Fung on Facebook
• Deb Fung on Twitter