Exclusive interview: Jay Chou to sing at Shenyang on the 30th of September

15 Jul 2008

Translated by: http://www.jaychoustudio.com

Source: Lndaily

Lndaily: This is the third time you have had a world tour since you came out, what meaning do concerts have for you?

Jay: Usually it's a summary to all the work that's been done over the past few years, but what I see even more importantly is that in concerts I get to directly interact with fans. That's why for concerts I put a lot of thought into attracting fans. For place I hold a concert I will add in some things related to that place. The songs will have new arrangements, every time there will be a little change, so that it gives both me and the fans a fresh feeling. It'll also help increase the interaction and let everyone sing along with me.

Lndaily: Will you add in some local flavour at Shenyang?

Jay: Shenyang, I'm no stranger to it, I've been there before. Every knows that right now North-eastern dialects are really popular, our team have already started compiling data about this side of things, everyone has to hold meetings to discuss things, right now there's already....a secret. This time's tour has been in the Summer, it was hot every place we went to, everyone was pretty tired, I hear Shenyang gets cool at that time.

Lndaily: How's your new album coming along?

Jay: It'll be out in August, besides being busy with my concert recently I've been working on my new album, I've already written 3 songs right now.

Lndaily: Will you sing your new songs at the Shenyang concert?
This article is translated by http://www.jaychoustudio.com
Jay: Of course I will.

Lndaily: On the side of concerts, you've always been the most profitable artist, what expectations do you have of the box office sales in Shenyang?

Jay: (smiles) Everyone hopes that as soon as the tickets go on sale, there'll be the problem of getting a ticket.

Lndaily: I've seen the Wenzhou concert, everyone was surprised with your diabolo performance, when did you learn it?

Jay: I learnt diabolo by getting a teacher specifically for it, I only went to 6 lessons, the results don't seem too bad at all. I will use about half a minute on playing diabolos after "Compendium of Materia Medica". For a lot of things you have to see it to believe it, so I'll definitely play it at Shenyang for everyone to see, you'll all be shocked.

Lndaily: For the concert, you were absent from the Golden Melody Awards, do you not feel regret? You got 5 awards.

Jay: Compared to awards, I see concerts as more important, because there are many fans waiting for you. Since I came out I've won lots of awards, so right now I have a calm attitude towards awards, it's just a game, I won't take it too seriously.

Lndaily: Well then, in music do you have a target for improvement?

Jay: I hope I can use my own diligence to make other countries, people from the whole world like Chinese and Chinese songs. Music is boundless, a good song no matter the language will very easily be spread around. In recent years I've had more arrangements for performing abroad, when I was in America, I heard foreigners learning Chinese to sing "Nun-Chuks", "Beyond A Thousand Miles", it gave me a very big encouragement in the fact that even foreigners like to sing Chinese songs.

Lndaily: You have your own company now, and sign artists, what's your vision like?

Jay: I'll watch some singing contests, these shows are good for records, because the chances of discovering a newcomer successfully are just too low on the street. I take more notice of newcomers, I like creative types, unique youngsters, because there's just too many imitations nowadays, I need the type with a high distinguishable level, a voice you can recognise as soon as you hear it.

Lndaily: A lot of youngsters imitate you, how do you see this?

Jay: I'll be worried they sing better than me (laughs), because there's too many people nowadays who can sing well, and I admit I'm not the best singer, but have a distinguishing quality. Actually I suggest youngsters don't have to sing too well, but they need to have a distinguishing quality, it just won't do, be like me and don't pronounce clearly, it's also a characteristic.

Lndaily: Directing, acting, music, you are trying new things out, which side will you favour more?

Jay: Music is still the piece that gives me the most feeling. I started writing songs when I was in middle school, to me, making music is already like drinking water, I have to do it, it's also the part I don't have to worry about and have the most confidence in.

Lndaily: What do you think is the reason you've been popular?

Jay: My luck is good. Actually having a distinguishing quality is probably the most important thing, imitations is the most useless one. In the past I also imitated Jacky Cheung, but I gave up really fast, because no matter how much harder I tried I won't be surpassing Jacky Cheung. So I just used the most comfortable way for myself to sing, even though at that time a lot of people thought I didn't sing well, but I believed this was my own distinguishing quality, add to that very good luck and that's how I became popular.

Lndaily: The Olympic song "A Long Journey" that you wrote, a lot of fans like it, what was your initial thought when writing it?

Jay: In reality all I wanted to express was the desire to participate, in the past Vincent Fang hardly wrote these types of lyrics, although it was Chinese style, but in the past the ones he wrote were about fighting, eating, he hardly wrote about purely encouragement songs. This song needs to be collected, I want to put it in my new album.

Lndaily: What sports do you do normally?

Jay: Intense sports are not suitable for me. I like playing basketball, but I don't play much these days, occasionally I'll play.

Lndaily: Will you go watch the Olympics live? Which event will you watch?

Jay: There are a lot of Olympic events I want to watch live, the one I want to watch most is of course basketball.