Cindy Yen
Encyclopedia
Cindy Yen is a Taiwanese-American singer, songwriter, actress, Composer and producer. She was the first artist to be signed to Jay Chou's company, JVR Music, in 2009. In October 2009 she released her first self-titled album: Cindy Yen 袁詠琳. Her first single, "Sand Painting," a duet sung with Jay Chou
and composed by Yen herself (notably the first time Chou has ever sung a song composed by someone else), became an instant success, rising to take the number one spot on multiple music charts in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and China. Yen's music covers an array of styles ranging from R&B, soul
, pop
, and classical
, to rock
, acoustic folk, dance
and hip-hop.
. Her mother is an accountant and her father a mathematics professor. Yen's parents both loved classical music, and began training Yen to listen to classical music at a very early age. Her mother, who had a deep love for the piano, started encouraging Yen to learn piano at the age of 4, hoping that Yen could be cultivated into a professional pianist or a piano teacher. Although Yen excelled at the piano, winning gold medals at many piano competitions, Yen knew at a very early age that her dream was to become a singer instead. But because Cindy's mother did not support her dream and wished Cindy to have a more "stable" career, Yen continued her training as a classical pianist. Cindy started learning the violin at the age of 10, and told her mother that she wished to learn at least ten different instruments if possible. When she was 12, her parents divorced, and since then Yen was brought up solely by her mother. Piano become Yen's "best friend," and she once even stated during an interview that "without piano, there is no me. Piano is my other half, what makes me complete. Everything I bury inside my heart I let out when I play." Yen attended Bellaire High School
near Houston, TX and in 2004, went on to study and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin.
When Yen was 17, she begged her mother to accompany her to meet different record companies in Taiwan. Although Yen was immediately offered record contracts, her mother still did not allow Yen to pursue her dreams as a singer. She remained adamant that Yen should finish college first before starting a career in the music industry. Therefore, Yen agreed to go to college and temporarily pushed her childhood dream aside to fulfill her mother's wishes. While attending college, Yen participated in many talent shows and music organizations, and even auditioned for the hit show "American Idol
," in which she was rejected twice by Paula, Randy, and Simon. Never discouraged, Yen began training herself in singing, songwriting, and dancing, in hopes that she can be fully prepared if she was ever again offered a recording contract.
In 2008, Yen won the title of Miss Chinatown Houston 2008 and continued to win the national title of Miss Chinatown USA
2009. After graduating from college with double degrees in Music - Piano Performance and Broadcast Journalism in 2008, Yen's mother finally agreed to let Cindy do what she had always wanted to do, and in Fall 2008, Yen moved to Taiwan with her self-made demo in pursuit of her dreams in becoming a recording artist.
During the first few days, Yen met many record companies but was repeatedly rejected by all. They told her that her music was too "Western" and not suitable for the Asian market. They also said her style of singing wasn't suitable for the Chinese language, because it was too R&B and soul. But Yen wouldn't give up on her dream. Finally, Cindy found a company that was willing to give her music a chance, and became the first artist ever to sign to famous Taiwanese popstar Jay Chou
's company, JVR Music, in February 2009.
Immediately known for her stunning smile, Cindy attracted the attention of a Taiwan
cell phone company, FarEasTone
, and became the featured girl in their commercials. Cindy composed & sung the theme song "Do you see me" for FarEasTone advertisements and was seen as their next promising newcomer after Joanna Wang
& Alisa Gao.
On the 30th of October, 2009, Cindy released her self-titled album "Cindy Yen". and was given the title of "the smiling new female voice of classical & pop music." Her sweet & beautiful appearance earned her compliments such as "Patty Hou
’s side view," "Jolin Tsai
’s mouth," "Jessie Chiang’s figure" & "Alice Tseng’s temperament."
Her debut album is mainly built upon R&B, spiced with popular elements such as rock, hip-hop, and folk. Cindy composed and produced her entire album, with some help with the lyrics from Vincent Fang
& Nan Quan Mama
’s Lara Veronin
. Her album includes not only her R&B, pop & classical roots, but also other genres such as pop rock, hard metal & even Latin hip-hop dance beats. The immense variety of songs like "Stupid Fish," "Very Traveling Love," "Singing a Song Because of Longing," and "Dancing With Threat" prove Cindy's versatility in different musical genres, while her piano ballads like "I'm Sorry" and "That Year We Made a Wish Together" demonstrate her solid vocals and soulful tones.
Since her debut, Cindy has opened her own mini-concert in Hong Kong and is currently on tour with Jay Chou’s 2010 “The Era” Concert Tour as a regular guest performer. She has hinted at diving into TV & film.
Cindy released her second album, '2 Be Different', on 29th September, 2011. Like the first album, Cindy wrote and produced all ten songs on her album, except this time, Cindy shed her previous "smiling, girl-next-door" image and shocked the world with her new, sexy electronic dance single "陷阱" ("Trap") instead. The sexy music video caused many media and public viewers to compare her with Jolin Tsai
, and many netizens even commented that Cindy could be the next "dancing diva of Asia." Her second album successfully gained her the new title "唱跳創作新女生", or "singing, dancing, composing new female artist."
Cindy emphasized in her interview with Singapore's Razor TV that her new album aims to empower women and give them inner strength, whether through her electronic dance music or soulful R&B ballads. With her album slogan, "Don't be afraid to be different," Cindy's new image focuses on natural, inner beauty, and emphasizes the strength of "being yourself."
In November 2010, Cindy performed alongside with Jay Chou and Wilber Pan
at Soong Ching-ling
's (also known as Madame Sun yat-sen) Charity Foundation event as part of the 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
Shanghai Street Circuit
in Pudong
. Together, the three artists donated ¥1,500,000 ($250,000USD) for families residing in the Eastern part of China.
In march of 2011, Cindy was a member of the "Fight and Smile" campaign dedicated to help fundraise money for Japan's Tsunami crisis. Along with other Taiwanese artists, Cindy sang in the song "Believe" (相信愛） and also performed "Hero" during the "Fight and Smile" fundraising program.
Track Listing
Track Listing
Jay Chou
Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
and composed by Yen herself (notably the first time Chou has ever sung a song composed by someone else), became an instant success, rising to take the number one spot on multiple music charts in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and China. Yen's music covers an array of styles ranging from R&B, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, and classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, to rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, acoustic folk, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and hip-hop.
Background and Early Life
Cindy Yen was born and raised in Houston, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Her mother is an accountant and her father a mathematics professor. Yen's parents both loved classical music, and began training Yen to listen to classical music at a very early age. Her mother, who had a deep love for the piano, started encouraging Yen to learn piano at the age of 4, hoping that Yen could be cultivated into a professional pianist or a piano teacher. Although Yen excelled at the piano, winning gold medals at many piano competitions, Yen knew at a very early age that her dream was to become a singer instead. But because Cindy's mother did not support her dream and wished Cindy to have a more "stable" career, Yen continued her training as a classical pianist. Cindy started learning the violin at the age of 10, and told her mother that she wished to learn at least ten different instruments if possible. When she was 12, her parents divorced, and since then Yen was brought up solely by her mother. Piano become Yen's "best friend," and she once even stated during an interview that "without piano, there is no me. Piano is my other half, what makes me complete. Everything I bury inside my heart I let out when I play." Yen attended Bellaire High School
Bellaire High School (Bellaire, Texas)
Bellaire High School is a secondary school of the Houston Independent School District, and its campus is located in Bellaire, Texas ....
near Houston, TX and in 2004, went on to study and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin.
When Yen was 17, she begged her mother to accompany her to meet different record companies in Taiwan. Although Yen was immediately offered record contracts, her mother still did not allow Yen to pursue her dreams as a singer. She remained adamant that Yen should finish college first before starting a career in the music industry. Therefore, Yen agreed to go to college and temporarily pushed her childhood dream aside to fulfill her mother's wishes. While attending college, Yen participated in many talent shows and music organizations, and even auditioned for the hit show "American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
," in which she was rejected twice by Paula, Randy, and Simon. Never discouraged, Yen began training herself in singing, songwriting, and dancing, in hopes that she can be fully prepared if she was ever again offered a recording contract.
In 2008, Yen won the title of Miss Chinatown Houston 2008 and continued to win the national title of Miss Chinatown USA
Miss Chinatown USA
The Miss Chinatown USA pageant, based on Chinese communities within the U.S., greets delegates around the country. The pageant has been an annual Lunar New Year event since 1958. The winners of this pageant represent the Chinese community and act as ambassadors promoting Chinese culture and heritage...
2009. After graduating from college with double degrees in Music - Piano Performance and Broadcast Journalism in 2008, Yen's mother finally agreed to let Cindy do what she had always wanted to do, and in Fall 2008, Yen moved to Taiwan with her self-made demo in pursuit of her dreams in becoming a recording artist.
During the first few days, Yen met many record companies but was repeatedly rejected by all. They told her that her music was too "Western" and not suitable for the Asian market. They also said her style of singing wasn't suitable for the Chinese language, because it was too R&B and soul. But Yen wouldn't give up on her dream. Finally, Cindy found a company that was willing to give her music a chance, and became the first artist ever to sign to famous Taiwanese popstar Jay Chou
Jay Chou
Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
's company, JVR Music, in February 2009.
2009-2010 "Sand Painting"
Within eight months of signing, Yen released her debut single, "Sand Painting," a duet sung with Jay Chou and composed/produced by Cindy herself. It was notably the first time Jay has ever sung a song not written by himself, demonstrating the immense support and confidence that Jay had in Cindy's music. "Sand Painting" became an instant hit and was the number one downloaded ringtone in Taiwan. It reached the top on many Asian billboards and at KTV. Cindy Yen’s debut album was listed under Top 10 on the G-Music charts and Rose Records for 5 consecutive weeks, and was the number one listened to album on Taiwan’s KKBox Charts for 4 consecutive weeks. "Sand Painting" went on to place as one of China's most popular top ten hit songs of 2010, as ranked in China's 2010 Mandarin Web Original Composition Pop Music Charts.Immediately known for her stunning smile, Cindy attracted the attention of a Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
cell phone company, FarEasTone
FarEasTone
FarEasTone is a GSM mobile phone operator in Taiwan.-Service launch:Far EasTone was awarded two wireless service licenses in January 1997...
, and became the featured girl in their commercials. Cindy composed & sung the theme song "Do you see me" for FarEasTone advertisements and was seen as their next promising newcomer after Joanna Wang
Joanna Wang
Joanna Wang is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter, daughter of famous music producer Wang Chi-ping . Born in Taipei but raised in Los Angeles suburb of San Gabriel, California, Wang dropped out from Gabrielino High School when she was 16. Her debut album, Start From Here, was released in January 2008...
& Alisa Gao.
On the 30th of October, 2009, Cindy released her self-titled album "Cindy Yen". and was given the title of "the smiling new female voice of classical & pop music." Her sweet & beautiful appearance earned her compliments such as "Patty Hou
Patty Hou
Patty Hou is a former news anchor in Taiwan who is best known for her beauty and her relationship with Taiwanese R&B singer Jay Chou. She subsequently hosted an entertainment program on Azio TV and has just published a book, Patty's About Love...
’s side view," "Jolin Tsai
Jolin Tsai
Jolin Tsai was born on 15 September 1980. She is a Taiwanese Golden Melody Award-winning Mandopop singer, dancer and actor. She is managed by Mars Entertainment Ltd .-Career:...
’s mouth," "Jessie Chiang’s figure" & "Alice Tseng’s temperament."
Her debut album is mainly built upon R&B, spiced with popular elements such as rock, hip-hop, and folk. Cindy composed and produced her entire album, with some help with the lyrics from Vincent Fang
Vincent Fang
Vincent Fang was born on 26 January 1969 in Hualien, Taiwan. He is a Taiwanese multi-Golden Melody Award nominated lyricist, best known for his collaboration with singer-songwriter Jay Chou...
& Nan Quan Mama
Nan Quan Mama
Nan Quan Mama is a Taiwanese music group. The name is a phrase in Chinese to explain having strength while being gentle as a mother. They are closely tied with the Taiwanese artist Jay Chou. The group was nominated for Best Singing Group at the 19th Golden Melody Awards in 2008.The current members...
’s Lara Veronin
Lara Veronin
Lara Veronin , also known as Lara Liang, is a Russian-Taiwanese-American musician, currently signed by JVR . She grew up in Southern California and moved to Taiwan when she was a teenager. She graduated from Taipei American School in 2006. She was the lead female vocalist in the Taiwanese band Nan...
. Her album includes not only her R&B, pop & classical roots, but also other genres such as pop rock, hard metal & even Latin hip-hop dance beats. The immense variety of songs like "Stupid Fish," "Very Traveling Love," "Singing a Song Because of Longing," and "Dancing With Threat" prove Cindy's versatility in different musical genres, while her piano ballads like "I'm Sorry" and "That Year We Made a Wish Together" demonstrate her solid vocals and soulful tones.
Since her debut, Cindy has opened her own mini-concert in Hong Kong and is currently on tour with Jay Chou’s 2010 “The Era” Concert Tour as a regular guest performer. She has hinted at diving into TV & film.
2011-2012 "2 Be Different"
Cindy debut as a supporting actress in her first TV drama series on July 5, 2011 in the network series 瑰寶1949（Invaluable Treasure 1949) along with her good friend 賴雅妍 (Megan Lai) and 林佑威 (Yowei Lin). The TV series was nominated for 5 Golden Bell Awards including Best Male Actor, Best Female Actress, and Best Drama of the Year. Invaluable Treasure 1949 ended up winning Best Artistic Design and Best Sound Effects.Cindy released her second album, '2 Be Different', on 29th September, 2011. Like the first album, Cindy wrote and produced all ten songs on her album, except this time, Cindy shed her previous "smiling, girl-next-door" image and shocked the world with her new, sexy electronic dance single "陷阱" ("Trap") instead. The sexy music video caused many media and public viewers to compare her with Jolin Tsai
Jolin Tsai
Jolin Tsai was born on 15 September 1980. She is a Taiwanese Golden Melody Award-winning Mandopop singer, dancer and actor. She is managed by Mars Entertainment Ltd .-Career:...
, and many netizens even commented that Cindy could be the next "dancing diva of Asia." Her second album successfully gained her the new title "唱跳創作新女生", or "singing, dancing, composing new female artist."
Cindy emphasized in her interview with Singapore's Razor TV that her new album aims to empower women and give them inner strength, whether through her electronic dance music or soulful R&B ballads. With her album slogan, "Don't be afraid to be different," Cindy's new image focuses on natural, inner beauty, and emphasizes the strength of "being yourself."
Philanthropy, Social Work and Community Service
Since her debut, Cindy Yen has stated in many interviews about how important music has been in her life, and that she has always had a vision to be able to provide more educational opportunities for children whose families may not have the financial ability to learn music. In January 2010, Cindy became TVBS' spokesperson for their "Lotus" charity event aimed at raising money for children. She said she hopes to open a music school or a music camp of some sort that can provide "financial-free" education for children and give them a chance to creatively express themselves through music.In November 2010, Cindy performed alongside with Jay Chou and Wilber Pan
Wilber Pan
Wilber Pan also known as Will Pan was born on 6 August 1980. He is an American-born Taiwanese Mandopop singer, rapper and actor, who started his career as a host of Channel V programs.-Biography:...
at Soong Ching-ling
Soong Ching-ling
Soong Ching-ling , also known as Madame Sun Yat-sen, was one of the three Soong sisters—who, along with their husbands, were amongst China's most significant political figures of the early 20th century. She was the Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China...
's (also known as Madame Sun yat-sen) Charity Foundation event as part of the 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
The 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season was the eleventh season of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. The season began on 25 April at the Hockenheimring, and ended on 28 November at the Shanghai Street Circuit, after eleven rounds held in Germany, Spain, the...
Shanghai Street Circuit
Shanghai Street Circuit
Shanghai Street Circuit is a street circuit in Pudong, China. On 18 July 2004, the 2.85 km track hosted a non-championship race of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters won by Gary Paffett for Mercedes-AMG....
in Pudong
Pudong
Pudong |Bank]]") is an area of Shanghai, China, located along the east side of the Huangpu River, across from the historic city center of Shanghai in Puxi. Formerly a little-developed agricultural area linked only by ferries, Pudong has grown rapidly since the 1990s and emerged as China's financial...
. Together, the three artists donated ¥1,500,000 ($250,000USD) for families residing in the Eastern part of China.
In march of 2011, Cindy was a member of the "Fight and Smile" campaign dedicated to help fundraise money for Japan's Tsunami crisis. Along with other Taiwanese artists, Cindy sang in the song "Believe" (相信愛） and also performed "Hero" during the "Fight and Smile" fundraising program.
Discography
- Cindy Yen 袁詠琳 (2009)
Track Listing
- 雨後天空 (Sky After the Rain)
- 畫沙 (Sand Painting)
- 唱首歌因為思念 (Singing a Song Because of Longing)
- 熱氣球 (Hot Air Balloon)
- 笨魚 (Stupid Fish)
- I'm Sorry
- 你不愛我了 (You Don't Love Me Anymore)
- 舞帶威脅 (Dancing With Threat)
- 很旅行的愛情 (Very Traveling Love)
- 那年我們一起許願 (That Year We Made a Wish Together)
- 2 be different (2011)
Track Listing
- 陷阱 (Trap)
- 愛危險 (Love Danger)
- 聽我說 （袁詠琳/李玖哲） (Listen To Me - Duet with Nicky Lee)
- 把傷心打碎 (Break A Broken Heart)
- 傻傻地 (Silly)
- Brand New Day
- Come On
- 釋懷 (Let Go)
- 我想要迷路 (I Want To Be Lost)
- 朋友 (Friend)
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sprite Music Awards | Best New Artist | |
| Duet of the Year | |||
| Metro Radio Mandarin Hit Music Awards | Best New Hit Force Singer | ||
| CCTV-MTV Awards | Most Popular Potential Artist | ||
| Singapore Golden Melody Awards | Meritorious Newcomer | ||
| Most Popular Newcomer | |||
| Metro Radio Hits Music Award | Best New Hit Artist | ||
| 33rd Annual Chinese Gold Songs Award | Most Potential Newcomer | ||
| Best Mandarin Pop Song | |||
Television
| Year | Title | Chinese Title | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 2010 in television 2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television... |
Pandamen Pandamen Pandamen is a 2010 Taiwanese TV series directed by and starring Jay Chou and co-starring Nan Quan Mama members Yuhao Zhan and Devon Song in the title roles of "Pandamen".-Main cast:-Other cast:-Guest star:-Viewership ratings:... |
熊貓人 | "Cindy" - as herself |
| 2011 | Invaluable Treasure 1949 | 瑰寶1949 | "容星怡" |