Jam Hsiao Photo: Courtesy of Warner Music Group
"Everyone's definition of a 'comfort zone' is different. In music, I've always sought a balance - something comfortable for both myself and listeners," Jam Hsiao, a famous singer from the island of Taiwan who has brought his new album to Beijing, told the Global Times during a recent interview.
Hsiao rose to fame in 2007 after appearing in the singing competition show One Million Star, and released his first solo album in 2008, which was followed by his winning of the Golden Melody Awards for Best Male Singer in 2013. During his decade-long journey to stardom, he has won great applause and support from a massive number of Chinese mainland fans, showing the strong ties across the Straits when it comes to music.
"In any industry, music and art included, we hope to be understood. We need to choose the most appropriate way to be accepted and liked by more people," he said.
"In the past, I mostly produced my albums independently, but this time I returned to being purely a singer," Hsiao explained.
Hsiao's new album
Wild/Mild, released on December 16, includes six songs. This is the biggest difference from his previous works, in his words, "somehow I removed myself from producing the work."
The overall environment for the music industry nowadays is not as "pure" as it used to be, Hsiao added.
It is intertwined with the market, platforms, channels and even short videos.
"Of course there are people who are only focusing on music itself and they can bring us their good work. But most of us are trying to find a new way to reach our listeners. We cannot give up," Hsiao told the Global Times.
The 36-year-old entered a new chapter in his personal life this year. In June, he proposed to his agent Summer Lin, whom he had been dating for 16 years, and the pair got married in October. In mid-December, at the new album press conference in Taipei, the island of Taiwan, the couple made their first public appearance post-marriage and planned to hold a wedding ceremony next year.
In September, Hsiao traveled to Norway to record this new album, which was his first time recording an album overseas. The team completed the task that seemed almost impossible in just over 10 days. Hsiao revealed that initially, they were torn between recording studios in France, Japan and Norway.
"Japan is too close, so we gave it up, and France, you can imagine the local architecture, cuisine, and street fashion, which could be very familiar to Chinese fans. Norway is a country everyone knows about, but not many people in China have been to."
Times are changing, so is the music industry. Regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the music field, Hsiao is not an opponent.
"Technological development makes life convenient, but at the same time, it makes things easier, and when it's easier, it's more convenient to copy, and produce work easily in large quantities. Maybe people like me have studied music all our lives, and now just one button can generate it. For those who have put in a lot of effort, it might be hard to accept," he said.
"No one could have imagined the world could come to this point, so now many creators and artists are fighting to protect the 'rights' to their works. Technology will not stop advancing, will not disappear. It must be used well, and this is the most important thing."
The overall environment for the music industry nowadays is not as "pure" as it used to be, Hsiao added. It is intertwined with the market, platforms, channels and even short videos.
"Of course there are people who are only focusing on music itself and they can bring us their good work. But most of us are trying to find a new way to reach our listeners. We cannot give up."
Looking forward to 2024, Hsiao revealed that he will definitely hold concerts for his fans. "I have so much on my agenda. It will be challenging but worth looking forward to."
