The 35th Golden Melody Awards recently announced a segment in the ceremony to pay tribute to A-mei Li, to be performed by Wang Leehom, which unexpectedly sparked controversy. However, tonight (14th), after Wang Leehom decided to step down, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of China announced late at night that, after further communication with relevant parties and considering the overall program arrangement, they have decided to cancel this performance.
Yesterday, the official announcement from the Golden Melody Awards stated that Wang Leehom would be a guest performer at this year’s ceremony, paying tribute to his friend A-mei Li, who passed away last year after 30 years of friendship. This announcement stirred up discussions from various quarters. Minister of Culture, Li Yuan, even mentioned in an interview that the production team needs to discuss with A-mei Li’s family again.
The Ministry of Culture stated late tonight that in response to the discussions sparked by the performance program and performer announcement made on the 13th, they sincerely accept criticisms and advice from all sectors. Respecting the professional decisions of the ceremony’s production team and following Wang Leehom’s decision to step down, after further communication with relevant parties, the Ministry of Culture decided to cancel this performance, taking into account the overall program arrangement.
Therefore, there will not be a performance segment dedicated to honoring A-mei Li at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, but A-mei Li’s presence will be preserved in the segment dedicated to remembering deceased artists.
Tonight, Wang Leehom’s management company, Homeboy Music, also issued a statement, stating that the invitation to be a guest performer has been the subject of heated discussions in various circles over the past two days, losing “the essence of simple tribute and remembrance for a good friend.” Consequently, Wang Leehom has decided to resign from the performance. Moving forward, they will find other more meaningful ways to express their tribute to their friend.