The cover of Jay Chou's latest album, "Capricorn".

Hello, and welcome to another edition of China Beat here on China Radio International. This is Zhong Qiu. Taiwan's pop sensation, Jay Chou, has finally released his ninth full-length album, 'Capricorn' or 魔杰座. Named after his own Zodiac sign, Jay Chou incorporates music with a hint of sorcery on this new release. Containing 11 tracks, 'Capricorn' features Jay's trademark of hip-hop, R&B, and 中国风. Following last year's country-influenced song, 'On the Run', Jay Chou has spiced up his new album with some more exotic flavours. Apart from serving as a showcase for Jay's musical talent, this album also exhibits his strong interest, and maybe potential, in being a magician. So, during today's program – sit back and relax as we listen to 'Capricorn' and get mesmerized by Jay's magical music.

(Dragon-Riding Warrior)

The album opens with the song 龙战骑士, which literally means 'Dragon-Riding Warrior'. It's a pleasant mix of hip-hop and rock music, in the style of Jay's previous hit song 'Golden Armour' or 黄金甲. The album cover has also been designed to match this song.

(Jay in Chinese)
"It's like a realization of my childhood dream since I wanted to be a hero from the time I was very young. In the music video for 'Dragon-Riding Warrior' I got to play the role of the warrior. We spent quite some time shooting and producing this music video because I wanted to offer my fans the best possible result."

(Mr. Magician)

If you were thrilled by Jay's cowboy song last year, this time you will find another charming tune, 'Mr. Magician'. The dialogue-based introduction takes us back to Jay's older songs 'Crap' (扯) and 'The Moulin Rouge' (红磨坊). In this song, Jay Chou showcases his comedic talents. It boldly utilizes a piano solo, circus rhythms, yodeling, and a jazz band. Jay sings in his "cute" voice as he did with 'Cowboy on The Run' and even incorporates part of the chorus from the cowboy song.

(Jay in Chinese)
"I have liked magic tricks since I was young. I saw my classmate playing magic on TV when I was ten yeas old and I admired him a lot. Over the years, I've fostered an interest in magic tricks and it gives me a feeling that I can't get from singing. There may even come a day when I will treat my audience to some magic tricks."

(Fragrant Paddy)

稻香, or 'Fragrant Paddy', is the major hit off Jay Chou's new album, 'Capricorn'. This track returns to the basic elements of music. Jay penned and composed the song, which revolves around childhood experiences in a small village. The music arrangement incorporates simple rhythms and natural sounds, including that of cicadas, accompanied by folk guitar and hip-hop beats.

(Jay in Chinese)
"I chose 'Fragrant Paddy' as the first single because I hoped to bring some soothing sound into the world in the wake of the economic recession and natural disasters. Many lost their homes and families in the earthquake and many lost jobs in the worldwide finance crisis. However I hope those people will be brave enough to stand up and face the challenges which lie ahead. Out here hope remains. "

(Give Me a Song's Time)

That was 'Fragrant Paddy' from Jay Chou's latest release, 'Capricorn'. Another hit off the album is 给我一首歌的时间, 'Give Me A Song's Time'. It is one of the two tracks on the album that Jay Chou wrote lyrics for. With an R&B twist, Jay tells a sad romantic story in the song.

(Jay in Chinese)
"I was kind of sharing my feelings during the past year through this album. My listeners can see what happened in my life through my music. My music tells the stories of my life."

(Snake Dance)

With each of his albums, Jay Chou tries to breathe new life into his music. On his latest album, 'Capricorn', Jay introduces Indian themes into one of his songs, 'Snake Dance', 蛇舞. Jay's classic rapping together with sultry vocals by Nan Quan Mama's Laura ensures this hip-hop track will be a hit single.

(Jay in Chinese)
"I would recommend you to watch the music video for 'Snake Dance'. I was also a dancer in the music video. Frankly I'm not a good dancer and I had to practice a lot. Nevertheless, I hope to please my audience with my singing and dancing and I hope people like the new album. I will continue to work hard to make quality music."

(Lan Ting Xu)

And we'd love hear more good music from this talented artist. To wrap up today's show, we'd play another song off Jay Chou's album, 兰亭序. The title to this song is actually a reference to calligrapher Wang Xizhi's ancient Chinese poem of the same name. It's a fitting theme for Jay's Zhongguo Feng style. So enjoy it and we'll catch you the same time tomorrow.