- The singer, pianist and violinist has since gained recognition for his acting roles in Ossan's Love and Chilli Laugh Story, even earning nominations at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards
- In 2023, the 'Mr. E's Series of Unfortunate Events' singer held a sold-out solo concert, 'In My Sight of E', and attended the Kenzo autumn/winter show during Paris Fashion Week
Mirror's Edan Lui is celebrating his birthday today, on January 21 - and he has come a long way since his days as one of 99 participants on the talent show Good Night Show - King Maker hosted by Hong Kong television station ViuTV in 2018.
Before breaking into Cantopop, Lui was a seasoned pianist who sang as he played, wowing audiences. The talented, all-round musician is not only well versed in the piano, but has mastered the violin - another instrument that he incorporated into his performances during the TV competition, setting him apart from other contestants who mostly excelled in dancing and singing.
Lui became a top 10 contestant, ultimately landing him a spot in the boy band Mirror alongside 11 others, including Keung To and Anson Lo.
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From making it into the final rounds of the reality competition show and becoming a Mirror member, to launching a solo career as a singer and actor, we reflect on some of the star's most glorious career highlights as he turns 27.
Edan Lui, from King Maker to Mirror
While Lui did not emerge as the champion of King Maker - it was To who grabbed that honour - his undeniable singing talent and charming good looks landed him a spot in Mirror, the massively popular boy band consisting of winners and runners-up of the show. The group debuted in November 2018, riding on the hype the television show generated. Lui had already amassed a substantial fan base throughout the competition, and being chosen to be a part of Mirror further proved his star power.
Lui quickly rose to fame with the band, which gained popularity with its debut single "In a Second", with their faces soon plastered across Hong Kong's billboards.
Launching his solo music career
One of the group's more prominent members, Lui released his first solo single in 2021, following in the footsteps of his fellow bandmates To, Lo and Jer Lau. His first single, "Mr. E's Series of Unfortunate Events", was positively received and got him voted best favourite new artist of the year by netizens for the 2021 Metro Radio Music Awards.
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His ability to captivate an audience as a solo artist led him to hold his first sold-out solo concert, "In My Sight of E", in 2023 at the AsiaWorld Expo. He continues to split his time between recording for Mirror and as a solo act.
From television to the silver screen
No stranger to the camera, Lui naturally branched out into acting thanks to his time on King Maker. His first major role had him starring in the ViuTV drama series Ossan's Love, an adaptation of a Japanese television series of the same name from the booming BL genre. Lui's character is part of a same-sex couple alongside his bandmate Lo, and the two's dedicated performances earned plenty of praise.
His stellar television performance landed him further roles in feature films. In 2023, he was nominated twice in the best new actor category at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards for his roles in the comedy Chilli Laugh Story and the drama Hong Kong Family.
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Serving high fashion looks
His popularity naturally resulted in him working with some of the world's leading luxury brands in fashion, beauty and jewellery. While he appears to prefer to spend his days off in jeans and T-shirts, he's all about looking the part when he steps on stage, sometimes with a bit of help from stunning high jewellery designs.
The singer wore diamonds from luxury Italian jeweller Bulgari on stage during his solo concert, including a necklace from the snake-inspired Serpenti collection. He also walked the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards red carpet wearing the brand's B. Zero designs.
Last January, he was seated in the front row at the Kenzo autumn/winter 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week. His youthful energy resonated with the brand's playful designs. Wearing a chunky blue knit jumper and a shirt and tie printed with an illustration of an elephant, he bumped shoulders with international fashion faces and celebrities.
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