It's a little turning a back against my roots, though I don't recall that I'm less Chinese. But ethnicity aside, the reason why sometimes I find Mandopop unpalatable is that it's just it. Where Korea has a distinction between genres, Mandopop tends to mix all genres together. And yes, that is, surprisingly, a scholarly issue. The West have criticised Mandopop for its randomness. Switchfoot will sing alternative rock and not jazz. Mariah Carey will sing R&B not rock.
But that's not really the main reason why I don't like Mandopop sometimes. I like the idea of LeeHom's chinked-out cause you've gotta admit, though that idea isn't new, per se, it sure sounds fun. Some Mandopop artistes are singing in a defined genre. Mayday sings rock and rock only. Same goes for F.I.R and Sodagreen.
Taking vocal classes in a Chinese entertainment school (there, I've said it), I got to learn that Mandopop no longer looks at talent (much) but rather whether you can sing with emotions. Look here, I love songs with emotions cause there's nuance, but you've gotta know how to sing well. In here, imo, Cantopop fails totally. Though my friend said that Cantopop have a more rounded sound (same goes for Korean songs, that's why Kpop doesn't sound sharp in their songs), but many of them can't sing.
But perhaps the reason why Mandopop sometimes fail to capture me is ironically, the entertainment value of it. Maybe I'm so drowned in Fluxus that I'm a little off mainstream. But adding up the abovementioned reasons, I feel that Mandopop is just all entertainment and lacks depth. It's the same way I see Taiwanese idol dramas. That's why I've also veered back into Kdramas.
Of course, I would be unfair if I say ALL Mandopop are shallow. Cause like Kpop (which can be quite shallow as well), Mandopop does have its gems albeit not always captivating.
One of them is Shadya Lan 蓝又时/藍又時. A singer who just released her self-composed debut, The Secret (秘密), she used to write songs for singers (like Rene Liu 劉若英 and Sandy Lam 林憶蓮) and have contributed to Taiwanese idol dramas such as White Tower 白色巨塔 OST (not anyway related to the Japan original version).
Shadya singing the ending theme "Once Too Young (曾經太年輕)" of White Tower OST (she's 20 then, she's 24 now)
I would say her voice is in the group in the likes of Tanya Chua 蔡健雅, Sandy Lam...smooth, mellow, but doesn't sound too sharp when reaching the high notes.
Tracklist:
1. 秘密 (The Secret)
2. 沉默劇 (Silent Play/Pantomime)
3. 那天 (That Day)
4. 全世界分手 (The Whole World Breakup)
5. 忘 (Forget)
6. 瞬間 (At That Moment)
7. I Pray
8. Singing
9. 這麼長一段 (So Long A Distance)
10. 詩篇91 (Psalm 91)
(I was thinking how sampat I can be and throw in the Korean translations as well: 비밀, 그 날, 순간, 잊다...)
I like how she wrote the songs. Shadya Lan does not write fast songs. This album is fully ballad with a small mix of bossa nova.
Shadya Lan - Secret/秘密/비밀
Though I won't say she hits jackpot with every song (in terms of voice) but I like her lyrics. It has depth, not like the ones I write. (pfft)
For example, her first track Secret is about the third leg of a love triangle. It's so unconventional, the last time I listened to a similar song was Winnie Hsin's 辛晓琪 Confession (承認). All 9 tracks are suppose to discuss different aspects of love in a relationship. (Track 10 is seriously Psalm 91, the Bible's Psalm 91, the only track in full English)
Shadya Lan - The Whole World Breakup
I think my favorites would be Track 1, 3,4, 9. Her English is quite okay, better than Jisun's "God b(r)ess you". (I really love Jisun but that line just is uncomfy)
Overall, I'd say Shadya's debut is the kind to listen to when you want to drown yourself in good ballads. It has a nice feel but not overly mellow till you fall asleep. And Shadya's voice fits perfectly with her songs so it doesn't shrill, shout but just let you flow along like a smooth current into the wide sea.
Rating: 3.5/5
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