Happy Spring!
As green finally makes its appearance, I would like to share with you a special single, “Soul Mate.” It is a passionate tango sung in Chinese. I wrote the tune while I first was exposed to Latin Jazz during my college years and later completed the lyrics when I was in Taiwan. My lyricist, David, sat out on this track so that my own Mandarin lyrics would celebrate my Chinese heritage. The result is exotic -- the tango-style is familiar yet it is foreign for Mandarin songs that are not often heard in the West.
As an immigrant growing up in Taiwan, my childhood dream was to be a pop star. There was no glass ceiling for me to break as I grew up watching films cast with beautiful Asian movie stars, listening to music sung by amazing female singers, and seeing female politicians campaigning for elections -- even witnessing the possibility of a female president. Being a woman of color, I was never told that there wasn't anything that I could not do. Unlike most Chinese immigrant families, my brother and I both chose unconventional careers in the arts. I will not deny that there are many discouraging obstacles that we must overcome to have our work seen and our voices heard. It takes faith and courage to pursue the unknown and we need more minority representation in every field so we do not feel invisible or ignored. In the end, what really represents my American identity is not my American passport. I was determined to learn the music that was birthed from American soil and embrace brothers and sisters of different colors and origins. For me, Jazz is not black or white; it is a spirit that transcends cultural boundaries and a voice that speaks for the oppressed souls of all colors.
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