One Taiwanese singer/songwriter I can’t stop listening to is Cheer Chen (陳綺貞 or ‘Chén Qǐzhēn’ in Pinyin). Her song ‘Lying In Your Closet’ (躺在你的衣櫃) is a beautiful ballad, expressing the absence (or loss) of a partner (in reality, her other half - namely her lead guitarist - is still very much in her life). Check it:

Cheer Chen isn’t considered particularly mainstream here on the so-called ‘Beautiful Island’, but she is definitely known and greatly respected. 

Her smooth, expressive voice seems to stand out from the majority of average pop songs, and is a refreshing change from the Korean imports (namely Rain) and the awful American shit that filters through the airwaves and ends up blurring out in the street as you peruse the numerous night markets or have the misfortune of going clubbing in central Taipei (Luxy is one guilty party - the fact that Taio Cruz is performing there next month says it all).

Above: Cheer Chen on her Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar

The first time I saw this live version, it gave me goose bumps, immediately bringing back the moody days of listening to Radiohead*, particularly ‘Creep’. It’s something to do with the similar chord progression and emphatic verse-chorus structure that makes these two songs good companions. See if you agree:

More of the Asian persuasion here

*Radiohead are set to play in Taipei at Nangang Exhibition Centre on 07/25/12