A-Lin (real name Huang Li-ling (黃麗玲), an Aboriginal R ’n’ B songstress whose anthem Lovelorn, Not Guilty (失戀無罪) inspired numerous tributes by TV talent show contestants, performs a rare public concert titled A-Lin September’s Happiness Party (A-Lin 【九月幸福 Party】) at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) tonight.
The pop siren, known for her Mariah Carey-esqe range and poignant delivery, will tackle covers of Wan Fan (萬芳) and Sandy Lam’s (林憶蓮) songs.
In stark contrast to the sentimental and melancholic love songs usually found on the Mando-pop charts, A-Lin is known for her empowering ballads, such as Lovelorn, Not Guilty and Before After.
“The songwriter wrote Lovelorn, Not Guilty as a song to encourage people who suffer from a broken heart,” A-Lin said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Her views on romance shun sentimentality. “If you don’t love me, just leave me,” she said. “I don’t like to be a victim and cry
at home.”
“I am an optimistic person. I want to encourage people to face life with a happier outlook,” she said.
As well as singing inspirational songs, A-Lin admires accomplished female performers.
“I think Momoko Tao (陶晶瑩) is really a strong female model for all of us,” she said. “I read the Web site started by Tao about female issues.”
Performing in pubs since the age of 16, A-Lin was discovered by her current agent while singing Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful at Taipei’s EZ5 live house.
A member of the Amis tribe (阿美族), A-Lin was handpicked by A-mei (張惠妹), also an Amis, to star in her hit 2006 musical Carmen (愛上卡門) in the supporting role of Micaela.
Since her debut album Lovelorn, Not Guilty in 2006, A-Lin released Natural Diva (天生歌姬) in 2008 and Before After (以前以後) in December last year.
A-Lin plans to release her next album this December, for which she says she’ll move into more up-tempo territory.
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