In the city of Sha Tin, Hong Kong, in the year 1982, the famed Chinese American musician/performer was born. After failing to get into the famed American singing talent show in 2004, he became an overnight celebrity. Almost 100,000 fans signed an online petition requesting that he return to the show. This appeal was met by creating a documentary about his audition procedure and the experiences of other rejected applicants for the popular talent show.
His ambition to succeed, positive view on life, and eagerness to learn new things earned him a $25,000 cheque from the Fuse Channel during one of his guest appearances at the University of California, Berkeley. He finally landed a record deal with Koch Entertainment for his first album, “Inspiration,” in which he successfully covered Ricky Martin, Village People, and Elton John songs.
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William Hung’s Net Worth
William Hung has a net worth of $600,000 dollars as an American vocalist. In January 1983, Hong Kong native William James Hung Hing Cheong was born. He graduated from high school in Los Angeles before moving to New Jersey in 1983. He was a student at the University of California, Berkeley, but dropped out to pursue a musical career.
Hung rose to prominence in 2004 after playing a copy of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” during an audition for American Idol. Koch Entertainment signed him to a record deal, and he published three albums as a result. He’s got a lot of supporters and detractors. The promotion of racial stereotypes against Asians by Hung and his admirers has sparked controversy. He developed a cult-like fan base. Hung has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Entertainment Tonight, the Late Show with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Radio Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and a number of other shows.
He’s been in advertisements for the Game Show Network, Cingular Wireless, and Ask.com, among others. In 2004, he starred in the film Where is Mama’s Boy? Inspiration, his debut album, sold 200,000 copies in the United States and debuted at number one on the Indie charts. Only 7,000 copies of Hung’s second album made the charts. In 2011, Hung left the music industry and went into the field of technical criminal analysis.
Career in Music
William’s brief career as a singer is undoubtedly the most memorable aspect of his life thus far, as he established himself as the singer who couldn’t sing.
On January 15, 2004, in San Francisco, William auditioned for the third season of “American Idol.” “I just want to make music for a living,” William told the crowd that day. He then proceeded to perform an amusing copy of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs,” complete with his own notes and chords.
The crowd couldn’t help but boo, jeer, and laugh. William’s performance was reportedly dismissed by judge Simon Cowell, who said the contender “couldn’t sing or dance.” William’s next remark became an internet phenomenon, resulting in a worldwide cult following. “I already gave my best and I have no regrets whatsoever,” he told the judge. Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, both judges on the talent show, praised his upbeat attitude in the face of the negative feedback on his performance. William, predictably, did not advance to the show’s next round.
Childhood, Family, and Education
William Hing Cheung Hung was born to Chinese parents on January 13, 1983 in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. William feels proud of his Asian origins, even though he now considers himself to be an American.
He grew up in Sha Tin until he relocated to Van Nuys, California, with his parents when he was 11 years old. William’s youth is unknown until he enrolled as a Civil Engineering student at the University of California, Berkeley.
He won a talent show in his dorm while in university, singing Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs.” He saw an advertisement for the third season of “American Idol,” a US talent programmed, and decided to audition for a slot. His hysterical performance of “She Bangs” disqualified him from the competition’s next stage while also gaining him a devoted following.
He dropped out of college to pursue a career in music, but went on to California State University to finish his education.