Jolin Tsai

Jolin Tsai
Tsai at the Valentino show in Paris, March 2024
Born	Tsai I-ling (1980-09-15) September 15, 1980 Hsinchuang, Taipei, Taiwan (now Xinzhuang, New Taipei, Taiwan)
Alma mater	Fu Jen Catholic University
Occupations	Singer songwriter actress dancer record producer author businesswoman
Years active	1999–present
Works	Albums songs singles concerts videos films
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Taipei, Taiwan
Genres	Pop dance
Instrument	Vocals
Labels	Universal EMI Gold Typhoon Warner Sony
Chinese name
Chinese	蔡依林
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Cài Yīlín Wade–Giles Ts'ai4 I1-lin2 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Chhoà I-lîm

Jolin Tsai (Mandarin: [tsʰaɪ˥˩] ; Chinese: 蔡依林; born September 15, 1980) is a Taiwanese singer, songwriter, and actress. Widely recognized as the "Queen of C-Pop", Tsai is one of the most influential figures in the Chinese-speaking world’s pop culture. Her continuous reinvention and versatility in musical style and visual presentation have established her as a leading figure in popularizing dance-pop music in Greater China. Tsai exercises significant creative control over her career, and her work, which often addresses societal issues and ideological themes, has achieved both commercial success and critical acclaim.

Born in Hsinchuang, Taiwan, Tsai gained prominence in 1998 after winning a singing competition organized by MTV Mandarin. Her debut album, 1019 (1999), was a commercial success and cemented her status as a teen idol with a significant following among teenagers. With the release of Magic (2003), Tsai transitioned to a more dance-oriented musical style, further establishing her reputation with Dancing Diva (2006), which solidified her role as a prominent dance-pop artist in the Chinese music scene.

In 2009, Tsai founded her own company, Eternal, and began to assert creative control over all aspects of her career. The album Myself (2010) marked a turning point, showcasing themes of girl power and concern for minority issues. Her subsequent album, Muse (2012), combined mainstream appeal with independent music elements, while Play (2014) was noted for advancing Chinese dance music on a global stage. Her album Ugly Beauty (2018) delved into themes of societal beauty standards and psychological complexity.

Tsai has sold over 25 million records, making her the highest-selling Taiwanese female recording artist since 2000. Since the release of Magic (2003), each of her studio albums has been the highest-selling album by a female artist in Taiwan for the year of its release, with four also being the highest-selling album overall in the country. She has won seven Golden Melody Awards, the most by any dance-pop artist in the award's history. Tsai has frequently appeared on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list, ranking in the top 20 for six out of ten years since 2010 and being named the number one Chinese female singer three times. Her net worth surpassed NT$2 billion in 2014, and she has been ranked as the highest-paid Taiwanese female singer 16 times between 2003 and 2022.

Life and career

1980–1998: Early life and career beginnings

Tsai was born on September 15, 1980, in Hsinchuang City, Taipei County (now Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City), Taiwan. She has an elder sister. Her maternal grandmother was a Taiwanese indigenous Papora people. She attended Hsinchuang Elementary School, Hsinchuang Junior High School, and Chingmei Girls' High School. When she was in high school, she formed a band called Twister with her classmates. Later, she participated in singing competitions to meet the needs of extracurricular activities for university applications, and won Chingmei Girls' High School Singing Competition and the second place in the popular music category of BCC National High School Singing Competition. In May 1998, she participated in a singing competition held by MTV Mandarin, she stood out by singing English songs and won the competition.

In March 1999, Tsai signed with Universal Music Taiwan, and became the record label's key newcomer. After that, Universal arranged a series of courses for her for half a year, including dance classes twice a week to help her improve her stage performance, makeup classes twice a week to help her do her own makeup when she was pressed for schedules or in between brief interviews, and speech training classes to help her cope with the media. In addition, Universal arranged for her to fly to Ireland and the United States to watch live performances of foreign singers. In June 1999, she was admitted to the English literature major of Fu Jen Catholic University by virtue of her first place in the recommendation examination.

1999–2002: 1019, Don't Stop, Show Your Love, and Lucky Number

On July 16, 1999, Tsai released her debut single, "Living with the World". On September 10, 1999, she released her first studio album, 1019. The album, co-produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, and Paul Lee, combined pop with hip-hop, R&B, world music, and others, showing her musical talent and versatility. It was generally well received by music critics, who said that the girlish feelings exuded from the album just filled the vacancy of girl-next-door singer in Taiwan at that time, and both her idol vibe and strength combined with the excellent record production made her an instant hit. The album sold more than 400,000 copies in Taiwan.

On April 26, 2000, Tsai released her second studio album, Don't Stop. The album was co-produced by David Wu, Paul Lee, Peter Lee, and Chen Wei, and combined pop with hip-hop, rock, reggae, R&B, and others. Her singing skills on the album were more powerful than before, with a more flexible interpretation of fast songs and a more emotional interpretation of slow songs. It was well received by music critics, who said that the fast songs were full of enthusiasm and the slow songs were charming, and that it started her musical direction that focused on fast songs. The album sold more than 500,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the year's second highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's sixth highest-selling album overall in the country, as well as her highest-selling album in the country to date. On May 5, 2000, she released her photo book, Nineteen Years, which sold more than 60,000 copies in Taiwan.

On December 22, 2000, Tsai released her third studio album, Show Your Love. The album was co-produced by David Wu, Paul Lee, Peter Lee, Chen Wei, and Jae Chong, it had more broad musical styles and a more mature vocal performance. It received positive reviews from music critics, and was described as one of the most musically rich albums in the real sense during her Universal period, with a balanced mix of fast and slow songs. The album sold more than 260,000 copies in Taiwan. On September 6, 2001, the music video of the track "Fall in Love with a Street" won an MTV Video Music Award for International Viewers' Choice.

On June 28, 2001, Tsai released the Mandarin version of the theme song "Where the Dream Takes You" of the 2001 Disney film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. On July 7, 2001, she released her fourth studio album, Lucky Number. The album was co-produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, Paul Lee, Chen Wei, and Kay Huang, and combined pop with R&B, disco, hip-hop, and others. It was considered to be her most exciting album during her Universal period, but also suffered from a lack of promotion due to a contractual dispute with her management company D Sound. The album sold more than 150,000 copies in Taiwan, and was ranked among the year's top 20 highest-selling albums in the country. On February 18, 2002, she, on behalf of Mandopop, together with William Roedy, chairman and CEO of MTV, and t.A.T.u. featured on the cover of Businessweek.

2002–2005: Magic, Castle, and J-Game

On July 23, 2002, Tsai signed with Sony Music Taiwan. On August 2, 2002, she released the book, The Masque of the Princess, the Spirit of Knight, which sold more than 50,000 copies in Taiwan. On March 7, 2003, she released her fifth studio album, Magic. The album was co-produced by Bing Wang, Peter Lee, Jamie Hsueh, Jay Chou, Huang Yi, combining pop with disco, funk, ballads, hip-hop, Britpop, and others, and tailored according to her voice quality, vocal, positioning, and potential. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, and was regarded as a key work for her positioning transformation, establishing her musical direction with dance-pop as the dominant style. The album sold over 360,000 copies in Taiwan and over 1.5 million copies overall in Asia, becoming the year's highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's second highest-selling album overall in the country. The album was nominated for the Golden Melody Award for Album of the Year, while Tsai was nominated for Best Female Mandarin Singer, and Baby Chung was nominated for Best Music Arranger for the track "Prague Square". Eventually, Baby Chung won Best Music Arranger.

On March 9, 2003, the Taiwanese television series Hi Working Girl starring Tsai premiered on CTV. On April 10, 2003, she released the songs "Angel of Love", "Darkness", and "Sweetie" for the 2003 Hong Kong film, Why Me, Sweetie?!. On June 14, 2003, she graduated from Fu Jen Catholic University with a bachelor's degree in English literature. On September 10, 2003, she released the theme song "Mirage" of the 2003 Chinese film, Warriors of Heaven and Earth. On September 15, 2003, she translated the book The English Roses for Madonna, and later translated five other books for Madonna.

On February 27, 2004, Tsai released her sixth studio album, Castle. The album was co-produced by Bing Wang, Peter Lee, Jay Chou, Jamie Hsueh, Huang Yi, and G-Power, and its musical styles were all-encompassing, combining pop with hip-hop, Latin, chanson, heavy metal, Britpop, and others. It was widely praised by music critics, and was credited with consolidating her successful development trend in the Chinese music scene. The album sold over 300,000 copies in Taiwan and over 1.5 million copies overall in Asia, becoming the year's highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's second highest-selling album overall in the country.

On August 7, 2004, Tsai embarked on her first concert tour J1 World Tour at Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai, China. The tour lasted one year and nine months with eight shows in seven cities. On November 12, 2004, she released the compilation album, J9. On February 8, 2005, she participated in the CCTV New Year's Gala to perform the song "36 Tricks of Love". On March 9, 2005, she released the book, Jolin's English Diary Book, which sold more than 120,000 copies in Taiwan.

On April 25, 2005, Tsai released her seventh studio album, J-Game. The album was co-produced by Jamie Hsueh, Jack Chou, Bing Wang, and Adia, and combined pop with hip-hop, electronic, disco, Chinese traditional music, and others. It received mixed reviews from music critics, who said that it followed the trend and pursued the extreme, but its positioning was vague and it lacked personality. The album sold over 260,000 copies in Taiwan and over 1.2 million copies overall in Asia, becoming the year's highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's second highest-selling album overall in the country. On September 23, 2005, she released the live video album, J1 Live Concert. On September 28, 2005, Show Lo released the single "Destined Guy", which he sang with her. On December 30, 2005, she released the book, Jolin's Party, which sold more than 150,000 copies in Taiwan.

2006–2008: Dancing Diva and Agent J

Tsai at MTV Asia Awards 2006

On February 16, 2006, Tsai signed with EMI Taiwan. On May 5, 2006, Sony released the greatest hits album J-Top for her. The album sold over 100,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the year's fifth highest-selling album overall in the country. On May 12, 2006, she released her eighth studio album, Dancing Diva. Co-produced by Adia, Paul Lee, Peter Lee, Paula Ma, Yuri Chan, and Stanley Huang, the album is based on pop and electronic music, and had a wide variety of musical styles, with smooth melodies and catchy lyrics that were impressive, dynamic dance songs and unforgettable dance moves that stirred up discussion. It was widely praised by music critics for its rich content, exquisite production, as well as high audibility and popularity, establishing her status as a representative dance-pop artist in the Chinese music scene. The album sold over 300,000 copies in Taiwan and over 2.5 million copies overall in Asia, becoming the year's highest-selling album overall in the country. The album was nominated for Golden Melody Award for Best Mandarin Album, she was nominated for Best Female Mandarin Singer, and Adia was nominated for Best Single Producer for the track "Dancing Diva". Eventually, she won both Best Female Mandarin Singer and Favorite Female Singer/Group.

On September 15, 2006, Tsai embarked on her second concert tour Dancing Forever World Tour at Hong Kong Coliseum in Hong Kong. The tour lasted two and a half years and held 28 shows in 20 cities, with audience of about 500,000 and box office of about NT$1 billion. On September 29, 2006, she released the compilation album, Dancing Forever. The track "Marry Me Today" won Golden Melody Award for Song of the Year. On February 17, 2007, she participated in the CCTV New Year's Gala to perform the song "Marry Me Today" with David Tao. On June 8, 2007, she released the live video album If You Think You Can, You Can!, which sold more than 120,000 copies in Taiwan.

On September 21, 2007, Tsai released her ninth studio album, Agent J. The album was co-produced by Lars Quang, Nik Quang, RnG, Adia, Paul Lee, Michael Lin, Paula Ma, and Jamie Hsueh. It was released in conjunction with the film of the same name, which was co-directed by Jeff Chang, Marlboro Lai, and Kuang Sheng, and featured Kim Jae-won, Stephen Fung, and Carl Ng as the three male leads. It received mixed reviews from music critics, who said that she maintained her consistent bold style and diversified musical styles, but it lacked freshness and melodicity. The album sold over 200,000 copies in Taiwan and over 3 million copies overall in Asia, becoming the year's highest-selling album overall in the country. Adia won Golden Melody Award for Best Single Producer for the track "Agent J", and Andrew Chen won Best Music Arranger for the same track.

On November 21, 2007, Kylie Minogue released the single "In My Arms", which she sang with Tsai. On July 18, 2008, she was awarded the Butterfly Award by the Taiwan's Ministry of Labor, in recognition of her outstanding performance in the entertainment industry. On October 31, 2008, she released her cover album, Love Exercise. The album was released in conjunction with the book of the same name, which included her covers of ten English songs, and was co-produced by Paula Ma, Peter Lee, Jim Lee, Daniel Bi, Paul Lee, and Adia. It was originally planned to be released on March 7, 2008, but the release was delayed due to the personnel change and stock acquisition of EMI in Greater China. It was not well received by music critics, who said that the production lacked new ideas and the original songs were too classic. The album sold more than 30,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the year's highest-selling Western-language album in the country.

2008–2018: Butterfly, Myself, Muse, and Play

Tsai in 2008

On December 16, 2008, Tsai signed with Warner Music Taiwan. On March 27, 2009, she released her tenth studio album, Butterfly. The album was co-produced by Adia, Paul Lee, Peter Lee, and Paula Ma. It was not well received by music critics, who said it lacked surprise, sincerity, and breakthrough. With over 120,000 copies being pre-ordered in Taiwan, it became the most pre-ordered album of all time in the country. The album sold over 130,000 copies in Taiwan and over 1 million copies overall in Asia, becoming the year's highest-selling album overall in the country. On March 28, 2009, she embarked on her Butterfly Campus Tour at Chung Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The tour was originally planned to hold a total of ten shows, due to the recurrence of her old injury, it was decided to cancel the remaining shows after four shows. On October 9, 2009, she released the live video album, Love & Live. On October 15, 2009, she and Ke Fu-hung jointly established the company Eternal, specializing in her artist management, music production and copyright, concert production and copyright, fan club member recruitment, and other matters. On April 27, 2010, she released the theme song "Heartbeat of Taiwan" of the Taiwan pavilion at the Expo 2010.

On August 13, 2010, Tsai released her eleventh studio album, Myself. The album was co-produced by Andrew Chen, Adia, and Paula Ma. It was based on the concept of party, and dance music accounted for ninety percent of the entire album. It received mixed reviews from music critics, and was described as a new benchmark for Chinese dance music albums, but an imbalance between commerciality and musicality. The album sold more than 65,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the year's highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's fourth highest-selling album overall in the country. The music video of the track "Honey Trap" was nominated for Golden Melody Award for Best Music Video. On December 24, 2010, she embarked on her third concert tour Myself World Tour at Taipei Arena in Taipei, Taiwan. The tour lasted two years and four months and held a total of 35 shows in 31 cities, with audience of about 600,000 and box office of about NT$1.5 billion. On July 12, 2011, she released the book Living Slim, which sold more than 120,000 copies in Taiwan.

On September 14, 2012, Tsai released her twelfth studio album, Muse. Co-produced by Michael Lin, Peggy Hsu, JJ Lin, and Tanya Chua, the album combined pop music and pop art, and spans both mainstream and independent music. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, and was described as a paragon of pop albums, with clear themes and a balanced mix of fast and slow songs. The album sold more than 95,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the year's highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's third highest-selling album overall in the country. The album was nominated for Golden Melody Award for Best Mandarin Album, the track "The Great Artist" and its music video were nominated for Song of the Year and Best Music Video, respectively, and she was nominated for Best Female Mandarin Singer. Eventually, "The Great Artist" won Song of the Year.

On January 16, 2013, Tsai represented Taiwanese singers to attend MIDEM in Cannes, France. On October 19, 2013, she released the live video album, Myself World Tour. On May 19, 2014, she released the song "Now Is the Time" for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which was included on the compilation album, Pepsi Beats of the Beautiful Game. On June 13, 2014, she released the theme song "Kaleidoscope" of the 2014 Chinese film, Tiny Times 3. On August 27, 2014, she released the theme song "Be Wonderful Together" of a campaign jointly held by Pepsi and Tmall. On October 31, 2014, she began to serve as a judge of the CCTV variety show Rising Star, which ended on December 30, 2014.

On November 15, 2014, Tsai released her thirteenth studio album, Play. Co-produced by Starr Chen, Andrew Chen, Tiger Chung, JJ Lin, and Michael Lin, the album broke away from the framework of previous Chinese albums, with rich contents and all-encompassing themes. It received critical acclaim from music critics, and was credited with introducing the world to the high standard of Chinese dance music. The album sold more than 85,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the year's highest-selling album by a female artist and the year's fourth highest-selling album overall in the country. It was nominated for a total of ten Golden Melody Awards, becoming one of the albums with the most Golden Melody Award nominations in history. The album was nominated for both Best Mandarin Album and Best Vocal Recording Album, the track "Play" was nominated for Song of the Year, the music videos of "Play", "We're All Different, Yet the Same", and "I'm Not Yours" were all nominated for Best Music Video, Alex Ni and Starr Chen were jointly nominated for Best Music Arranger for "Play", Starr Chen and Andrew Chen were nominated for Best Single Producer for "Play" and "Lip Reading", respectively, and Aaron Nieh was nominated for Best Album Packaging. Eventually, the album won both Best Mandarin Album and Best Vocal Recording Album, and Andrew Chen won Best Single Producer.

Tsai performing in 2015

On May 22, 2015, Tsai embarked on her fourth concert tour Play World Tour at Taipei Arena in Taipei, Taiwan. The tour lasted one year and two months and held a total of 34 shows in 23 cities, with audience of about 600,000 and box office of about NT$1.5 billion. On December 2, 2015, she won Mnet Asian Music Award for Best Asian Artist. On February 26, 2016, she dubbed Judy Hopps in the Taiwanese Mandarin edition of the 2016 Disney film Zootopia, which was her first dubbing work. On September 30, 2016, Alesso released the single "I Wanna Know" in collaboration with her. On October 31, 2016, Starr Chen released the single "Ego-Holic" in collaboration with her. On May 12, 2017, she released the theme song "Give Love" of a Mother's Day campaign held by Da Ai Television. On June 20, 2017, Hardwell released the single "We Are One" in collaboration with her. On November 20, 2017, she released the theme song "On Happiness Road" of the film of the same name. On December 29, 2017, she released the theme song "Stand Up" of the 2018 Chinese film, Monster Hunt 2. On January 30, 2018, she released the live video album, Play World Tour. On June 12, 2018, she released the 10th anniversary theme song "The Player" of the video game, Dungeon & Fighter.

2018–present: Ugly Beauty

On December 26, 2018, Tsai released her fourteenth studio album, Ugly Beauty. The album was co-produced by Starr Chen, Razor Chiang, Howe Chen, Øzi, and her, and combined pop with reggae, electronic, hip-hop, and others. It returned to the inner level of the singer herself, with the theme of breaking the secular beauty standard and exploring the inner psychological polarity. It was generally praised by music critics, who said that the concept of the album was complete and unified, the singing state was comfortable, and the production was exquisite and ranked top among Chinese albums. The album became the highest-selling album of 2019 overall in Taiwan. As of August 13, 2023, it has sold more than 850,000 digital copies in China, becoming the highest-selling digital album by a female Hong Kong/Taiwan artist in history, she also became the female Hong Kong/Taiwan artist with the highest-selling digital sales of all time. The album was nominated for a total of eight Golden Melody Awards. The album was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Mandarin Album, and Best Vocal Recording Album, the track "Womanly" was nominated for Song of the Year, the music videos of the tracks "Ugly Beauty" and "Lady in Red" were nominated for Best Music Video, she was nominated for Best Female Mandarin Singer, and she and Starr Chen were jointly nominated for Best Single Producer for the track "Ugly Beauty". Eventually, the album won Album of the Year, and "Womxnly" won Song of the Year.

On January 21, 2019, Tsai began to serve as the dance mentor of the iQiyi variety show Youth with You, which ended on April 6, 2019. On January 24, 2019, she released the single "Happy New Year Do Re Mi", which she sung with Liu Yuning and TikTok influencers. On November 1, 2019, she released the single "Gravity" with Karry Wang. On December 30, 2019, she embarked on her fifth concert tour Ugly Beauty World Tour at Taipei Arena in Taipei, Taiwan. On April 3, 2020, she released the single "Fight as One" with Eason Chan. On November 22, 2020, she released the songs "Who Am I", "Turn Back Time", "Opposite" for the 2020 Chinese television series, The Wolf. On March 21, 2021, she released the single "Stars Align" with R3hab. On October 21, 2021, she released the single "Equal in the Darkness" with Steve Aoki and Max Schneider. On December 9, 2022, she released the theme song "Untitled" of the 2022 Taiwanese film, Marry My Dead Body. The song was nominated for Golden Horse Award for Best Original Film Song. On October 31, 2023, she released the theme song "Someday, Somewhere" of the 2023 Taiwanese web series, At the Moment. She and Richard Craker were jointly nominated for Golden Melody Award for Best Composer for this song. On November 20, 2023, she released the 40th anniversary theme song "Oh La La La" of McDonald's Taiwan.

Artistry

Influences

Tsai's opening yoga performance during the J1 World Tour (2004–2006) was influenced by Madonna's opening yoga segment from the Re-Invention World Tour (2004). Additionally, Tsai incorporated the dance style of vogue, which Madonna popularized, in the music video for "Honey Trap", featured on her 2010 album, Myself.

Tsai has identified several prominent artists as major influences on her music, including Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Destiny's Child. In May 1998, she gained recognition by winning an MTV Mandarin singing competition, during which she performed songs by Houston and Carey. Reflecting on her formative years, Tsai noted, "I've been listening to music since I was a child. At that time, I often listened to tapes and radios. Western music was very popular, and I admired Whitney Houston, frequently recording myself to imitate her singing". This experience ultimately paved the way for her debut as a singer through participation in singing competitions.

Her appreciation for Madonna deepened after witnessing her performances, leading Tsai to aspire to "lead trends in music, stage, dance, and fashion" akin to the iconic artist. Taiwanese choreographer Bruce Chang recalled Tsai's remarks about Madonna's distinctive dance style, noting that while she rarely engaged in line dancing, her movements remained impactful. Tsai expressed her desire to emulate Madonna, stating, "Madonna has always been an artist I admire for her innovation, even amid criticism; her work is still regarded as remarkable". Furthermore, Tsai emphasized the importance of introducing new styles and elements in popular music, aiming to challenge existing norms.

Tsai expressed a profound admiration for Destiny's Child, particularly appreciating their vocal and dance skills. She has also cited other influential figures, including Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, and Lady Gaga, as inspirations in her artistic development.

Musical style

Tsai has engaged in extensive experimentation with various musical styles, aiming to incorporate her unique interpretations and personal flair. She stated, "In addition to challenging various styles, I explore how to interpret and express them with my own colors". Primarily recognized for her dance-pop genre, Tsai emphasizes the importance of establishing a distinctive brand and identity as an artist, noting, "Maybe I don't have many representative ballad works, but dance music is what I am best at".

Her debut album, 1019 (1999), featured ballads alongside an R&B track, "Because of You", and a hip-hop track, "Out on the Street". The following year, her album Don't Stop introduced elements of rock and reggae, alongside dance tracks such as "Don't Stop" and "You Gotta Know". Her subsequent albums, Show Your Love (2000) and Lucky Number (2001), continued to explore R&B and hip-hop, integrating disco elements as well.

Tsai's 2003 album, Magic, marked a significant transformation in her musical direction, blending disco, funk, hip-hop, rock, and R&B, and establishing a foundation primarily centered on dance music. The 2004 album Castle continued this trajectory, featuring tracks like "36 Tricks of Love" and "Priority", which incorporated heavy metal elements, alongside the chanson-inspired "Love Love Love". Her 2005 album, J-Game, showcased a strong electronic influence while retaining elements of disco and hip-hop, with the track "Exclusive Myth" merging hip-hop and Chinese traditional music.

In 2006, Dancing Diva emphasized pop and electronic music, featuring an exotic title track and the electronic rock piece "Good Guy". Her 2007 album, Agent J, embraced Eurodance while maintaining influences from disco and hip-hop, including the swing track "Fear-Free". The 2009 album Butterfly explored synth-pop, and her 2010 album, Myself, featured house music along with the urban pop-influenced R&B track "Nothing Left to Say".

Her 2012 album, Muse, showcased a pop-based sound that spanned mainstream and independent genres, significantly differing from her earlier work. Tracks such as "Fantasy", "Dr. Jolin", and "Beast" drew influence from trance, progressive house, and techno, respectively. In 2014, Play was heavily influenced by electronic dance music genres like trap and dubstep, while tracks such as "Gentlewomen" blended noise rock and alternative dance, and "Miss Trouble" incorporated elements of opera. Her 2018 album, Ugly Beauty, further diversified her sound, integrating reggae, electronic, hip-hop, and other styles, while also featuring the gothic rock-influenced "Necessarily Evil" and the soul-infused "Vulnerability".

Voice

Tsai is recognized for her mezzo-soprano vocal range. Despite her popularity, she has faced criticism regarding her vocal abilities, particularly concerning the perceived thinness of her voice and a limited range. Taiwanese musician Bing Wang noted that while her singing skills are considered average, her distinctive articulation sets her apart.

Tsai gained recognition after winning a singing competition, where judge Wawa Chen acknowledged her natural talent. In recent years, critics have noted her significant improvement in vocal delivery, with Sohu Entertainment highlighting that her singing now attracts genuine attention alongside her musical style. Qu Er of Tencent Entertainment emphasized that Tsai possesses strong breath control and high-pitched abilities, particularly commendable given her dynamic performances that often include dance.

Tsai has been nominated for the Golden Melody Award for Best Female Mandarin Singer four times, winning the award for her 2006 album Dancing Diva. This victory marked her first Golden Melody Award, though it sparked debate over her vocal qualifications for such recognition. Liu Ya-wen, chief jury member of the 18th Golden Melody Awards, asserted that Tsai's overall artistry, including her skillful singing and songwriting, justified her success.

Tsai was nominated for ten Golden Melody Awards for her 2014 album Play, but did not receive a nomination for Best Female Mandarin Singer due to concerns about pitch correction influencing the voting process. Tsai's manager defended her talent, encouraging listeners to experience her live performances. DJ Casey Cheng supported the use of pitch correction, suggesting it contributes to the uniqueness of recorded music.

Tsai's live performance at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in 2017 attracted criticism due to pitch issues during her rendition of "Tian mi mi", with subsequent songs lacking the usual vibrancy associated with her middle and high-range capabilities. She acknowledged the shortcomings of her performance, which prompted significant discussion among audiences and critics.

Music videos

See also: Jolin Tsai videography

Tsai has established a reputation for producing high-quality music videos that blend creativity and aesthetic appeal with commercial viability. According to Apple Music, she has consistently remained at the forefront of fashion, with her music videos showcasing a range of costumes that vary from colorful to avant-garde. These visuals often feature exotic elements, drawing inspiration from locations such as Gothic architecture in "Prague Square" and Siamese aesthetics in "The Spirit of Knight", creating a sense of global exploration. In recent years, Tsai has emphasized themes of diversity in her work, exemplified by the song "We're All Different, Yet the Same", which explores gender equality through the narrative of a same-sex wedding. Similarly, "Ugly Beauty" employs absurdist themes to critique rigid beauty standards.

You Zuo of The Beijing News noted that Tsai has achieved significant breakthroughs in music video production with each album release. While some of her videos adhere to traditional formats that focus on the artist's image, others, such as "Play", "Womxnly", and "Lady in Red", exhibit a distinctive style that reflects her artistic evolution.

Tsai's music videos have received numerous accolades both domestically and internationally. Notable nominations for the Golden Melody Award for Best Music Video include "Honey Trap", "The Great Artist", "Play", "I'm Not Yours", "Ugly Beauty", and "Lady in Red". Additionally, the music videos for "The Great Artist", "Play", "I'm Not Yours", and "Ugly Beauty" have all garnered Golden Pin Design Awards. The music video for "The Great Artist" also received the Bronze Award for Visual Design at the International Design Awards. "Play" was recognized by Time as potentially the best pop music video of 2014 and won the Red Dot Design Award for Visual Communication Design. Furthermore, the music video for "Sweet Guilty Pleasure" was awarded the Gold Award for Best Music Video at the Telly Awards.

Public image

Tsai's fashion sense has garnered significant public attention, establishing her as a trendsetter and earning her the title of "Fashion Queen" within the popular music industry. Since her debut, she has been recognized for her bold and innovative style. Anny Ting from Vogue Taiwan notes that Tsai has transitioned from a girly and sexy aesthetic to a more avant-garde and trendy look, reinforcing her status as the "Queen of Pop". Initially perceived as the "girl next door", Tsai gained popularity among teenagers, earning the nickname "Teenage Boy Killer". Following a contractual dispute, she made a comeback with her 2003 album Magic, showcasing a fashionable and dynamic image.

In recognition of her versatile style, Tsai was named Taiwan's "Fashion Hierarch" by Ray magazine in 2003 and received The Style Award at the MTV Asia Awards in 2006. That same year, she was voted Best Fashion Artist in a Yahoo! Taiwan poll involving fashion magazine editors and netizens. In 2016, Vogue praised her for her eclectic styles and her capacity to embrace diverse looks.

Since 2007, Tsai has been invited to prestigious international fashion events, including the "Big Four" fashion weeks, the Met Gala, and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, making her the first Chinese singer to attend all six events. She is also the first Taiwanese artist to attend the Met Gala and the first Asian artist at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Her presence has graced the covers of major fashion magazines, including Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Additionally, she has consistently ranked among the top ten on FHM Taiwan's 100 Sexiest Women list from 2000 to 2018, including a top ranking on one occasion. Furthermore, she has led trends in nail art and was dubbed the "Queen of Nail Art" by Nail Up magazine in 2005.

In addition to her fashion influence, Tsai is known for her commercial success, often referred to as the "Queen of Money-Making" by the media. She has been the highest-paid female singer in Taiwan from 2004 to 2019 and ranked second in 2020 and 2021. As of 2014, her net worth was reported to exceed NT$2 billion. With record sales surpassing 25 million copies, she is recognized as the highest-selling Taiwanese female recording artist since 2000. Each of her studio albums since Magic has achieved the status of the highest-selling album by a female artist in Taiwan in the year of release, with four albums also being the overall highest-sellers in their respective years.

Tsai has been featured in the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list multiple times, including top rankings among Chinese female singers. She was also included in Forbes Asia's 100 Digital Stars, boasting over 43 million followers on Sina Weibo and 4 million on Instagram by the end of 2020, solidifying her status as a significant social media influencer in the Asia-Pacific region.

Tsai is regarded as a gay icon within the LGBTQ community. In 2012, she supported a gender equality initiative by the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, and later expressed her support for LGBTQ rights through various songs, such as "Dr. Jolin", "Fantasy", "Gentlewomen", "We're All Different, Yet the Same", and "Womxnly". In 2015, she was honored as Icon of the Year at the Asia LGBT Milestone Awards for her advocacy in a conservative music industry. She has openly supported gender equality and same-sex marriage, featuring on the cover of the lesbian magazine Lezs. Billboard highlighted her role as a visible advocate for love and equality in the Asian music scene, with Tsai stating her intention is not to become an idol for any specific group, but rather to encourage individuals to feel less alone through her music.

Legacy

Tsai has emerged as a prominent figure in the C-pop music scene, recognized for her innovative music, striking image, and dynamic dance performances. Her influence and resilience have made her a symbol of potential within the industry. According to Liu Hsiu-wen from Billboard, Tsai, along with contemporaries like Jay Chou, played a crucial role in establishing a "golden era" for Taiwanese pop music in the early 2000s, dominating the Chinese-speaking markets across Asia. Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairwoman of the Chinese Nationalist Party, noted that Tsai's artistic contributions have set an unparalleled standard in the C-pop realm, resonating deeply with a generation over two decades. Liang Xiaohui from NetEase Entertainment suggested that in future generations, Tsai will likely be remembered as the foremost Chinese diva of the early 21st century, akin to the iconic status of Madonna in the latter half of the 20th century. In recognition of her influence, she was named one of the Top Ten Influential Hong Kong/Taiwan Music Figures of the Decade at the Top Chinese Music Awards in 2010.

Tsai's impact extends beyond music, as she has actively addressed social issues, particularly those concerning the LGBTQ community. Tamar Herman of Billboard remarked on Tsai's representation of same-sex couples and diverse lifestyles, highlighting her role in fostering self-acceptance and understanding through her vibrant pop songs. Liao Yuanling from Business Today pointed out that Tsai leverages her platform to advocate for gender equality, empowering marginalized voices to assert themselves more confidently. In 2019, she was recognized in a survey conducted by Cheers magazine and Elle Taiwan, ranking first in fashion influence and second in gender issues and life attitudes.

Her contributions to dance-pop have redefined mainstream music in Greater China. Fan Jung-ching of Bloomberg Businessweek dubbed her the "Great Chinese Dance Music Artist", emphasizing her role in showcasing the quality of Chinese dance music on a global scale. I-Shou University's Associate Professor Hou Cheng-nan noted that Tsai has elevated the standards of Chinese dance music, making it challenging for others to match her achievements. Critic Mimimao from QQ Music emphasized her significant role in the development of electronic dance music within the C-pop genre, stating that Tsai's innovative approach has positioned her well ahead of her contemporaries.

Apple Music asserts that Tsai's legacy is characterized by her resilience and pioneering spirit. Transitioning from her initial image as a sweet idol singer in 1999, she developed her signature dance-pop style with albums like Dancing Diva (2006). This marked the beginning of her artistic evolution, which also positioned her as an LGBTQ icon. Her songs, such as "Play" and "Ugly Beauty", serve as both societal critiques and benchmarks for visual creativity in Mandopop, underscoring Tsai's lasting relevance in the industry.

Tsai has inspired numerous artists, becoming a role model for figures such as Cyndi Wang, Rainie Yang, A-Lin, Lala Hsu, Eve Ai, Shi Shi, Emma Wu, Yao Yao, By2, and many others. You Zuo of The Beijing News commented on her significant impact as an influential female star in the C-pop scene, emphasizing her commitment to artistic innovation and social advocacy as deserving of widespread respect among those invested in C-pop music.

Other ventures

See also: Philanthropy of Jolin Tsai

Endorsements

Taiwan Beer's advertisement featuring Tsai in Taipei

Tsai has endorsed a wide array of internationally recognized brands and products throughout her career, including Absolut Vodka, Adidas, Always, Balvenie, Bausch & Lomb, Bulgari, Crest, Diablo, Dr. Jart+, Dungeon & Fighter, Gap, Head & Shoulders, Intel, Knorr, Levi's, L'Oréal, Lux, MAC, Max Factor, McDonald's, Mercedes Benz, Morinaga, Motorola, Nars, Olay, Pepsi, Pony, Puma, Quaker, Rémy Martin, Samsung, Shiseido, Standard Chartered, Sunbites, Swarovski, Toyota, Tropicana, Uber Eats, Valentino, Vidal Sassoon, Yamaha, and 7-Eleven.

Additionally, Tsai has collaborated with several brands to create co-branded products. Notably, in December 2018, Pony launched two limited-edition sneakers designed by her, based on the M100 series. In July 2019, Gap introduced six collaborative T-shirts that she designed, each inspired by a song from her 2018 album Ugly Beauty. Furthermore, in September 2019, Gap released four long-sleeved pullover hoodies designed by Tsai.

Products

In September 2007, Tsai and her sister launched the nail polish brand Oops! Jealous, initially available through the Taiwanese online shopping platform PayEasy. Tsai played a key role in developing the brand’s nail polish colors and styles. In August 2010, Oops! Jealous expanded its distribution by collaborating with PayEasy to sell products through vending machines at Qsquare in Taipei, Taiwan. By October 2011, the brand had entered the personal care retail market, establishing a presence in Watsons stores. However, the brand was discontinued in 2014.

In February 2009, Tsai, in partnership with Ken Erman, introduced the fashion brand Seventy Two Changes in New York City. The brand was initially sold at Nordstrom across 12 North American cities, with plans to expand into Asia, including Taiwan, China, Singapore, and Malaysia. In February 2010, it successfully entered the mainland Chinese market, opening its first flagship store at Shanghai Times Square. However, due to differences in business philosophy among shareholders in the U.S. and China, combined with the expiration of her two-year contract, Tsai stepped down as the brand's designer in 2011.

On October 20, 2015, Tsai launched a fondant cake fan page titled Your Majesty on Facebook. Subsequently, on December 7, 2015, she established a company focused on the fondant cake sector, offering customized cake orders via Facebook and Instagram. By January 8, 2018, she reported that her cake business employed four cake chefs.

Achievements

See also: List of awards and nominations received by Jolin Tsai

Tsai has received a total of 16 nominations for the Golden Melody Awards, which includes nominations for two Album of the Year, four Song of the Year, four Best Mandarin Album, four Best Female Mandarin Singer, one Best Composer, and one Best Single Producer. She has won seven Golden Melody Awards, including Album of the Year for her 2018 album Ugly Beauty, and three Song of the Year awards for "Marry Me Today", "The Great Artist", and "Womxnly". Additionally, she has been honored with the Best Mandarin Album for Play (2014), Best Female Mandarin Singer for Dancing Diva (2006), and a Favorite Female Singer/Group award. Tsai is recognized as the dance-pop artist with the highest number of nominations and awards in Golden Melody Awards history. She also holds a Guinness World Record for the most Golden Melody Awards for Song of the Year. Her album Play garnered ten nominations, tying it with Jay Chou's Fantasy (2000) and A-Mei's Amit (2009) for the most nominations in history, while Ugly Beauty received eight nominations.

Beyond the Golden Melody Awards, Tsai has received numerous accolades from various Chinese music awards, including the Beijing Pop Music Awards, CCTV-MTV Music Awards, China Music Awards, Global Chinese Music Awards, Global Chinese Pop Chart Awards, Hito Music Awards, IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award, KKBox Music Awards, Metro Radio Hits Music Awards, Metro Radio Mandarin Hits Music Awards, Migu Music Awards, Music Radio China Top Chart Awards, My Astro Music Awards, Singapore Hit Awards, Top Chinese Music Awards, Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award, and TVB8 Mandarin Music on Demand Awards. Notably, she has won eight Hito Music Awards for Best Female Singer and eight for Most Weeks at Number One Album/Song, along with ten KKBox Music Awards for Top Ten Singers of the Year. She was recognized as one of the Top Ten Most Influential Hong Kong/Taiwan Music Figures of the Decade by the Top Chinese Music Awards in 2010, and received the Migu Music Award for Best Female Singer of the Decade in 2016.

Internationally, Tsai has garnered several prestigious accolades, including the MTV Video Music Award for International Viewers' Choice for her music video "Fall in Love with a Street" in 2001, the MTV Asia Award for The Style Award in 2006, and the MAMA Award for Best Asian Artist – Mandarin in 2015. She has received nominations for the MTV Video Music Award Japan for Best Buzz Asia for the song "Pirates" in 2005, as well as for the MTV Europe Music Awards in the categories of Best Asian Act in 2012 and Best Taiwanese Act in 2015. In recognition of her contributions to the entertainment industry, she was awarded the Butterfly Award by Taiwan's Ministry of Labor in July 2008. In October 2023, her song "Untitled" was nominated for the Golden Horse Award for Best Original Film Song.

In terms of chart performance, Tsai has achieved number one status on Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles of the Year chart five times with "Marry Me Today", "Sun Will Never Set", "Honey Trap", "Play", and "Ugly Beauty", making her the artist with the most number one songs on this chart. Each of her studio albums, starting with Magic (2003), has been the highest-selling album by a female artist in Taiwan for the year of its release. Notably, four of these albums—Dancing Diva (2006), Agent J (2007), Butterfly (2009), and Ugly Beauty (2018)—were the overall highest-selling albums in the country in their respective years.

Personal life

Tsai's personal life has attracted considerable public and media interest throughout her career. She has been linked romantically to three prominent male artists: Jay Chou, Eddie Peng, and Vivian Dawson.

Tsai and Chou first met in January 2001 while appearing on the CTV variety show Guess. Their relationship was noted when they were spotted dining together in Shinjuku, Japan, in December 2001 and subsequently meeting privately in Taiwan. However, by February 2005, following Chou's public appearance with Patty Hou in Japan, the two began to distance themselves from each other. Tsai later performed as a guest at Chou's The Era World Tour concert in Taipei in June 2010.

In January 2007, Tsai was seen with Eddie Peng in London, and they were also observed meeting privately in Taiwan on several occasions. In September 2008, Peng faced management issues reportedly linked to his relationship with Tsai. In August 2009, Peng's former manager confirmed that the couple had been together for over three years since mid-2006, with their breakup speculated to be influenced by Peng's mother's disapproval of Tsai's reluctance to publicly acknowledge their relationship.

Vivian Dawson entered Tsai's life in July 2010 when he appeared in the music video for her song "Love Player". They were seen together in Tokyo later that year and traveled extensively together in the following years. In November 2011, Tsai's father indirectly confirmed their relationship, along with her past connections to Chou and Peng. Their relationship became more serious, as evidenced by a trip to New Zealand in February 2013 to meet Dawson's parents. However, by December 2016, Tsai's manager confirmed that she and Dawson had ended their relationship the previous month.

Discography

Main articles: Jolin Tsai albums discography, Jolin Tsai singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Jolin Tsai

• 1019 (1999)
• Don't Stop (2000)
• Show Your Love (2000)
• Lucky Number (2001)
• Magic (2003)
• Castle (2004)
• J-Game (2005)
• Dancing Diva (2006)
• Agent J (2007)
• Butterfly (2009)
• Myself (2010)
• Muse (2012)
• Play (2014)
• Ugly Beauty (2018)

Filmography

Main article: Jolin Tsai filmography

• Six Friends (2001)
• Come to My Place (2002)
• In Love (2002)
• Hi Working Girl (2003)
• Agent J (2007)
• Zootopia (2016)

Bibliography

• Nineteen Years (2000)
• The Masque of the Princess, the Spirit of Knight (2002)
• Jolin's English Diary Book (2005)
• Jolin's Party (2006)
• Love Exercise (2008)
• Living Slim (2011)

Tours

Main article: List of Jolin Tsai concerts

• J1 World Tour (2004–2006)
• Dancing Forever World Tour (2006–2009)
• Myself World Tour (2010–2013)
• Play World Tour (2015–2016)
• Ugly Beauty World Tour (2019–2024)

Enterprises

• Oops! Jealous (2007–2014)
• Seventy Two Changes (2009–2011)
• Eternal Music Production Co., Ltd. (2009)
• Your Majesty (2015)

See also

• Forbes China Celebrity 100
• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of best-selling albums in Taiwan
• List of dance-pop artists

External links

• Jolin Tsai at AllMusic
• Jolin Tsai at IMDb