As one of the most sought-after songwriter-producers in the Mandarin pop music scene in the 1990s, Jonathan Lee was associated with writing and producing the hit songs of some of the biggest female singers.
His celebrated works include ex-wife Sandy Lam's Scars (from the 1995 album Love, Sandy), Winnie Hsin's Enlightenment (1994), Sarah Chen's Awakened From A Dream (from 1989's Talk To You, Listen To You) and Sylvia Chang's Busy And Blind (1985).
Asked about the working relationship he has with female artists, he says: 'Women are adorable creatures, very captivating. They're like diamonds and I want to look for the best angle to cut. They can have an irritating side as well but I don't want to show people that.
'At the same time, women are fragile and not easy to handle. If you raise your voice, they may cry and if you're too direct, they may get upset. This delicate operation is one that I greatly enjoyed,' he concludes with a laugh.
But the godfather of Mandarin pop insists that his success with women singers is a 'coincidence', pointing out that he has also produced successful albums for Chao Chuan and Emil Chau.
He was dressed casually in a shortsleeved shirt and slacks, and a genial smile never left the 50-year-old's face during the interview.
He will be performing at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Nov 29 at the Lee Guitars All-star Concert with singer-songwriters Chau, Mayday, Tanya Chua, Chang Chen-yue and Cheer Chen. Lee Guitars is the guitar production line he founded in 2002.
He says that the challenge with each album he produced was how to create something unique.
'How can I take an artist in a new direction, but do so without harming the singer, without simply imposing my ideas or blindly following market trends.'
Which album left a particularly strong impression on him?
'In my 30 years as a producer, I haven't produced too many albums and I think that every single one's not bad,' he says, refusing to play favourites.
Putting it another way, he adds: 'Every album left a deep impression on me as my job was to turn a long, boring production process marked by arguments, doubts and contradictions into a meaningful record.'
Despite being known for penning some of Mandarin pop's most famous love songs for female singers, he says that 'in real life, I don't quite understand women'.
He has been linked to several of the female artists he worked with. The most famous entanglement was with Sandy Lam. He divorced his wife of nine years, former DJ Rosita Chu, in 1997 and married Lam in 1998. He and Lam went their separate ways in 2004.
He has two daughters with Chu, aged 19 and 16, and one with Lam who is 11. 'I do spend time with my daughters and as they get older, our relationship is changing and they're becoming like my friends.
'I enjoy having three daughters at three different ages. The youngest one is learning to use flattery to get what she wants while the eldest one already knows how to take care of her father.'
He says that he is on cordial terms with his ex-wives. 'It's all good. There's no problem and we still meet and have discussions about the future of the children. This is a harmonious and natural thing.'
As for romantic love, he says: 'The older I get, the more mature I am in my appreciation of women. In my younger days, I would easily drown in someone's eyes, start noticing another's body or be dazzled by yet another's talent.
'But with age, I feel that every woman is adorable in some way and worth getting to know. It's a more relaxed kind of attitude. It's not an easy stage to attain and it took many years of training.'
He is not seeing anyone now.
Lee is regarded as an elder statesman in the pop music scene and he has something he wants to get off his chest.
He is concerned about the prevalence of singing competitions, which he says could give the wrong impression of what music making is all about.
'You give these young singers the impression that it's a short cut to fame. The aim of music seems to be: 'I want to be an idol and I want to do it quickly.'
'That they should be encouraged is not wrong. But what should not be overlooked is: 'What's driving you to make music in the first place?' '
His advice for them: 'You can be a taxi-driver and still be a singer-songwriter. If you use music to express yourself, you are already one. If you really love music, you won't care about popularity.'
As for his own career as a singer, he says: 'I'm not an A-list singer, but I'm quite happy with my past results.'
In addition to Lee Guitars, he has his music company Promise Productions & Studios and he is looking to sign on one or two composer artists from Singapore or Malaysia. He also runs Acoustic House in Beijing, a cosy 40-seat live venue.
Making guitars was a way for Lee to 'return to the root of music and to understand how such a simple instrument has changed my life'.
He picked up his first guitar when he was 14. 'I didn't have many friends and I expressed my feelings of boredom through the guitar. I never thought that I would become a producer. The impulse then was much purer.'
