Showing posts with label Mandopop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mandopop. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Female Soloists in C-pop (Pt 3)

In the third and final part of the series, I'll introduce to you some more ladies of the c-pop world. Included are some facts about their career and a few works in their discography. If you missed it, check out parts 1 and 2!

1.Hebe Tian
田馥甄 Tian Fu Zhen
Taiwanese
Having gained popularity for being a member of the girl-group S.H.E, Hebe Tian debuted as a soloist in 2010 with her first studio album. It is titled "To Hebe", and was tied as the fifth best-selling album in Taiwan for that year. Currently, Hebe Tian is the most-viewed C-pop female singer on Youtube, having an accumulated 500 million views on her official channel.

 Notable Works (Albums & Singles)
My Love, Insignificance (渺小), Day By Day (日常)

Love Yourself (獨善其身)

 OSTs

A Little Happiness (小幸運) [Our Times (我的少女時代) Movie Theme]

 2. A-Mei
张惠妹 Zhang Hui Mei
Taiwanese
A-Mei is a popular singer of Aboriginal Puyama descent and therefore considered a pioneer for Aboriginal artists in Taiwan. She entered the music scene in 1999 with her first album that bore the Mandopop classics "Nothing You Want" and "Sisters". Since then, the "Pride of Taiwan" has sold over 50 million records. A-mei is known for her ballads and upbeat pop songs, however, she has released rock music under the moniker "Amit", which is titled after her birth name.

 Notable Works
R U Watching? (你在看我吗), Faces of Paranoia (偏执面), Star

Do You Still Want to Love Me? (這樣你還要愛我嗎)

 OSTs

Shouldn't Be (不該 )(With Jay Chou) [Ice Fantasy]

 3. Ann
白安 Bai An
Taiwanese
Ann was discovered in 2008 after publishing her songs online and signed to B'in Entertainment. Ann's music is electronic-folk and her unique singing voice is comparable to that of Faye Wong and Stephanie Sun.

 Notable Works 
What's Next?, Catcher In The Rye (麥田捕手), Collab single 送你一首過年歌

If You Ever Thought (若你真的有想過)

 OSTs

My Place (我的地方) [Second Chance (逆轉勝)]

 4. Rainie Yang
杨丞琳 Yang Cheng Lin
Taiwanese
At the start of her career, Rainie Yang was a member of Taiwanese girl group "4 In Love". She was given the stage name "Rainie", as the other members were called "Sunnie", "Cloudie" and "Windie". Since then, Yang has established her image as an all-around talent, not limited to only singing and dancing, but also acting, directing and hosting as well.

 Notable Works
Angel Wings (天使之翼), A Tale of Two Rainie (雙丞戲), A Traces of Time in Love (年輪說)

Love Voyage (為愛啟程)


 OSTs


 5. Summer (Juan Yi)
吉克隽逸 Jike Juan Yi
Chinese
Also known as Summer, Jike Juan Yi notably participated and landed third place in season 1 of "Voice of China". 

 Notable Works
Intrepid (大無畏), 我是女王 (I Am The Queen),吉克隽逸 Self-titled Album
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Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Female Soloists in C-pop (Pt 2)

Here are some more of the many current female Mando-pop artists. These acts are popular in China, Tawain and/or the Mandarin speaking world. See also: Female Soloists in C-pop (Pt 1)

1. Jolin Tsai
蔡依林 Cai Yi Lin
Taiwanese
Fondly dubbed the "Queen of C-pop", Jolin Tsai is a singer and dancer who is credited with bringing mainstream popularity to the dance genre in China. Her latest studio album, "Play" tries a mix of dubstep, dancehall and bubblegum pop. Through her music, videos and fashion choices Jolin Tsai makes strong artistic statements.

Notable Works (Albums and Singles)
The Great Artist (大藝術家), Myself, Journey

The Great Artist (大藝術家)

EGO-HOLIC

OSTs/Promotional Singles

Now Is The Time [Pepsi Promotion]

 2. Shi Shi
孫盛希 Sun Sheng Xi
Chinese
Shi Shi is racially Chinese but was born in Korea. She moved to Taiwan to become a singer and in 2014 released her debut album "Girls" under Rock Records Taipei. Much of her discography is comprised of OSTs for Taiwanese television shows including "The V-Focus" and "Behind Your Smile".

Notable Works
Girls, A Late Goodnight (很晚的晚安), Between

Let's Talk About Love (非關愛情)

A Late Goodnight (很晚的晚安)

OSTs

He isn't Worth It (是他不配) [Behind Your Smile (浮士德的微笑)]

3. Elva Hsiao
萧亚轩 Xiao Ya Xuan
Taiwanese
Elva Hsiao debuted in 1999 with a self-titled album. Early in her career, she was known for her ballads, such as "The Most Familiar Stranger". Later on, she became more known for having upbeat dance tracks like "Miss Elva".

Notable Works
Miss Elva (潇洒小姐), Shut Up and Kiss Me (不解释亲吻), I'm Ready(我爱我)

Super Girl (愛無畏)

  Miss Elva (瀟灑小姐)

OSTs

Thunder of Love (天雷地火) [The Amazing Spiderman 2]

4. Genie Chuo
卓文萱 Zhou Wen Xuan
Taiwanese
Genie Chuo debuted in 2001 at 15 years old with her first studio album "1986". Since then she has released 5 more full albums and has acted in Taiwanese TV dramas such as "Romantic Princess" and "Rolling Love".

Notable Works
My Favorite Kind Of Geniie (超級喜歡), Burning Sense Of Music (灼樂感), Just The Way I Am (反正 卓文萱)

Dark Horse (黑馬)

OSTs

Don't Want Don't Want (不要不要) [Office Girls (小資女孩向前衝)]

5. Momo Wu
吴莫愁 Wu Mouchou
Chinese
Momo Wu became popular after competing on and becoming the runner-up of "The Voice of China". She has a unique quirky style and soulful vocal color that is comparable to that of Kimbra, Duffy and Amy Winehouse.

Notable Works
Close To Infinity (接近无限), Why Not (有何不可), Everywhere (无所不在)

Not Love (不是愛)

OSTs/Promotional Songs

Live For Now [Pepsi Promotion]


Sources:
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Tuesday, February 21, 2017

January 2017 In Music

In January, a few artists whom I was waiting for made a comeback. Including Jessi, whose last release was a single in March 2016 and 2NE1 whose were on hiatus since 2014. Here are my favorite songs that came out in  January.

1. Meng Jia - Who's That Girl
Released: January 3rd
Mandarin
Chinese singer and rapper, Meng Jia (孟佳), released her second single since her solo debut. You may know Jia as a former member of k-pop group Miss A, but now she is standing alone and establishing her personal music style. 'Who's That Girl (她是谁)' is a medium-tempo pop ballad that reflects a girl's identity crisis as she looks in the mirror. The song has a catchy chorus and relatable vibe.
Review Song - 5/5 MV - 4.5/5



2.  NCT 127 - Limitless
Released: January 6th
Korean
'Limitless' is the lead single from NCT 127's second mini-album of the same name. It has been described as "urban r&b" and features the rookie group's amazing vocal harmonies. There are two music videos: the rough version and the performance version, the former of which I found bizarre. However, the latter is impeccable and boasts NCT's razor-sharp dance moves!
Review: Song - 4/5 MV - 5/5



4. BY2 - Peach Blossom Cheongsam
Released:  January 12th
Mandarin
BY2 ditched their trendy electro-pop style for a traditional aesthetic and sound. The twins are feminine and poetic as they dance in floral qipaos with wax parasols. All the details make the music video artistic and intriguing. There is paintbrush imagery that alludes to ancient Chinese art, cherry blossoms and kaleidoscope effects. The song, which utilizes traditional Chinese instruments and opera singing, still has a modern twist.
Review: Song - 3/5 MV - 4/5




5. Seohyun - Don't Say No
Released: January 16th
Korean
The Girls' Generation maknae made her solo debut with a mini album and single. In 'Don't Say No' Seohyun is begging for her man to come back with a pop/r&b tune. The music video visuals are kind of odd: she wears artsy-glam outfits and cooks up some frightening recipes. But, Seohyun makes everything better by throwing glitter in the air!
Review: Song - 4/5 MV - 3/5




5. 2NE1 - Goodbye
Released: January 20th
Korean
"Goodbye" is 2NE1's last single as a group. The members (excluding Minzy) released this farewell a few months after their disbandment. There are few ballads in 2NE1's discography, but each of them has stellar musicality. "Goodbye" is a few steps lower than the groups earlier ballads, but still a nice listen. It has an acoustic production and features mournful lyrics written by the group member, CL.
Review: Song - 3.5/5 MV - 4/5



6. Jessi - Don't Make Me Cry
Released January 22nd
Korean
Jessi's soulful voice, combined with her ability to bring out strong emotions in music, makes any song she sings, amazing. "Don't make Me Cry" is a song about a potential break-up. The cracks in the couple's relationship are getting too big and the singer is heartbroken. "Don't make me cry. Don't do me wrong." But at the end of the video, the inevitable happens: they break-up.
Review: Song - 4.5/5 MV - 3/5



Sources:
Images:1,2,3,4,5,6
Info: 2, 4


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Thursday, September 29, 2016

C-pop Girl Groups

Here's a list of popular girl groups from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Each group has a short profile and three songs. They are listed in order of the year they debuted. Who's your favorite?

 1. S.H.E
Origin: Taiwan (Mandarin)
Debut: 2001
Members: 3
S.H.E. are perhaps the most well-known girl-group in C-pop. Their name is an acronym of the members' names: Selina Jen, Hebe Tien and Ella Chen.

Songs:
1. Irreplaceable 永遠都在
2. Blossomy 花又開好了
3. SHERO

 2. Dream Girls
Origin: Taiwan (Mandarin)
Debut: 2011
Members: 3
The group members were models before their music career. Members Puff Kuo and Tia Lee are from Taiwan, and Emily Song is from South Korea.

Songs:
1. Don't Stop The Music
2. I'm Your Dream Girl
3. Tears But Also Beautiful 流淚也要美

 3. Lunar
Origin: China (Mandarin)
Debut: 2011
Members: About 30
Lunar has a cosplay theme and has different concepts.

Songs:
1. 買買買
2. 戰歌
3. Pray

 4. Popu Lady
Origin: Taiwan (Mandarin)
Debut: 2012
Members: 5
Popu Lady are labelmates of S.H.E. and their name means "popular lady".

Songs:
1. Gossip Girls 花邊女孩
2. Don't Say Goodbye 我不要
3. Lady First

 5. Super Girls
Origin: Hong Kong (Cantonese)
Debut: 2012
Members: 5
Formerly known as Icon girls.

Songs:
1. 分手的美
2. 一拍即愛
3. 黑色西裝

 6. As One
Origin: Hong Kong (Cantonese)
Debut: 2012
Members: 4
As One doubles as a K-pop group and have a Korean version of 'Candy Ball'. One of the members, Shin, participated in Korean survival show "Produce 101".

Songs:
1. Candy Ball
2. New Girl
3. 4ever

 7. SNH48
Origin: China (Mandarin)
Debut: 2012
Members: It Varies
Began as a sister group of Japanese girl group AKB48.

Songs:
1. Bingo!
2. Gingham Check
3. 源动力

 8. Seven Sense 七朵组合
Origin: China (Mandarin)
Debut: 2012 (Disbanded 2016)
Members: 7
Seven Sense was known for mixing pop with traditional Chinese music. They performed a Chinese rendition of Girls' Generation's "Gee".

Songs:
1. Jade Smoke 玉生烟
2. Five Tone Scale 
3. Gee (SNSD Cover)

 9. Weather Girls 天氣女孩
Origin: Taiwan (Mandarin)
Debut: 2010
Members:7
The members are Japanese and acted as weather forecasters on TV.

Songs:
1. 威啊
2. Don't Cry
3. 我是 BOSS

 10. Twinko
Origin: Taiwan (Mandarin)
Debut: 2013
Members: 5
They did a collab with K-pop girl group Dal Shabet.

 11. 1931
Origin: China
Debut: 2014
Members: 16?
1932 is made up of two "teams": red and white.

Songs:
1. Fire
2. 我@你
3. 歡樂同萌會

 12. S.I.N.G女团
Origin: China
Debut: 2016
Members: 13
SING is an acronym that stands for Super Impassioned Net Generation

Songs:
1. Confessions of Youth 青春的告白
2. 靈兒想叮噹
3. 聽見夏至

 13. Lady Bees 蜜蜂少女队
Origin: China
Debut: 2016
Members: 7
Produced on a reality survival show by Nicky Wu and Nicolas Tse.

Songs:
1. 棒棒
2. 一起跳舞吧
3. 鼓励鼓励

 14. BEJ48 & GNZ48
Origin: China (Mandarin)
Debut: 2016
Members: It Varies
These are sister groups to SNH48 and are based in Bejing and Guangzhou respectively.

Songs:
1. 元气觉醒 (BEJ48)
2. 元气觉醒 Dance Version
3. You Don't Know Me 你所不知道的我 (GNZ48)


Sources:
Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Info: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

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