Jay Chou
Jay
Album · Mandopop · 2000 · Universal Music Taiwan (JVR)
King of Mandopop Jay Chou’s long, storied career began with Jay, which introduced the Linkou-born singer and composer as an artist who could strike a balance between tradition and modernity while pushing music forward. Chou was discovered somewhat accidentally—he was playing piano for a friend’s talent-show audition, and the host, Jacky Wu, realized that the young musician had a keen compositional skill. Wu hired Chou as a contract composer for his company Alfa Music, pairing him with lyricist Vincent Fang to write songs for his artists. In late 1999, frustrated by not getting traction at Alfa, Chou rose to Wu's challenge of composing 50 songs in 10 days; if he succeeded, Chou would get to release an album.
That prize—Chou's debut, Jay—brought Mandopop into the 21st century with a cross-continental blend of influences topped by Chou's supple, yearning voice. Chou had grown up on R&B artists like Babyface, All-4-One, Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight, while Taiwanese artists such as Alex To and Harlem Yu had proved that the country’s appetite for soul-inspired music was strong.
Jay is obviously indebted to the tender-lover R&B of the late 20th century, with Chou’s quick-stepping phrasing on tracks like the knotty “鬥牛 (Basketball Match)” and the hiccuping “完美主義 (Perfectionism)” possessing a familiar tension. He particularly shines on the ballads, which are exquisitely detailed and allow his passion to shine through. “可愛女人 (Adorable Woman)” is a plush, piano-led showcase of his velvet-lined vocals and thoughtful arrangements. (Chou wrote and produced all the music on Jay, receiving lyrical assistance from Fang and singer Vivian Hsu.) “星晴 (Starry Mood)” swaps out the pianos for acoustic guitars, but the unabashed romanticism remains at the forefront. Chou was just beginning his pop-star ascent when Jay came out in 2000, but its cohesion and savvy make his artistic intentions immediately apparent.
That prize—Chou's debut, Jay—brought Mandopop into the 21st century with a cross-continental blend of influences topped by Chou's supple, yearning voice. Chou had grown up on R&B artists like Babyface, All-4-One, Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight, while Taiwanese artists such as Alex To and Harlem Yu had proved that the country’s appetite for soul-inspired music was strong.
Jay is obviously indebted to the tender-lover R&B of the late 20th century, with Chou’s quick-stepping phrasing on tracks like the knotty “鬥牛 (Basketball Match)” and the hiccuping “完美主義 (Perfectionism)” possessing a familiar tension. He particularly shines on the ballads, which are exquisitely detailed and allow his passion to shine through. “可愛女人 (Adorable Woman)” is a plush, piano-led showcase of his velvet-lined vocals and thoughtful arrangements. (Chou wrote and produced all the music on Jay, receiving lyrical assistance from Fang and singer Vivian Hsu.) “星晴 (Starry Mood)” swaps out the pianos for acoustic guitars, but the unabashed romanticism remains at the forefront. Chou was just beginning his pop-star ascent when Jay came out in 2000, but its cohesion and savvy make his artistic intentions immediately apparent.
Jay
Jay Chou
King of Mandopop Jay Chou’s long, storied career began with Jay, which introduced the Linkou-born singer and composer as an artist who could strike a balance between tradition and modernity while pushing music forward. Chou was discovered somewhat accidentally—he was playing piano for a friend’s talent-show audition, and the host, Jacky Wu, realized that the young musician had a keen compositional skill. Wu hired Chou as a contract composer for his company Alfa Music, pairing him with lyricist Vincent Fang to write songs for his artists. In late 1999, frustrated by not getting traction at Alfa, Chou rose to Wu's challenge of composing 50 songs in 10 days; if he succeeded, Chou would get to release an album.
That prize—Chou's debut, Jay—brought Mandopop into the 21st century with a cross-continental blend of influences topped by Chou's supple, yearning voice. Chou had grown up on R&B artists like Babyface, All-4-One, Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight, while Taiwanese artists such as Alex To and Harlem Yu had proved that the country’s appetite for soul-inspired music was strong.
Jay is obviously indebted to the tender-lover R&B of the late 20th century, with Chou’s quick-stepping phrasing on tracks like the knotty “鬥牛 (Basketball Match)” and the hiccuping “完美主義 (Perfectionism)” possessing a familiar tension. He particularly shines on the ballads, which are exquisitely detailed and allow his passion to shine through. “可愛女人 (Adorable Woman)” is a plush, piano-led showcase of his velvet-lined vocals and thoughtful arrangements. (Chou wrote and produced all the music on Jay, receiving lyrical assistance from Fang and singer Vivian Hsu.) “星晴 (Starry Mood)” swaps out the pianos for acoustic guitars, but the unabashed romanticism remains at the forefront. Chou was just beginning his pop-star ascent when Jay came out in 2000, but its cohesion and savvy make his artistic intentions immediately apparent.
That prize—Chou's debut, Jay—brought Mandopop into the 21st century with a cross-continental blend of influences topped by Chou's supple, yearning voice. Chou had grown up on R&B artists like Babyface, All-4-One, Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight, while Taiwanese artists such as Alex To and Harlem Yu had proved that the country’s appetite for soul-inspired music was strong.
Jay is obviously indebted to the tender-lover R&B of the late 20th century, with Chou’s quick-stepping phrasing on tracks like the knotty “鬥牛 (Basketball Match)” and the hiccuping “完美主義 (Perfectionism)” possessing a familiar tension. He particularly shines on the ballads, which are exquisitely detailed and allow his passion to shine through. “可愛女人 (Adorable Woman)” is a plush, piano-led showcase of his velvet-lined vocals and thoughtful arrangements. (Chou wrote and produced all the music on Jay, receiving lyrical assistance from Fang and singer Vivian Hsu.) “星晴 (Starry Mood)” swaps out the pianos for acoustic guitars, but the unabashed romanticism remains at the forefront. Chou was just beginning his pop-star ascent when Jay came out in 2000, but its cohesion and savvy make his artistic intentions immediately apparent.
