UNTIL RECENTLY, Taiwanese singer-songwriter Cheer Chen Chi-chen has lived up to her name, releasing folk-pop albums that were decidedly cheerful. But Fabulous Adventure, a live studio album she recorded last year, reveals a darker side to the popular 31-year-old artist.
'I used to write songs that were light and easy to express - but this time I wanted to focus on some emotions that are comparatively hard to understand,' says Chen, who was nominated for best female vocalist at this year's Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan. 'You may not figure out what I'm trying to express straight away, but if you've had similar experiences, you'll have a closer connection to this music.'
Chen will be performing at a bar in Tsim Sha Tsui tonight as part of the Wild Day Out Bar Show series, which has also recently featured Macau pop duo Soler, veteran singer Shirley Kwan Suk-yee and rising singer Kay Tse On-kay, along with acts from Taiwan. Next Thursday, Grasshopper's Remus Choy Yat-kit will perform at a Wan Chai pub.
Whenever Chen plays live in Hong Kong, her fans rush to snap up tickets. Tonight's gig is no exception, with all seats selling out within hours.
Since her last large-scale concert series in the city four years ago, Chen has performed several times at small venues. Although there have been rumours that she will stage another big performance this year, there are no plans so far.
Chen emerged in 1996 when she won a folk music contest. She signed with Taiwan's Magic Stone Music and released a limited mini album, Demo 1, then toured the island's university campuses, where her refreshing voice, melodic folk-pop and poetic lyrics won her a following.