Taiwanese pop diva showed her mettle putting everyone in a party mood despite the heavy rain during her concert, writes Loong Wai Ting
TAIWANESE singer Jolin Tsai has a long list of albums and has performed in multiple sold-out shows in Asia and North America, earning her the reputation as one of Asia’s pop divas.
Having recorded music since she was a teenager in the 1990s, the 35-year-old artiste was in Kuala Lumpur recently.She gave a dazzling show at the Stadium Merdeka as part of her Jolin Tsai 2016 Play World Tour.
Kuala Lumpur marked the pop diva’s last stop in her year-long tour, which kicked off in Taipei last May. She last performed here in 2011 for her Myself World Tour.
Over the years, Tsai has reinvented herself as an artiste, artistically melding electro-pop music and euphorically-charged melodies with catchy lyrics.
Her willingness to experiment with new music coupled with her powerful vocal range has added an edge to her work.
Tsai’s Stadium Merdeka concert featured an impressive multi-stage setup, delighting 11,000 fans, some of whomflew in specially for the show.
Opening her concert, Tsai appeared Medusa-like, in an all-black costume complete with a headpiece of slithery “snakes” — yes, the “snakes” seemed “alive”. She worked the stage tirelessly, demonstrating remarkable stamina as she danced and sang in her high heels throughout the three-hour show, putting everyone in the stadium under her spell.
Despite the heavy downpour, her fans were undaunted and didn’t bother finding shelter. Instead, they waved their fuchsia-coloured glowsticks enthusiastically. On stage, the drenched Tsai and her dancers carried on performing.
Halfway through her performance of Real Man, the singer slipped and fell. As everyone gasped, the singer got up and continued singing as if her fall was part of the dance choreography.
She then performed the catchy Bravo Lover before moving on to Butterfly and Love, Love, Love.
In the centre of the stage was a huge square structure with the words “The Great Artist”. It slowly opened up to reveal Tsai performing on a raised platform before being lowered.
Next, she tackled a cover of Sodagreen’s Little Love Song, much to the crowd’s surprise. Her rendition of that hit song had an emotional and nostalgic vibe. She later addressed the crowd: “It has been five years since we last met. It’s always great to be back to this wonderful country and seeing all of you here. What a sweet ending to such a great tour. Thank you all.”
She then broke into Rewind, a slow number, before moving to The Smell Of Lemongrass. The heavy rain provided a sense of mystery when Tsai performed her hit ballad, I Know You Are Feeling Blue, and the essential Sky.
The stage was completely transformed into a cozy Jazz bar as the dancers sat at tables and listened to Tsai as she “poured” her heart out.
A series of dance numbers, including Fantasy, 36 Love Strategies and Dancing Diva, came next and got everyone on their feet.
Some of her fans even came in their best imitation of the singer. It caught Tsai’s attention. What was more amazing was that both these hardcore fans were male.
One fan gamely challenged the singer to a dance-off on the stage. The latter willingly obliged. What surprised Tsai was that the male fan came dressed in a leotard, revealing a pair of sexy legs. “How can a man have such beautiful legs? And, aren’t there dressing guidelines to adhere to?” Tsai joked.
One of the highlights of the show was seeing Tsai in 1930-inspired attire, complete with dance moves from that era. The gender-reversing role also saw her dancers putting on mini skirts and high heels as they performed flips and other acrobatic moves, which added a playful touch to the set.
To keep things fresh for her fans, there were specially-arranged numbers such as the award-winning track, The Great Artist, where the tempo slowed a notch before it picked up again.
Although the controversial hit ballad We’re All Different, Yet The Same has been banned in some countries (because of its homosexual content), fans at the concert were treated to a soulful rendition. The tune was preceded by a video clip about a young man, who was also Tsai’s huge fan, dying from muscle dystrophy disease in 2011, marking a broader theme of acceptance and love for a fellow human being.
For the encore, Tsai performed Play, from her 2014 album, before wrapping up the concert with Crystal Magic Ball.