Cheer Chan

Hello, and welcome to another edition of  China Beat here on China Radio International. This is Zhong Qiu. Gifted with a pure and innocent voice, Chen Chi Chen (陈绮贞), who is also known as Cheer Chan, is a popular singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pianist from Taiwan. From her early works of indie folk to her present rock-driven style, Cheer Chan has forged her trademark and gained popularity in the independent music community. Critics have described Cheer's voice as "black coffee with powder donut". Indeed, her music is loaded with powdery sweetness and bitter strength that lends a special balance in her music. This Saturday, Cheer Chan will give a solo concert at the Beijing Exhibition Theater, her debut show in the mainland. So for the rest of the show, let's regale ourselves with some classics from Cheer Chan.

(Let Me Think)

Most of Cheer Chan's songs are straightforward and melodic. In her early years, Cheer Chan loved to sing while being accompanied by an acoustic guitar. Her pure, youthful voice and unadorned performing style conquered the heart of many-a-music-lover. She is known for her sweet but strong voice. In 1998, Cheer Chan released her first full-length album, 让我想一想, Let Me Think. The title track is a nice, upbeat song about the fears a girl faces when dealing with a new romance.

(Let Me Think)

微凉的你,or Cool and Breezy You is another song included in Cheer Chan's debut album. Chan's voice is like that of an unpretentious child, and the lyrics are filled with the kind of charm that only a creative, sensitive girl who loves to daydream could express. As the name implies, the song is like a sweet, cool breeze sweeping over, to leave you wrapped up in that warm, fuzzy feeling. Now let's enjoy the song, Cool and Breezy You.

(Cool and Breezy You)

It is interesting that many of Cheer Chan's songs are influenced by bossa nova and jazz. Greenhouse Flower is a laid-back track on Chan's second album, Still be Lonely, 还是会寂寞. The simple music arrangement highlights the warm, clear and crisp vocals of Cheer Chan. Here is the song, Greenhouse Flower, 温室花朵.

(Greenhouse Flower)

Apart from her distinctive voice, Cheer Chan is also well-known for her intimate live performances. Despite boasting two full-length studio records, Cheer still found the time to make a few "homemade" mini records available only for her fans at her live performances. Serving the public DIY style, she wrote, sang, produced, and recorded with minimal equipment the songs on those mini records. She also made each and every one of the tickets for her concert.

Many of Cheer Chan's fans love the intimate atmosphere and interaction during her live shows, which is expressed in her song 吉他手, Groupies. This is the title track of Cheer Chan's third album that was released in 2002. The album also marked her transformation to a rock-driven artist. Cheer's light, vanilla-scented voice blended with the electric guitar, gave her music more power and added new dimensions to Cheer's music.

(Groupies)

That was Groupies taken from Cheer Chan's namesake album. Cheer's latest studio recording is 华丽的冒险, literally meaning, A Fabulous Adventure. The title track is beautiful thanks to its simplicity, with well-written lyrics. However, I want to recommend another song on this album, Too Much, 太多. It's a signature Cheer song that uses the very low and very high register of the piano, together with the cello to create a surreal mood. Again, Cheer Chan touches the listener with her crystal voice and unadorned performing. The simple arrangement doesn't dull the mood of the song, rather, each note creates a melancholic beauty and sends chills through your body. The piano, and the string - in their ultimate simplicity – do the trick here.

(Too Much)

With this song, Too Much, we come to the end of this edition of  China Beat . We'd love to hear from you about our shows. You can email us at Chinabeat@cri.com.cn or log on to our website at crienglish.com, find China Beat and leave your message. This is Zhong Qiu. Bye for now.