WHERE HOME IS I'm a resident of Hong Kong but it takes seven years to get permanent status, and unfortunately there's no 'backdoor' way in. Beijing is my main base in Asia, but I live in New York, which is much more international than Philadelphia, where I studied as a teenager.
New York can be a dangerous place for young people; it's so big, with so many distractions. A few years ago, I got into disco clubbing, but I've tired of that. Now I like the opera as it's a chance for me to relax and rest my ears from all the practising I do.
BRAND SECURITY Personal style [in music] is hard to keep. Once you've listened to many great recordings, had guidance from master musicians from around the world, your sound can switch. This is dangerous because when an audience listens to you, you must have something to say.
If you start sounding like elevator music then you are in trouble. My dad plays security guard to my style, you could say. He is also my manager in Asia. It's a huge market, so we hire other people to do bookings and press, but we need to be in control. He knows me so well and after he took over managing my career in China, I took huge steps [in the country]. The trademark on my name came naturally. It wasn't a sudden marketing idea. My name was already a brand - with Adidas and Steinway. And we needed to protect that.
CATHAY SPECIFIC This year was really hard on China. Even as a visiting musician to countries such as Germany and England, I've been asked very hard questions about my political stance. I've tried to send good messages out to represent my generation's attitude, but obviously I can't represent the government. As a musician, the best way for me is to try to play a good concert and be heard.
CRITICAL MASS Once you are successful, people start questioning your talent because you are in the spotlight. Sometimes you read great articles and sometimes it is heavy criticism. This is normal - everyone needs to go through this if he is a big player, a big fish.
Some musicians might hit back at music critics, but the best thing is not to argue with them. It's their job - they can say what they want. Let them say it. The important thing is to not be distracted by either the good or bad sides of the argument. Focus on your music and don't think too much about other people. There's a Chinese saying that 'if you are gold, you will always shine'.