Download New Album: Jane Zhang – Past Progressive
Jane Zhang comes through with a brand new smashing hit and dope studio album, packed with 16 amazing and solid tracks entitled “Past Progressive“. Jane Zhang is a pop megastar in China but her latest single breaks the mould of China’s pop industry and could help her become its first global superstar, writes Grace Tsoi of BBC Chinese.
She first became a household name in 2005 when she finished as the second runner-up in Super Girl, a Chinese TV singing contest similar to Pop Idol.
She made a lasting impression with her impressive vocal range and was even nicknamed the “Dolphin Princess” – “dolphin notes” is Chinese slang for being able to hit the high notes.
Although she is yet to make an impact internationally, she regularly performs English-language tracks and was once even a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. But the music video of her latest single “Dust My Shoulders Off”, an upbeat track produced by Timbaland, may help her get one step closer to her dream of international stardom.
Its success will be critical for Zhang, being the first single from her first English-language album, scheduled for release in April. It has had more than 5.8 million views on YouTube and the single reached top five in the iTunes chart, a first for a Chinese artist.
The video parodies iconic art pieces, from Edvard Munch’s The Scream to Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and has delighted viewers with its creativity and humour. I am a Chinese singer, but this song targets the English-speaking audience. The video needs to be about something that people across different cultures can understand,” Zhang told the BBC.
She and production staff spent 48 hours non-stop shooting the video, and it was not a comfortable experience.
“I was painted over and over again throughout the production. It was painful to remove the makeup. My face was swollen after we finished the shooting for the second painting.”
But it is a sharp contrast to videos from most Chinese-language artists.
“Stars have to be beautiful or sexy in Chinese-language music videos, or the stars’ dance moves have to be shown clearly,” said the video’s Taiwanese director, Liao Jen Shuai.
“I told her that I have to let the audience remember your cool and fun personality. I have to let them know you are a brave singer who loves challenges. To break into the US market, this is the thing that matters. This is the kind of song(s) you wouldn’t want to miss on your playlist.
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