A-Mei
Encyclopedia
A-Mei also known by her birth name Chang Hui-mei , is an aboriginal
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...

 Taiwanese
Music of Taiwan
Taiwan is densely-populated and culturally diverse, including a majority of Bensheng ren , a powerful faction waishengren who arrived with Chiang Kai-shek in the middle of the 20th century and the minority of aboriginal peoples.With the arrival of the KMT led Republic of China government in 1949,...

 pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 singer and occasional songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

. She is also known by her aboriginal name Gulilai Amit . She was born in the rugged mountains of eastern Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 and is the third youngest of nine siblings. A-mei made her debut in the world of music in 1996, achieving rapid commercial success. She has been called a diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....

 of the Mandarin pop
Mandopop
Mandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...

 music scene and the "Pride of Taiwan". She has won numerous music awards and is extremely popular within Mandarin-speaking world.

Background

A-Mei is an ethnic Puyuma. Like most Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...

, she was exposed to tribal music
Music of Taiwan
Taiwan is densely-populated and culturally diverse, including a majority of Bensheng ren , a powerful faction waishengren who arrived with Chiang Kai-shek in the middle of the 20th century and the minority of aboriginal peoples.With the arrival of the KMT led Republic of China government in 1949,...

 during her childhood. A-mei's mother used to record herself singing, then play back the tape for her daughters to hear. A-mei had always been fascinated by music; she once said that she stuck to the radio and would rush to watch the late night music program introducing English songs when she was a little girl. She also showed great eagerness to perform in public, even forcing her friends to listen to her sing.

A-Mei first connected to the entertainment business by joining the televised "Five Lights Singing Contest" on TTV
Taiwan Television
Taiwan Television Enterprise, Ltd. , commonly known as TTV is launched), is the first television broadcast station in Taiwan...

 in 1994 after encouragement by her father, who was ill at that time. A-Mei made it all the way through to the finals but eventually lost in the final round. She felt very disappointed and was almost ready to give up interest in music competitions. A-Mei's father then told her, "You definitely can sing, and you perform songs beautifully. Why don't you enter the competition again to show that you have a talent for music?" So encouraged, A-mei then decided to make a second attempt the following year. Her stable and superb performances were much appreciated by the judges, and this time A-Mei was awarded the championship. Unfortunately, A-Mei's father died before her victory, leaving her sad and aimless until she began to sing in pubs with a rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...

 formed by her musician cousin. She was later discovered by the popular singer/producer Chang Yu-Sheng
Chang Yu-sheng
Chang Yu-sheng was a Taiwanese male pop singer, as well as a composer and producer. His major accomplishment as a producer may have been the pop singer A-mei. While driving fatigued on October 21, 1997, he was fatally injured in a car accident and fell into a coma...

 (張雨生) and started her career.

1996-1999

In July 1996, A-Mei and Chang Yu-Sheng
Chang Yu-sheng
Chang Yu-sheng was a Taiwanese male pop singer, as well as a composer and producer. His major accomplishment as a producer may have been the pop singer A-mei. While driving fatigued on October 21, 1997, he was fatally injured in a car accident and fell into a coma...

 sang the single "The One I Love the Most Hurts Me the Most"(最愛的人傷我最深) together, drawing much attention to A-Mei. In November, when A-Mei was invited to sing "I'm a Dreamer on Air" (空中的夢想家), the theme song for Taiwan's UFO radio station, she again drew attention from the public. Shortly afterward she was signed to Forward Music
Forward Music
Forward Music is a Lebanon based independent record label specializing in World Music.- History :Forward Music was founded in 2001 by CEO, composer, artist and producer Ghazi Abdel Baki...

 and released her debut "Sisters" (姊妹), in December. The album topped the Taiwan IFPI
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...

 chart for a record of 9 consecutive weeks and achieved great success in the Chinese-speaking world. The album sold 1.08 million copies, making it one of the very few albums to break one million copies in Taiwan. The first three songs on the album, "Giving up everything for you" (原來你什麼都不要), "Sisters" (姊妹), and "Released" (解脫) enjoyed widespread play on the air.

A-mei's second album "Bad Boy" in June 1997 also topped the Taiwan IFPI chart for 9 consecutive weeks, and it sold 1.38 million copies, making it the second best-selling album in Taiwanese history. Again, songs on the album, especially "Can't Cry" (哭不出來) and "Listen to the Sea" (聽海) are regarded as classics of 1990s Chinese-language pop music. In October 1997, A-mei released the single "Listen to You, Listen to Me" (聽你聽我) on CD, as a memorial to her producer Chang Yu-Sheng, who had died in a traffic accident. In December, she released the innovative album "A-mei Live in Concert 1998 Prelude," featuring the songs that were to be performed on her upcoming tour.

Soon afterward, A-mei began her 1998 Asia concert tour, performing in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 and Malaysia, on top of the highly acclaimed initial show in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...

. Along with her astonishing vocals, her vigorous and infectious stage performances became her trademark, and further established A-mei's status as a diva in Chinese pop music. Due to her rising fame, A-mei was invited by Japanese TV NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....

 to perform as a representative of Taiwan in the annual ceremony "Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 Live Dream" in February of that year. In October 1998, she released the album "Holding Hands" (牽手), exploring different genres and demonstrating her vocal versatility. Though critics commented that A-mei's voice was not as clear as in previous albums, "Holding Hands" (牽手) remained a hot seller and was one of the best-selling albums of the year. In November 1998, she was named the most popular singer in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 by Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

magazine. Meanwhile, the documentary about the "fable" of A-mei, produced by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

, was telecast worldwide.

In January 1999, A-mei endorsed Sprite
Sprite (soft drink)
Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...

 in greater China
Greater China
Greater China is a term used to refer to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or even as a euphemism for the Two Chinas, while others may...

, including Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, singing the Chinese song, "Give Me Feelings," (給我感覺) in commercials. In June, she released "Can I Hug You, Lover?" (我可以抱你嗎愛人), the album with a 1980s style single and the Japanese song "Want to See You So Much" (好想見你), aimed at reaching the Japanese market. Like her previous albums, it sold incredibly well and captured numerous Chinese music awards. In the following months, A-mei held her second Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 Tour concert, "Mei Li 99" (妹力99), visiting various cities in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 and other Asian cities, including Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

 and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

. It is notable that there were nearly 80,000 attendees at the Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

 show. In September, she sang "Love, Never Disappears" (愛, 永遠不會消失), a song composed by Leehom Wang, to commemorate the "921 earthquake
921 earthquake
The 921 earthquake , also known as Jiji earthquake , was a 7.3 Ms or 7.6 Mw earthquake which occurred at 1:47:12 am local time in Jiji , Nantou County, Taiwan. 2,415 people were killed, 11,305 injured, and NT$300 billion worth of damage was done...

" (also known as Chi-Chi earthquake) and donated her concert earnings from the night in Singapore to charity.

Later in the year, A-mei made the cover of Asiaweek
Asiaweek
Asiaweek, the English edition, was a news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its December 7, 2001 issue due to a "downturn in the advertising market," according to...

 in a story titled, "The A-mei syndrome".

2000

Initially, the year began without issue. In January, A-mei performed Sprite
Sprite (soft drink)
Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...

's new Chinese commercial song, "I Want to Fly" (我要飛). Due to her healthy image, A-mei was selected as one of twelve celebrities to participate in an anti-smoking campaign. In March, she had two shows in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra , is the largest symphony orchestra in Hong Kong. First established in 1895 as an amateur orchestra, under the name Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, and became a professional orchestra in 1974 under the funding...

, singing a wide variety of songs, including Mandarin, English, Taiwanese and Cantonese classics.

However, A-mei became the subject of considerable political controversy after performing the National Anthem of the Republic of China
National Anthem of the Republic of China
"National Anthem of the Republic of China" is the current national anthem of the Republic of China .The Republic of China was recognized as the government of mainland China prior to 1949. Since then the Republic of China has controlled Taiwan and some other nearby islands...

 at the first presidential inauguration of Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...

 on May 20, 2000. This angered the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which subsequently banned her from visiting mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

. Under pressure from Beijing, Sprite
Sprite (soft drink)
Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...

 also buckled and cut its contract with A-mei, removing her as its endorser. Radio stations in China ceased broadcasting her music.

Meanwhile, her fans were becoming aware that A-mei's voice had gradually become weaker and duller. Concerned that her voice had been overused due to her nearly unbroken recordings and concerts, fans banded together and wrote to Forward Music, requesting that A-mei be given a break. The company eventually agreed, and right after the promotion period of the "A-mei with Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra , is the largest symphony orchestra in Hong Kong. First established in 1895 as an amateur orchestra, under the name Sino-British Orchestra, it was renamed the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957, and became a professional orchestra in 1974 under the funding...

" live album, A-mei seized the opportunity, by going to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 and resting for several months. A-mei became active again in December, with her album "Regardless" (不顧一切).

2001-2003

A-mei made the cover of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...

 in January 2001, with the heading "Back In The Spotlight." This made her the only Taiwanese singer to grace the cover of the magazine to date. "The lithe 28-year-old singer has been absent from the stage for six months, and her loyal fans--not just in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

, but all over Asia--are pining to see her again." That was months after being banned from mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

 in 2000, after her performance at the inauguration of Taiwan's newly elected president, Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...

. At that point, since her debut, A-mei had sold more than 8 million copies of her recordings in the past four years and drawn more than 420,000 attendees from all around Asia to her "A-mei Live in Concert 1999 Tour."

In June, A-mei signed a contract with Warner Music, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

. During the ceremony, A-mei expressed her gratitude to her previous record company, Forward Music, for guiding and nurturing her to achieve what she had achieved, and showed her anticipation and excitement for the musical journey ahead with her new record company. A-mei sang the Mandarin theme song for the movie, "Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor (film)
Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American action drama war film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Randall Wallace, who wrote the screenplay...

" (排山倒海) and included it in her next album, "Truth" (真實), which was released shortly after.

In 2002, A-mei won the "Best Female Vocalist of the Year" award with the album, "Truth" at Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

's most prestigious, "Golden Melody Awards." A deserving win after four years of consecutive nominations in the same category since her second album, "Bad Boy." Also a performing guest, she put on a showcase titled, "Best of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

" that evening. In the same year, she won "Favourite Artist - Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

" in the first MTV Asia Awards held in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

.

A-mei was named as one of the 20 Asian Heroes featured in the special issue of Time magazine in 2002. This made her the first Taiwanese
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...

 singer to grace this international publication. In the interview, she discussed her music, on the incorporation of tribal rhythms into some of her pop songs, such as "Sisters," which celebrates matriarchal aboriginal society. She discussed her career and personal struggles caused by controversial, politically-driven issues. Also mentioned in the issue was A-mei's attitude towards her successful music career and her ability to keep her feet firmly on the ground, despite her diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....

 status.

In October 2002, A-mei released her new album, "Fever" (發燒) and shortly after, kicked off her "A-Class Entertainment World Tour," hitting Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, Malaysia, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

In June 2003, A-mei released her new album titled, "Brave" (勇敢) and in the name of the album, she held three concerts on the beaches in Taitung
Taitung City
Taitung City is the county seat of Taitung County, Taiwan. It lies on the southeast coast of Taiwan facing the Pacific Ocean.The city is served by Taitung Airport. Taitung is a gateway to Green Island and Orchid Island, both of which are very popular among Taiwanese tourists.-History:Taitung...

, Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...

 and Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...

. Being the spokesperson for the Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

n PC game, A3, A-mei sang the Mandarin theme songs for A3, titled, "Brave" (勇敢) and "Seeing Myself" (看見自己). Both tracks were included in the album.

In November, in remembrance of her musical mentor, the late singer/producer Chang Yu-Sheng (張雨生), A-mei participated in the tribute album "City of Joy," singing the work of her mentor, "Tears and Whispers" (哭泣與耳語) and performed in the tribute concert along with some other Taiwanese singers.

2004

In February, A-mei received the "Favorite Artist: Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

" award at the MTV Asia Awards held in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

.

In June, A-mei was forced to cancel a concert in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...

, China after a protest accusing her of supporting Taiwanese independence
Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...

. About 100 Chinese ultra-nationalists
Chinese nationalism
Chinese nationalism , sometimes synonymous with Chinese patriotism refers to cultural, historiographical, and political theories, movements and beliefs that assert the idea of a cohesive, unified Chinese people and culture in a unified country known as China...

 held up banners and chanted: "Oppose Taiwan independence, unify China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

."

Back home in Taiwan, A-mei was under fire from individuals who championed Taiwanese pride. China's state-run CCTV had quoted her as saying, apparently about her decision to sing her national anthem at President Chen's inauguration in Taiwan, "I had to suffer the consequences of a decision that was not made by me ... I should have been more discreet in my behavior, which impacts so many people." The Vice President Annette Lu
Annette Lu
Annette Lu Hsiu-lien , was the Vice President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008, under Chen Shui-bian. She announced her intentions to run for President of Taiwan on March 6, 2007, but withdrew in order to support DPP presidential nominee, Frank Hsieh...

 even questioned the patriotism of the pop diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....

. Outraged Taiwanese netizens called for a tit-for-tat boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...

 of China's singers. Meanwhile, Premier Yu Shyi-kun
Yu Shyi-kun
Yu Shyi-kun , a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party, is a former chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan. He previously served as Premier of the Republic of China from 2002 to 2005...

 offered a clarification of his own previous remarks about the singer. He explained that his remarks were intended to criticize China, and that he had not intended to criticize the singer herself. (我是挺阿妹批中國) He argued that local media had misquoted him.

While politics and showbiz are not exactly bedfellows in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

, A-mei made it clear that she has no intention of engaging in anything irrelevant to her profession. In response to the uproar, A-mei called on the media to cease its sensational reporting and to end their distortion of her words. She reinforced her position by stating,"What we really need is more peace and love in our country."

Political issues aside, A-mei gave a benefit concert in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...

 for the victims of the tropical storm Mindulle, which caused widespread destruction in the same month. The concert was free, but each audience member was asked to make a donation of US$30.

On July 31, A-mei set foot in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

 once again and held a successful concert, with an estimated 10,000-strong audience. As reported by the media, A-mei confessed that she had never felt such great pressure at a concert before, when fans begged her not to be disturbed by the raucous protesters.

Undeterred by negativity, A-mei proceeded to work on her new album, "Maybe Tomorrow" (也許明天) which was released on September 21, 2004. A-mei composed two songs, namely, "Love is the Only Thing" (愛是唯一) and "Critical Moment" (關鍵時刻) on the album. Although the album was chosen as one of the "Top 10 Local Album Releases for 2004" by the Taipei Times
Taipei Times
The Taipei Times is one of the three major English-language newspapers in the Republic of China the other two being the Taiwan News and The China Post...

, the change in music style and direction drifted away from the common acceptance level of mass Mandarin pop
Mandopop
Mandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...

 music listeners and therefore, the album failed to perform in the charts.

A-mei also received some negativity for "Love is the Only Thing" (愛是唯一), which depicted a gay wedding party, who received blessings from their parents, and a gay kiss. The video ended up being censored before TV broadcasting.

Later that year, A-mei accepted the Taiwan Tourism Bureau's invitation for the role of tourism ambassador. Three versions of television commercials were filmed, targeting audiences from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 and Malaysia respectively. Alongside appearing in the commercials, she sang and produced the pop-rock and aboriginal fusion theme song titled, "Naruwan." In collaboration with the TV hosts from the three places, A-mei co-hosted a short series of travelogues titled, "Tour Taiwan With A-mei" to share the island's wonders with people outside Taiwan. Above all, she toured the three places, making appearances for some face-to-face sharing sessions with her fans and supporters.

As part of the Tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...

 relief effort
Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was prompted by one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. On 26 December 2004, the earthquake, which struck off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, generated a tsunami that wreaked havoc along much of the...

, A-mei participated in fundraising concerts in both Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

. In addition, together with other celebrities, she sang the specially written song titled, "Love" (愛), a Mandarin version of "We Are the World
We Are the World
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...

".

In December, she accepted the invitation from MTV Asia and put on an exclusive showcase, "MTV Live With A-mei", held at Victoria Theater
Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall is a complex of two buildings and a clock tower joined together by a common corridor and is located in the civic district of Singapore...

, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

. Together with a band made up mainly of Singaporean musicians
Music of Singapore
Singapore has an urban musical scene, and is a center for rock, punk and other genres in the region. The 1960s produced bands like The Crecendos with hit songs like Mr Twister. The Quests, who had hits like "Shanty", "Don't Play That Song", "Jesamine" and "Mr Rainbow"...

 from "Sonic Sanctuary," they delivered a well-received concert.

2005

In 2005, A-mei decided to take a short break from her frantic lifestyle. She headed to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 for a three-month language course at Boston University's CELOP program in January. Not a mere getaway, it was intended as a journey of self-discovery.

Meanwhile, a series produced by the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...

 in collaboration with Taiwan's Government Information Office (GIO) called "Portraits Taiwan" (台灣人物誌) that spotlighted Taiwanese
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...

 icons in different fields, selected A-mei as the representative of the "Mass Culture and Entertainment" category. These six documentaries were broadcast across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 to tell the stories of outstanding Taiwanese. In addition, A-mei was nominated for the "16th Taiwan Golden Melody Awards" in both the "Best Female Vocalist of the Year" category and the "Best Music Video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

" category with the album track, "Love Is the Only Thing" (愛是唯一) with her album, "Maybe Tomorrow."

A-mei took up the task as the World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...

 Taiwan (WVT) ambassador and headed to southern Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...

 with the charitable organization in June/July. At the press conference to launch the 30 Hour Famine campaign, A-mei shared her encounters and experience during her visit. "There is a water shortage almost everywhere in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...

, and people don't really have a choice. I met an 11-year-old girl named Mary, who is so clever, and speaks English fluently. She told me that she can't go to school every day because it is too far away, and the school is so primitive. She wants to leave there and go to a place where she can study," she said. In the same month, A-mei visited an aboriginal village in southern Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 - the home to people of the Paiwan tribe. Along with Taiwanese singer, Biung Wang, and volunteers, they sent flood relief and moral support in hope to alleviate problems in the area, which was badly damaged by a recent flood.

In November, A-mei was invited to perform at the "Golden Horse Awards
Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards
The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962, by Government Information Office, Republic of China...

 2005." With her band, composed of musicians from "DOMS," she performed a medley of thirteen classic movie theme songs from the past century. It was regarded by many to be an incredible, awe-inspiring showcase.

2006

In February, A-mei released her new chart-topping album, "I Want Happiness" (我要快樂), one many see as her come-back piece. Unlike her previous albums, during the production of this release, A-mei had only one music producer, Eric Chen, and a lyrics supervisor, Yu-Kang Wu (a.k.a. York Wu, 鄔裕康) and herself. One of the tracks, "Extrication" (海闊天空) was made the theme song for "Fishing Luck" (等待飛魚), a Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

-produced film.

A-mei continued to take on her duty as the island's tourism ambassador for the third consecutive year since 2004 and sang the theme song for the year's campaign, titled, "Touch Your Heart". The media reported that she had assisted Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 in achieving outstanding tourism results by promoting the island's numerous tourist attractions to travelers from the region for the past two years.

In June, A-mei was invited to perform at the 17th Golden Melody Awards(金曲獎). The showcase - Music Orz - was a fusion of world music and pop music, that included Taiwan Aboriginal music, African djembe, Afro-Brazilian Capoeira, Indian sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...

 and Hip-hop.

In September, A-mei was honoured with the Diva Division ("MTV Legendary Diva") title at the MTV Mandarin Awards.

In preparation for her upcoming musical debut, "愛上卡門" to be staged in December 2006, she headed for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 for an intensive theatrical training conducted by experienced Broadway instructors and performers.

Promptly after her return from the States, she was back in the studio for the recording of a new song titled, "Princess Bannen" (巴冷公主), a duet with Biung Wang. The melody was inspired by "Princess Bannen," a myth of the Rukai Tribe composed by Biung Wang. Enchanted by this beautiful melody, A-mei invited her friend and musical partner, Yu-Kang Wu to pen the lyrics. The song is recorded in Biung Wang's album, "War Dance" (戰舞).

2007

On April 16 of 2007, A-mei signed a 3-year contract with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

. http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/04/17/1261@217050.htm

A-mei is nominated for the "18th Taiwan Golden Melody Awards", that will be held in June, for "Best Female Vocalist" with her album, "I Want Happiness?".

On August 3, A-mei's latest album "Star" was released to critical acclaim and occupied the No.1 position on the G-Music Best Selling Chart for 4 consecutive weeks, selling more than a million copies. She performed the main song of the album, "Forever Happiness," (永遠的快樂), on July 22 at Mayday's concert. Also from the same album is a duet with rising star Jam Hsiao
Jam Hsiao
Jam Hsiao was born on 30 March 1987 at Taipei, Taiwan). He is a Taiwanese Mandopop singer. In summer 2007, Hsiao rose to fame after only three brief appearances in the first season of China Television 's star search show, One Million Star , which is a singing competition reality show similar to...

 (蕭敬騰), entitled "A Moment" (一眼瞬間), which went on to become a smash hit.

To celebrate the success of "Star", A-mei and EMI held a concert in Taiwan in September 2007. The concert is seen as preparation for her STAR World Tour that kicks off in Shanghai on November 3. The tour is rumored to go on till 2009 with the last show in Hong Kong. Other locations include USA, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Beijing, Malaysia and more.

2008

From March 27 till 22 May, A-mei was performing in a Japanese version of Turandot
Turandot
Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni.Though Puccini's first interest in the subject was based on his reading of Friedrich Schiller's adaptation of the play, his work is most nearly based on the earlier text Turandot...

 http://turan.jp/. The performance was in Japanese and was playing in Tokyo http://www.tbs.co.jp/act/event/turan/, Osaka and Nagoya.
http://www.emimusic.jp/st/artists/amei/

On the 22nd and 23 September 2008 a concert was performed in Tokyo at the same venue as where Turandot was performed. http://www.emimusic.jp/st/artists/amei/

2009

On June 26, A-Mei released her self-entitled album "AMIT" with different album cover for different region. There was a controversy over one of the songs, which has negative elements in the music video and lyrics causing it not to be aired on MTV. This transformation to Amit was proved to be a great success, with the album sweeping 6 awards at the 2010 21st Golden Melody Awards. According Taiwan's G-Music chart the album is the tenth best selling album in Taiwan in 2009.

A-Mei composed, produced and performed the 2009 Summer Deaflympics
2009 Summer Deaflympics
The 2009 Summer Deaflympics, officially known as the 21st Summer Deaflympics, is an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from September 5 to September 15, 2009 in Taipei, Republic of China . It is the third Summer Deaflympics to be held in Asia/Pacific region...

 theme song "Dreams You Can Hear", and also serves as a spokesperson for the event.

October 31 A-mei performed as the "Rainbow Ambassador" at the Taipei Gay Pride parade, which had 25,000 participants, setting the record for largest gay pride parade in Asia. This record would be reset in 2010.

2010

Her 2009 album "AMIT" impressed the judges of the 21st Golden Melody Awards, where she clinched 6 awards, including "Best Female Vocalist", an award she long awaited for 8 years. These 6 awards she scooped in a night made history, as no other albums had achieved such high accolades in the ceremony's records.

October 30 A-mei served as Rainbow Ambassador a second time for Taiwan's Gay Pride Parade. Taiwan once again set the record for largest gay pride parade in Asia, with 30,000 participants.

2011

A-Mei released her new album, "R U Watching Me?" on April 23,2011 worldwide. This would also be her 15th studio album that will also mark her presence in the Chinese music industry for over 15 years.

Albums

  • 姊妹 ("Sisters" ; 1996)
  • Bad Boy ("Bad Boy" ;1997)
  • 妹力四射1998演唱會提前先聽版 ("A-mei Live in Concert 1998 Prelude" ; 1998)
  • 牽手 ("Holding Hands" ; 1998)
  • Feel A*Mei 感覺張惠妹 (EP 1998)
  • 我可以抱你嗎愛人 ("Can I Hug You, Lover" ; 1999)
  • 妹力新世紀 ("A*Mei New Century Collection" ; 1999)
  • 歌聲妹影 ("A*Mei with Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra" ; 2000)
  • 不顧一切 ("Regardless" ; 2000)
  • 旅程 ("Journey" ; 2001)
  • 真實 ("Truth" ; 2001)
  • 發燒 ("Fever" ; 2002)
  • 勇敢 ("Brave" ; 2003)
  • 也許明天 ("Maybe Tomorrow" ; 2004)
  • 我要快樂? ("I Want Happiness ; 2006)
  • 愛的力量 10年情歌最精選 ("A Mei The Power Of Love 1996-2006" ; 2007)
  • Star (EMI
    EMI
    The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

    ; August 3, 2007)
  • 阿密特 AMIT ("āmìtè" is her aboriginal name; Label: Gold Typhoon; June 26, 2009)
  • 你在看我嗎?("Are You Watching Me?"; Label: Gold Typhoon; April 23, 2011))

Singles

  • 紅色熱情 "最愛的人傷我最深" (Duet with Chang Yu-Sheng) [1996]
  • 讓心勇敢飛 "讓心勇敢飛" (All Stars) [1998]
  • 給雨生的歌"聽你'聽我" (Chang Yu-Sheng, All Star Tribute Concert) [1999]
  • 手牽手 "手牽手" (All Stars Hand in Hand Against SARS) [2003]
  • 雨生歡禧城 "哭泣與耳語" (City of Joy - Chang Yu-Sheng, All Star Tribute Concert) [2003]
  • (愛Love) 南亞賑災"We are the world"(Love For Tsunami Victims Concert) [2005]
  • 戰舞 "巴冷公主" (Duet with Biung Wang) [2006]
  • "起初的愛" (Jeff Ma, All Star Tribute Concert) [2007]
  • "永遠的朋友" & "Forever Friends" (Beijing Olympic) [2008]
  • "快樂暢開" (Coca-cola themes song) [2010]
  • "渴了" (Coca-cola theme song) [2011]

Official website


Endorsements


She also worked as a spokesperson for Shiatzy Chen
Shiatzy Chen
Shiatzy Chen is a Taiwanese fashion house, whose founder and brand innovator Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia is often referred to as the Chanel of Taiwan,and is the eponym of her luxury goods brand. She was born in 1951 in Changhua, Taiwan and founded the company in 1978...


Others

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK