Fish Leong

Born Leong Chui Peng on June 16, 1978, in Bahau, Malaysia, Fish Leong is a celebrated singer and actress who has captivated audiences across Asia. Her career, spanning decades, has seen her achieve significant success, particularly in Chinese-speaking markets. Leong's distinctive vocal style and heartfelt performances have earned her a devoted following, making her one of the most recognizable voices in contemporary Mandopop.[edit]

Fish Leong's presence in the global music landscape is substantial, with her recordings reaching audiences across Asia and beyond. According to the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, she is currently the 21st most famous person from Malaysia, a position she has held steady from the previous cycle. This placement reflects her enduring popularity in a region where she has sold over 20 million records and maintains a devoted following.

Her fanbase, while lacking a single formal name, is highly organized and active, particularly through the "Fish Leong Information Station" on social media, which serves as a central hub for tour updates and fan engagement. The community's influence was most dramatically demonstrated in January 2026, when reports of a ban on her song "Unfortunately Not You" in China triggered a mass-streaming campaign that turned a 2005 ballad into an unintended anthem of defiance. This event, widely covered across international media, became a defining moment for her supporters, who rallied around the song despite, or because of, the controversy.

Beyond this, fans engage in more traditional forms of support, from attending her world tours to streaming her catalog on platforms like Spotify. While no formal fandom name exists, the collective identity is strong, shaped by shared emotional connections to her music and the occasional act of collective resistance.[edit]

Fish Leong's career is marked by several legendary moments. In October 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping surprised audiences during a speech in Kuala Lumpur by directly referencing Leong, noting her popularity in China, a rare political acknowledgment that underscored her cross-cultural appeal.

The most iconic recent event occurred in January 2026, when Chinese streaming platforms reportedly banned her 2005 hit "Unfortunately Not You" (可惜不是你). The ban was attributed to the song's title containing "Ke Xi," which phonetically resembles "Xi," the surname of the Chinese leader, and was reportedly linked to the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Instead of silencing the song, the ban sparked a mass-streaming protest, with fans and casual listeners driving it up the charts, a viral act of digital defiance that turned a breakup ballad into a symbol of resistance. This story, covered by outlets like the Taipei Times and The Straits Times, has become a defining legend of her career.

Leong's music continues to resonate, with songs like "Yong Qi" (勇气) and "Fen Shou Kuai Le" (分手快乐) remaining karaoke staples. In June 2026, Malaysian singer Jaclyn Victor performed a Mandarin rendition of "Chong Bai" (崇拜) on the competition show Singer 2026, introducing her work to new audiences. Leong's 2024 world tour further cemented her live-performance legacy.[edit]