Biography
Who is Wei Wei?
Early life and education
Wei Wei was born in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. Her father, Zhang Yu, was a railway official and veteran of the People's Liberation Army. Her mother is named Wei Xiuqun. She started performing arts in kindergarten.
At age 7, her family moved to Liuzhou in Guangxi. When she was 14, Wei moved to Beijing. She joined the China National Song & Dance Ensemble. Her training there covered singing, dancing, and lighting. She also studied stage design, instruments, and choreography. She later graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
Rise to fame
The singer had her breakthrough in 1986. She won the National Young Singers contest on television. She sang a song called Wanna Take One More Chance to Look at You. In 1987, she represented China at the 24th Sopot International Music Festival in Poland and won.
Wei received a 2nd Level National Performer Professional Qualification Certificate in 1986. A year later, the Ministry of Culture gave her a 1st Level certificate. This is the highest professional qualification in her field in China. It allowed her to teach as a professor in music academies.
Olympic and sports career
Wei has a strong connection to sports culture. She became an Olympic Cultural Ambassador for China in 1993. This happened when the Chinese Olympic Committee first applied to host the games. She was the only cultural representative for Asia at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
The All-China Women's Federation called her the Queen of Sports in 2007. Her song I Want to Fly was the official theme for the 2008 Olympic Sailing events. She performed at the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. She also sang at the Expo 2010 opening ceremony and the 11th National Games of China.
International reach
Wei Wei performed a duet with Julio Iglesias at the 1993 East Asian Games in Shanghai. In 1994, she sang Dedication of Love at Carnegie Hall in New York. She was named Star of the Night for that performance. She later launched a concert tour called Wei Wei and the World.
She visited cities like Guangzhou, Kunming, and Shanghai. In 1997, she became a product ambassador for the American hair care brand Nioxin. She worked with this company in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. In 2003, she started Wei Wei International Management in Stockholm to grow her global career.
Music and media
Her song Asian Mighty Winds served as the theme for the 1990 Asian Games. She performed it with Liu Huan. Another hit, Today is Your Birthday, won a gold medal at the Jian Brand Cup. It is often used for China's National Day.
Wei starred in the movie The Story of A Songstress with Jiang Lili and Zhang Guoli. She released an English album titled The Twilight. Her compilation album Wei Wei's Devotion was highly popular in China in 1999. She promoted this album at Caesar's Palace in Paris. A dress she wore for the 2008 Olympics is kept at the Nordic Museum in Sweden.
Birthday and age
Wei Wei was born on August 21, 1963, which makes Wei 63 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Wei shares the date with 65 other famous people.
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