Backstage Pass

James Louey takes Oliver Giles inside his “bat cave,” a teched-out audiovisual studio where he produces animations, music, films and more

Step through the doors of James Louey’s house on The Peak and it appears to be a normal—if extraordinarily luxurious—family home. Framed photos of James, his wife, Jane, and their three children cover almost every available surface, occasionally interspersed with some of the children’s drawings. There’s a sunken living room where it’s easy to imagine the family unwinding in the evenings. Bold, colourful art lines the hallways. But this house contains secrets few can imagine. “Come with me,” says James, leading the way down seemingly endless staircases before stepping over a Star Wars doormat and flinging open a door. “Welcome to my bat cave.”

A professional-standard recording studio complete with just about every gadget under the sun, this “bat cave,” which is officially called the Basement Studio, is also James’s home office. It’s in here that he records his own albums—he’s released four so far, and there’s a fifth on the way—as well as albums for his friends and songs for professional musicians. One of his regulars is David Lee, chairman of the Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation, who is currently recording his new album with some friends. “David has recorded almost 40 songs here now,” says James. “He’s become such an incredible singer.”