Reign Lee walks success’ fine line

By Steve McElwee

For the past couple of years, Reign Lee has been teetering on the edge of superstardom. She is doing everything the right way; releasing critically acclaimed records, winning adulations from the always-discerning indie press and embarking on an endless rotation of tours to help hone her craft.

“Where I am today is miles and miles and miles ahead of where I had ever imagined I could have got with music,” said Lee, born in Ontario and based in Hong Kong.

After listening to her 2007 autobiographical album “Broken Skylines,” you can tell that she has ventured out on a Homer-esque odyssey and spilled the details of this voyage from her heart onto a CD. With finely crafted songs and lyrics that sting, Lee may be one of the most remarkable songsmiths working the indie circuit today.

“I’m a pretty personal writer,” Lee said. “I tend to be influenced by what’s going on in my life and where I happen to be at that point in time.”

Songs such as “In Your Arms” deal with intense themes, and Lee does an excellent job of conveying her point and painting a portrait of what is happening.

“There was a lot of upheaval in my life that kind of precipitated a lot of the songs that made their way onto the record,” Lee said. “It definitely symbolizes a point in time.”

This point in time allows for some brutally honest lyrics accompanied by some serious song craft and moody melodies, evident on the record’s standout track “Helena.” Lee displays a bit of the macabre and dabbles in a gothic romance.

Because of Lee’s multicultural background (her mother was a European-Canadian and her father Chinese), she seems to have an easier time breaking through boundaries and rarely encounters any kind of obstacles. The respect and admiration she receives from Hong Kong is very positive and gives her a better outlook.

“I guess I’m fairly known in Hong Kong,” Lee said. “It’s a pretty small community, so everybody kind of knows everyone else and they have a pretty good idea of what other people are up to. I have seemed to develop just a little bit of a following, which is pretty cool.”

Reign Lee will perform at 11 p.m. Nov. 8 at 797 Lounge, 324 W. College Ave., State College. Visit www.reignlee.com or www.myspace.com/cherrydarlingproductions, or call 237-8474 for more information.