Who is Jane Zhang, the C-pop star called on to attract Chinese tourists back to the US?
Brand USA is banking on the Chengdu-born ‘Dolphin Princess’ of Mandopop to entice Chinese visitors to America after a trade war slump. But who is the singer who first shot to prominence in the Super Girl competition of 2005?
Jane Zhang, known in China as Zhang Liangying, has made headlines again after being recruited for a big budget tourism campaign by Brand USA.
The once-timid girl, who shot to superstardom in a national singing competition, has transformed into the “Dolphin Princess” of C-pop with millions of fans across the globe.
Zhang has been filming in Las Vegas, New York and San Francisco for the campaign, set to be called “Feel the USA”, as Brand USA has turned to Zhang to turn around a slump in Chinese tourists. After growing 16 per cent or more annually in recent years, Chinese arrivals to the United States fell six per cent in 2018 and another three per cent in the first six months of this year.
The Chengdu, Sichuan-born singer rose to fame after finishing third in the popular Super Girl singing competition in 2005, a televised contest that aims to discover gifted singing talent. When Zhang entered the competition, she had no idea that it would change her life.
Zhang was born on October 11, 1984 to Zhang Huaqing, a truck driver, and Zhang Guiying, a shop assistant. Zhang’s father died when she was 15 and her mother was laid off from her job. So Zhang started looking for work to contribute to the household expenses and eventually got a singing gig at a local pub.
“I always liked music as a child, I would sing and dance to the music they play in the streets,” the singer said in a video made for the Super Girl competition. “My aunt’s husband played the keyboard in a band, so I’d watch him practice – that really helped with my musicality and intonation.”
Being able to perform in Chinese as well as English, Japanese, Spanish and French gave her an advantage over the other contestants. She said that her idol is American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, who is noted for her five-octave vocal range and signature whistle register.