Crazy Rich Asians: Student-turn-singer shines in Hollywood hit

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Jon M. Chu's "Crazy Rich Asians" has been TAKING the American box office by storm. And one of the major talking points is the use of Coldplay's "Yellow", sung in Chinese. The inclusion of the song is more significant than you think, and Chinese-American college student, Katherine Ho, SINGER of the tune IN the movie, tells us more about her unexpected experience. CGTN's May Lee has this.

Fall semester has begun at the University of Southern California, but sophomore pre-med student Katherine Ho has already made the grade in one of the biggest movies of the year.

It all started when Katherine, a first generation Chinese American, was asked by renowned music arranger and producer Ben Bram to audition for an unknown project. She had to record a Mandarin version of Coldplay's hit song "Yellow" and do it in just one day. So she got on the phone with her father who helped fine-tune her interpretation.

KATHERINE HO COLLEGE STUDENT AND SINGER "I actually practiced a little bit more and then I was like so exhausted from school so I fell asleep on the piano and I woke up the next morning, super disoriented and it was like 6 or 7 am and I was like 'crap I gotta record this before class' and then I practiced a few more hours and then sent it in and was like I'm done."

Just a few days later, Katherine got the job, but she didn't know the project was "Crazy Rich Asians" until the day she recorded in the studio punctuated by a visit from director Jon M. Chu.

No surprise that he made the trip because of the crucial and emotional role the song plays in the film and, to Chu himself.

Initially, Coldplay rejected the request to use the song for the movie so Chu made a personal plea in a heartfelt letter. In it he shares the pain he felt as a young Asian American with the term "yellow".

Chu wrote, "It's always had a negative connotation in my life. That is, until I heard your song. For the first time in my life, it described the color in the most beautiful, magical ways I had ever heard."

Chu goes on to say "It immediately became an anthem for me and my friends and gave us a new sense of pride we never felt before we could reclaim the color for ourselves and it has stuck with me for the majority of my life."

KATHERINE HO COLLEGE STUDENT AND SINGER "I never actually thought about yellow as an actual beautiful adjective until after I read Jon's letter. So definitely never been prouder to be Asian American and it's like I know it sounds dramatic. But it's all because of this film that like I feel this way."

As do so many Asians who have found inspiration and a sense of identity in Crazy Rich Asians.

KATHERINE HO COLLEGE STUDENT AND SINGER "My favorite line of the song is definitely the chorus part and it goes like this."

May Lee, CGTN, Los Angeles.