Written by Mark Hsiang-Yu Feng. Drawing on field notes on punk and metal musical performances by Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan, this article reveals racism and stereotypes in the music scene. The author calls for a critical examination of multiculturalism to address the structural inequality and racial hierarchy in Taiwanese society.
Written by Chen-Yu Lin. This article explores the shift in Taiwan’s music industry from a dominance of Mandopop, primarily in Mandarin Chinese, to embracing a diversity of languages in music, reflecting broader socio-political changes and democratisation efforts. It highlights the role of evolving policies and indie music production in promoting multilingualism and local culture.
Written by Chen-yu Lin. On December 28, 2023, Reuters and CNN reported a disconcerting incident involving Mayday, a Taiwanese rock band, who found themselves entangled in a request from Chinese authorities to make pro-Beijing statements. As reported by CNN, the authorities demanded a public statement affirming the unity of China and Taiwan as a single nation. The band’s refusal to comply resulted in consequences related to alleged lip-synching, which is referred to as “deceptive singing (假唱)” in Chinese. This accusation carries the potential for fines or even performance bans under Chinese law. These developments stemmed from their December concert in Shanghai and are potentially connected to Taiwan’s presidential election in January 2024, prompting an ongoing investigation.
Written by Kuing, Guo-Ting Lin. In recent years, there have been various Indigenous popular music creation and cultivation programmes in Taiwan. For example, the music training camp “Psiwali School” at the Pasiwali Music Festival in Taiwan with the purpose of discovering Indigenous musicians. Another example is the “MINETJUS Electronic Music Production” Programme, which is held by Dark Paradise Records (派樂黛唱片), an independent record label based in Taipei. This initiative blends electronic music and Indigenous culture to help younger musicians turn cultural marginality into unique cultural assets. Most training camps in Taiwan still rely on government support, aiming to strengthen the unique cultural identity of contemporary Indigenous youth and regard this as a catalyst for promoting ethnic diversity. This article examines the meaning of Taiwan’s Indigenous popular music creation and cultivation programmes.
Written by Cheng-Ting Wu. Imagine you are trying to write a song in Taiwanese Southern Min (hereinafter “Taiwanese”). After creating a soulful melody and heartfelt lyrics, you wonder: How should I write them down? You can choose any of the music notations you prefer for melody, from staff to numbered system. For lyrics, regardless of whether you are a native speaker or a learner of Taiwanese, you also have a choice. This brief article discusses this choice or the different strategies in the history of writing music in Taiwanese.
Written by Meredith Schweig. Since the end of the 1980s, when rap music first took root in urban Taiwan, artists have explored the creative possibilities inherent to rhyming in the multiple languages spoken on the island. Early commercial pop-oriented performers like Yu Chengqing tended to rap in Mandarin; acts primarily associated with the underground folk and rock scenes, like Blacklist Workshop and Jutoupi, performed almost exclusively in Hoklo; and American-born Taiwanese teen sensations the LA Boyz peppered their Mandarin and Hoklo verses with English.
Written by Karen Huang. In 2020, Paiwan singer Abao (阿爆) became an overnight sensation at the 31st Golden Melody Awards (GMA) when her Paiwan album ‘Kinakaian MOTHER TONGUE’ brought home multiple major awards, including the ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’. The awards surprised many, as Mandarin popular music usually dominates these two cross-language categories. It was the first time an Indigenous-language singer had won both categories simultaneously.
Written by Chen-yu Lin. In 2023, a watershed moment emerged in Taiwan’s #MeToo movement with the resounding success of the Netflix series “Wave Makers.” The show’s resonance was profound, shedding light on sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace. This spotlight inspired survivors from politics, education, arts, and entertainment to break their silence. The waves of #MeToo allegations have not spared Taiwan’s music industry.
Written by Mark Hsiang-Yu Feng. Busy as usual was Highway number eighty, but Mother’s Day made downtown San Jose unexpectedly quiet. However, in front of the California Theatre, lively chat sounded out of the silence, marking this celebratory moment for the twentieth anniversary of the Taiwanese American Center of Northern California during Asian and Pacific Islander heritage month. Families came to fill most of the seats, and three languages—Hoklo Taiwanese, Taiwanese Mandarin, and English—were spoken to express the identity of these participants. To honour the culture of Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans, the overall narrative of Taiwanese Reminiscence contextualises a mixture of stunts, acrobatic movements, and dance into a condensed representation of the twentieth history of Taiwan.
Written by Chun Chia Tai. In February, I saw a text message in a Taiwanese group chat promoting a concert commemorating the 228 massacre caused by the Kuomintang dictatorship in Taiwan on February 28th, 1947. The concert was called The Spiritual Day of Taiwan: 2-28 76th Commemorative Concert and was hosted by two Taiwanese American organisations: the Taiwanese United Foundation and the Taiwan Elite Alliance, since 2007. The performers were mainly Taiwanese. Many of them were not professionals but members of local Taiwanese church choirs. Most of the audience was familiar with the songs being performed; therefore, they sang along with the performers.
Written by Charlie Smith. Last September, when the band Kanatal walked onto the stage in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, it marked a milestone. This was the culmination of the first Canadian tour by a group of Indigenous musicians from Taiwan. After performing in several Canadian cities, the four members—guitarist Masaw Ali, keyboard player Suana Emuy Cilangasay, singer Abus Tanapima, and drummer Vangacu Kalevuwan—were eager to impress a crowd that had gathered for the signature event of TAIWANfest Vancouver.
Written by Mark Hsiang-Yu Feng. It is common to see that many Taiwanese musicians employ Western compositional concepts, theories, and approaches to express Taiwanese identity through music and musical performance. For example, during the 2020 presidential and general election in Taiwan, Legislator Freddy Lim, the vocalist of a renowned Taiwanese metal group called ChthoniC, gave a live concert called Taiwan Victory to congregate voters and solicit votes in front of Taiwan’s Presidential House. Many Taiwanese people showed interest in his performance, as he sang heavy metal songs to gather voters and fight against political infiltration from China. After the concert, The Guardian’s report highlights Lim’s unique career trajectory from a musician to a politician in Taiwan and the creativity of bringing music to the campaign.
Taiwan Insight 