Broadcasting Time: 2006-12-10





Mavis Fan

She used to be a successful idol, running around in videos, singing children's songs (Health Song). Then she rebelled against her past, making moody love songs haunting to many a heart (You Don't Trust Me Any More). Now she only sings for her own pleasure, and marketing is the least of her concerns (Kin-Gei-Geiei).

She is Mavis Fan, 29 years old and from Taiwan. She began to sing on stage at 14. Time has brought about many changes to both her life and her music, but her passion for expression has never changed. On today's China Beat, we will take a close look at this very unique artist.

Let's start with one of her early hits, Your Sweetness.

Your Sweetness

That was Mavis Fan with Your Sweetness. When Mavis entered the Taiwan music scene in the mid-90s, she was first packaged as a sweet little girl. Her music company came up with the idea of featuring children's songs on her albums. Her first records got incredible sales, so that each album sold over a million copies, thus giving her her nickname -- "Little Witch of Music."

However, 1998 saw her astonishing transition with the album "Darling." She not only proved herself to be a good songwriter, but also stunned the media with her true colors by getting a buzz cut. That year, Mavis turned 21 years old.

Darling

Fragile, childish and sentimental, just like the humid air of her island home, that was Darling, the title track of Mavis' 1998 album of the same name. This song came after a break-up, when Mavis was in New York filming the video for "Bartender Angel."

Darling is overall a pretty comfortable pop album, thanks to brilliant collaborations between Mavis and other musicians from Hong Kong and the mainland. Next, we'll hear Blue Cheong-sam, which is a contribution from Shanghai musical tenant Li Quan. Get yourself cozy~

Blue Mandarin Gown

That was Blue Mandarin Gown. You're listening to China Beat and I'm your host Yuting. Today our featured artist is Taiwan's Mavis Fan.

Mavis was raised only by her mother, since her parents separated when she was just two years old. Her mom forged her unbreakable bond with music. She was sent to learn the flute and piano at the age of three, since her mom, an aspiring singer, had put all of her own musical dreams in Mavis. They led a tight life. Her mom had to sing at bars to afford Mavis' tuition for the best music school in Taiwan.

Mavis didn't let her mom down. She became popular when she was only 18. But how could you expect an ambitious girl to willingly play a dummy, who tamely gestures upon others' threads, no matter that she is loved by many? In 1999, the album "I Want Us to Be Together," the follow up to "Darling," came out as yet another Mavis do-my-own-music manifesto. She said, "I'm not that public idol kind of girl. I don't want to be either. Actually, I do enjoy being loved by a small group of people, just a small group, ��cause they make me feel special."

Now, I Want Us to Be Together.

I Want Us to Be Together

That was I Want Us to Be Together. For the first time, Mavis took the job of music executive and contributed half of the composition on the album. She delivered on her promise, winning best pop album at the 11th Taiwan Gold Melody Awards, Taiwan's equivalent of the Grammys. The next song we'll hear from this album is Sometimes.

Sometimes

That was Sometimes.

Mavis' two transition albums never achieved as much commercial success as critical success. But on China Beat we couldn't care less about the market, we just aim to bring you the music we think is worth listening to. So here is Mavis with You Don't Trust Me Anymore.
 
You Don't Trust Me Anymore

That was You Don't Trust Me Anymore, written by Mavis and co-produced by her boyfriend Laurence Chow. The song is published on Mavis' 2001 album Lounge Diva. Rumors said Mavis developed depression during her transition period, because she put herself under too much pressure to produce good music. She confirmed this in her book, "Scratch", released this year.

Although she had flowers and applause, Mavis said she wasn't content. She said, "I'm sure that isn't what I want. I have a clear goal, if I can't achieve it there is nothing to for me to feel good about."

She saw doctors, took pills, pierced her body and got a tattoo to relieve her pain. She even tried to jump out a hotel window once and would have succeeded if her boyfriend hadn't caught her in time.

You can probably detect some of these dark tendencies in the album Lounge Diva.