SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — Mai Lee is a gifted R&B singer born and raised in St. Louis. You may recognize her name because it is shared with the city's iconic Mai Lee Restaurant in Brentwood, a place her parents opened after escaping war-torn Vietnam in 1978. Mai Lee is living her dream as she gets ready to perform at Delmar Hall.
Here are 5 things to know about the Asian American singer:
1. Mai Lee was born in St. Louis, and her parents enrolled her in a performing arts elementary school and middle school. But in high school, her parents made her switch to a tech school, which made her realize that she wanted to perform music.
"After that got taken away from me, I realized that that's what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life," Lee said.
2. The singer says working in her family restaurant taught her work ethic. She jokes that she never wanted to be like her parents, but she jokes that she turned into them as she got older.
"It's a wonderful thing," said Lee. "They just taught me how to work hard and strive. And do everything with love."
3. Mai Lee says her entire family is musical. When her family immigrated to St. Louis from Vietnam they started a Vietnamese band. Her dad sings 80s and 90s rock, her siblings listened to rap and R&B, and her mom sings Vietnamese.
"Everyone's just creative," said Lee.
4. Her debut album "FRIENDZ" has been called a "Netflix and chill" album. The single "Lowski (Ooo, Oohs and Ahhs)" is her second single, and it might give you a good idea of the vibe. You can find her music on YouTube and all the places you can stream. She says it's more than music, it's a story of her life.
5. Her dream is to be the first Asian American R&B pop artist in the world. Mai Lee said that being a first-generation American of Asian descent didn't make it easy growing up. She got made fun of until she found her voice.
"The only way I fit in was through singing," she once said in a 5 On Your Side interview.
Mai Lee will perform her new album for the release show on Dec. 30 at Delmar Hall, a companion hall of The Pageant. Tickets are $30 or you can get VIP tickets for $50.
Her family's restaurants Mai Lee and Nudo House will also cater to the VIP experience.
Mai Lee with Vega Heartbreak is an all-ages show. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. However, masks are optional. VIP includes early entry at 6 p.m. Friday.