Romantic yet sassy, ready to boogie with fervor while staying true to her Aboriginal roots, Mando-pop star Landy Wen (溫嵐) is a one-of-a-kind songstress who delights audiences with her many musical personas.
The diva will perform at Legacy Taipei on May 12.
A member of the Atayal tribe (泰雅族) born in Hsinchu, the self-proclaimed “pop ethnic music” star incorporated Aboriginal musical elements into Landing, her newest album, which peaked at number one on both G-Music and Five-Music’s Mando-pop charts after it was released six weeks ago.
Photo Courtesy of Seed Music
Formerly known more as a fledgling singer of hits such as Rooftop (屋頂) and Fool (傻瓜), rather than for her explosive star persona, Wen’s latest album has pushed her career to a new pinnacle.
“I want to appear on stage as a female Tarzan this time,” Wen told the Taipei Times. “It will be primitive, sexy and energetic.”
The pop siren counts Beyonce and Madonna as her musical influences. Not that Wen will ditch her roots as a ballad songstress, though. For the concert, she will deliver her KTV classics, such as Rooftop and Hell Angel (地獄天使), both penned by Jay Chou, (周杰倫), and revisit electronica hits such as D.I.S.C.O. from her synth-driven album Dancing Queen (2009).
“I plan to incorporate ballads and dance and Aboriginal music into all my future albums,” she said. “They are all parts of me.”
Besides romance, dancing and ethnic pride, Wen has also added familial love to her repertoire. Her latest outing includes the track Handprint (手印), a self-composed ode to family love.
Besides music, Wen has branched out into acting by taking on roles in movies such as the recent Aboriginal epic Seediq Bale (賽德克‧巴萊).
“Acting helps me polish my emotional delivery in singing,” she said. “It elevates my performance of poignant ballads to a new level.”
Wen said that her part in Seediq Bale bolstered her confidence and encouraged her to add Aboriginal elements to Landing.
“I want to bring joy and sorrow to listeners,” she said. “I want them to relive those spontaneous emotions in their lives when they hear my songs.”
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