Singaporean songstress Tanya Chua (蔡健雅), Mando-pop’s urbane poetess, is a troubadour who delivers lessons on life’s romantic encounters.
On Thursday, her birthday, Chua will present a small concert at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館) titled Tanya Chua’s 128 Lounge (蔡健雅的128包廂), at which she’ll sing signature songs from her repertoire, in addition to covers.
One of the most popular and acclaimed singer-songwriters in the pop scene, Chua captivates fans with folksy ballads delivered in her hypnotic and sultry vocals, often set against a sparse guitar backdrop.
“I have spent many birthdays alone abroad during the past decade. This year, I intend to celebrate my birthday with my fans,” said Chua in a phone interview with the Taipei Times on Tuesday. “I rarely go to KTV, but this year, I intend to break some boundaries and have a sing-along with fans.”
A two-time Best Female Singer at the Golden Melody Awards (2006 and 2008), Chua is as much revered by her musical peers as her fans.
Her songs Bottomless Abyss (無底洞) and Reminiscence (紀念) are favorites for hopeful singers on the TV talent show One Million Star
(超級星光大道).
Chua is also a hotly pursued songwriter who has composed hits such as Wrong Call (打錯了) for Faye Wong (王菲) and Longing for Love (對愛渴望) for Aska Yang (楊宗偉).
Because of her image as a modern, cosmopolitan woman delving the vicissitudes of love, Chua has been dubbed the spokeswoman of the “urban ballad” (都會情歌) by the media.
“I am OK with that label, even if I don’t feel that’s who I am,” Chua said. “I think it’s fine if people relate to me in ways that I didn’t intend because I still build bonds with people.”
Chua collaborated with professional lyricists for much of her early career because she had difficulty writing in Chinese. It wasn’t until the last two albums that she wrote the majority of her own lyrics.
“There was a period when I felt lost singing those commercial ballads, written by other people. My confidence was low and I didn’t know what I was doing standing up there on the stage,” Chua said.
After her contract with Warner Music expired in 2006, Chua worked with an independent label and produced her last two albums herself.
She found her way when she became a producer. “I got to know my flaws and strengths more,” Chua said. “I want to make the best of this second chance and become a bona fide singer-songwriter.”
“When I write songs, it’s just me sitting at my dinner table with a guitar,” Chua said. “The best songs are songs that just flow out of you like a stream and you don’t think too much. These are typically composed within five minutes, and they feel natural.”
For those unfamiliar with her albums, Chua comes across as an ultra-sensitive goddess of love who lives and breathes romance.
“It’s true I am a very sensitive person. I feel a lot, and sometimes that’s painful because I can’t block out emotions,” Chua said. “My sensitivities are such that memories [of my relationships with people] stay with me.”
What about her own romantic life? “Just because I write a lot about love doesn’t mean I have a busy romantic life,” Chua said. “Sometimes, a previous romance inspires me to write a song later on, from a different perspective. You can always recycle.”
“I would love to do a world tour someday,” Chua says about her future career path. “There’s also an English-language album that has been put on hold for years. I would like to get that off the ground this year too.”
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