Deb Fung
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. With an acoustic ballad, pop/rock flavour, Deb's songwriting and performance harnesses the power and beauty of music in communicating to people at all stages of life. Her Exclusive EP release (March 2006) entitled “Rebirth” was recently awarded a finalist position for the song “Hear the Angels” in the Australian Songwriter’s Association Competition 2006. 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, questioning 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 concert and festivals such as the Mosaic Music Festival in Singapore last March at the Esplanade, performing alongside a plethora of artists such as Incognito, Pat Metheny and Jason Mraz.
Based in Sydney, Deb has just released her third album "WHOEVER YOU ARE". 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 player Dave Tymo. Produced by Brad Evans, mixed and mastered in Nashville by Salvo (Mercy Me, Israel Houghton, Amy Grant) Deb's new album is hot off the press and sure to please.
Deb completed her commerce law degree at the end of 2001 at Monash University, Melbourne and has been working part time in law since early 2001, completing her practical legal training in 2003 at the Sydney College of Law. Whilst in Melbourne she was also involved in the youth and worship ministries for over six years before relocating to Sydney in early 2003. .
On the music side, throughout her primary and secondary school years she studied AMEB music and completed 8th Grade piano and 5th Grade Theory in year 11. Deb also practiced violin for 3 years in secondary school. Her older brother taught her guitar at the age of 14 and she has thoroughly enjoyed this instrument.
Deb Fung "Do So Much" Live in Sydney
Deb has a passion for song writing and music and performs contemporary Gospel music in ways that people readily receive and listen openly to. In July 2001 she had a deep personal conviction to utilize her skills in music and gifts in songwriting to communicate the Word of God in a tangible way. She made a decision at this time to take the year off in 2002 after finishing her tertiary studies to produce an original album.
Deb Fung "Home" Live in Sydney
Spending most of the first half of 2002 songwriting and studying the Psalms and Proverbs, it was only in July that Deb set the final date of the launch of her debut album, "Innermost Being" in Melbourne for November 2002 and in Sydney for February 2003. To date, some 1,300 Innermost Being albums have been sold and in November 2003 she was awarded "Best New Gospel Artist 2003" at the Australian Gospel Music Awards for the success of this album. The track "Hear The Angels" was also a finalist in the APRA endorsed Australian Gospel Songwriting Competition 2003.
Her second album, "Higher Way" features songs born out of 2003 - a year of change, challenges, difficulties and joy. Produced in Melbourne at Baker Street Studios in early January 2004, this album also encompasses two of her favourite Psalms put to original arrangements, her pet song "Crossroads" and a title track "Higher Way" which speaks of yearning for something more than this world can give. The theme is crying out to God for a deeper relationship with him and in this, finding answers and guidance for living in this fragile and fallen world.
Deb's music style is generally soft pop ballad with some rock, latin, R&B and jazz variety, inspired by Jewel, with a full acoustic band (drums, bass, electric & acoustic guitar, piano, synth, violins, vocals). Deb also performs the songs solo on guitar (as they were originally arranged) at live venues. Deb has performed across Australia, Singapore and the United States to enthusiastic accolades and sales.
Name: Deb Fung
Genre: Pop, Christian, Folk, Jazz, R&B
Home Town: Sydney NSW Australia
Awards: Best New Artist - Australian Gospel Music Awards 2003
Highlights: CD launches Sydney & Melb, AGMA Award, Singapore concerts
Fanbase: Australia, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, UK, USA
Recordings: 1.Innermost Being
2.Higher Way
3.Rush Australia
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