Within the landscape of Taiwanese music, Indigenous musicians bring unique vitality to the Mandopop scene through deep cultural roots and innovative musical expression. From aMEI's breakout in the 1990s to the rise of new-generation artists like Shuming and Sangpuy in the 2000s, Taiwanese Indigenous music continues to explore diverse forms of expression between tradition and modernity.
30-second overview: This article introduces various musicians through popular songs, mother-tongue albums, and tribal music education, cross-referencing the official GMA (Golden Melody Awards) list to connect works with awards.
Contemporary Indigenous musicians in Taiwan have established their place in the pop music scene through their own creation, performance training, and cultural experience. Representative figures include "Asia's Queen" aMEI, "Folk Poet" Chen Chien-nien, "New Generation King" Shuming, "Soul Singer" Sangpuy, and others.
In addition to achieving commercial success in the music industry, they also use music to pass down Indigenous culture, creating a unique "Indigenous sound" for Taiwanese music. The GMA's Indigenous language album awards provide an entry point for observing mother-tongue recordings.1
These parallelly developing musical styles—including Mandarin commercial production, mother-tongue folk, and electronic music—do not form a fixed generational shift. A single artist may also span multiple creative approaches.
Keywords: aMEI, Chen Chien-nien, Shuming, Sangpuy, Golden Melody Awards, mother-tongue creation, cultural inheritance
From Tribe to the World: A Musical Journey
Chen Chien-nien's "Ocean" uses both Paiwan and Mandarin, showing how personal songs can move between multiple musical languages.2 These artists serve as both cultural inheritors and social observers, with works that both honor tradition and reflect on modern life.
Musical Experiences Are Not the Same
Ethnicity cannot replace personal understanding of works. Festival songs, family singing, urban growth, band collaboration, and recording technology all affect different musicians in different ways. Generalizing all Indigenous musicians with a common talent or fixed voice actually obscures the differences in creation. When listening, one can distinguish the language used, lyrics and composition, arrangement methods, and the relationship between the artist and the tribe.
Breaking into the Mandarin Market
aMEI: The Paiwan Voice of the Asian Queen
Ethnicity: Paiwan
Debut: 1996 album "Sisters"
Representative works: "Sisters," "Listening to the Sea," "Holding Hands," "Can I Hold You?"
aMEI's emergence changed the ecology of Mandopop.3 With her astonishing vocal ability and stage charm, she not only became the most influential Mandarin female singer from the late 1990s to early 2000s, but also let the world see the musical talent of Taiwan's Indigenous people.
Musical characteristics:
- Switching between lyrical songs and rhythmically distinct works
- Powerful vocals
- Blending R&B, rock, pop, and other elements
- Combining dance with band performances on stage
Cultural significance:
aMEI's success broke the mainstream music industry's stereotypes about Indigenous people, proving that Indigenous musicians can not only sing traditional songs but also shine in modern pop music. Her existence inspired countless followers and paved the way for Indigenous music to develop in the mainstream market.
Power Station: Representative of Strong Vocals
Members: Yan Zhilin, You Qi-xing4
Debut: 1997
Representative works: "Being," "Walking Along Zhongxiao East Road Nine Times"
Power Station is known for their thick and powerful harmonies. The two voices complement each other extremely well, becoming a classic example of a male group. Their musical style leans toward lyrical rock, forming recognition with thick harmonies.
Folk and Mother-Tongue Creation
Chen Chien-nien: The Paiwan Chanting of the Sea Poet
Ethnicity: Paiwan
Debut: 1999 album "Ocean"
Representative works: "Ocean," "Homeland Puyuma"
Chen Chien-nien's musical style is warm and restrained, with a voice that carries the depth of the ocean and the tranquility of the mountains and forests. The "Ocean" album won the Best Mandarin Male Vocalist (King) at the 11th GMA.5 It created an important position for Indigenous music at the GMA.
Musical characteristics:
- Simple folk style
- Singing in Paiwan and Mandarin
- Guitar-based accompaniment
- Lyrics full of love for homeland and culture
The liner notes of "Ocean" also remind listeners that the performer, lyricist, and producer each have different roles. The producer listed in the liner notes is Zheng Jiren, the language column simultaneously marked Paiwan and Mandarin, and the tracks include "We Are Brothers" and "Homeland Puyuma." Understanding a mother-tongue record, in addition to the artist's ethnicity, can also continue reading along the production list and the language used in the songs.2
The official music video linked from Kajiwara's "Ocean" album page allows readers to compare the actual sound with the above album information.2
Ji Xiaojun: Pure and Transparent Voice
Ethnicity: Paiwan
Listening entry point: "The Sound of the Sun, Wind, and Grassland"—Ji Xiaojun won the Best New Artist at the 11th GMA with this album.6
Ji Xiaojun has an extremely pure and transparent voice. Her singing style is between tradition and modernity, maintaining the original beauty of Indigenous music while having the sophistication of modern music.
Wang Hong-en: The Versatile Explorer of Creative Talent
Ethnicity: Bunun
Representative works: "Moonlight"7
An interview published by Da Ye University connects "Moonlight" to Wang Hong-en's family memories: he talks about his grandmother weaving cloth, and explains that when singing this song, he thinks of that scene. This provides a concrete entry point for understanding the song. The audience can first get to know the work from one person's memory of his family, and then understand the Bunun living background, without having to classify all creations as traditional or modern first.7
The Intersection of Mother-Tongue and Contemporary Production
Shuming: The New Song King of Dawu Tribe
Ethnicity: Amis (Taitung Dawu)
First solo album: 2010 "Suming"
Listening entry point: "Our Appointment," "Beautiful Days," "Don't Give Up"89
Shuming participated in the Totem Band and A-Capella, and also created as an individual. From band to solo works, it is not appropriate to take the year of the first solo album as the starting point of the entire musical career. He devoted himself to youth cultural education in Dawu, and promoted the "Amis Music Festival," connecting performances with daily learning in the tribe.8
Many music records of this performance are accompanied by Dawu youth Sonlay Wu Yuan-kai and Hacoi Su Chuyu. The two participate in Shuming's cultural education activities, extending from tribal learning to music scenes. The performance page describes the "Children of the Beach" program, including going up the mountains and down the seas, learning traditional skills, guitar, and touring performances. This makes cultural inheritance not only stay in the lyrics theme, but also become a learning process that young people can actually participate in.8
"Don't Give Up" is the theme song of the 2015 movie "The Way Back Home," not a song collected in the 2010 debut album. It won the Song of the Year at the 27th GMA in 2016. This route from film to mother-tongue songs also shows how music participates in the narrative of land and life.1011
The video is provided by the Good Music performance page, including "Beautiful Days," "Ocean," and "Our Appointment," which can be compared with the creation and singing discussed in this article.8
Sangpuy: The Paiwan Poetry of the Soul Singer
Name: Sangpuy (Lu Jie Xing)
Ethnicity: Paiwan
Listening entry point: "Twig," "Get Strength pulu’em"1213
Sangpuy's works focus on the relationship between people and land, environment, and cultural memory. "Twig" won the Album of the Year at the 28th GMA, and Sangpuy also won the Best Indigenous Language Singer with this work. The album also won the Best Engineered Album. The three awards evaluate different objects, so they cannot be summarized as the Best Indigenous Language Album.12
The third solo album "Get Strength pulu’em" released in 2020 includes electronic, rock, and orchestral sounds in the arrangement, and is not a fixed guitar accompaniment form. This work won the Album of the Year at the 32nd GMA, and Sangpuy won the Best Indigenous Language Singer again.1314
Cross-Domain Production and New Audiences
A-Lo (Ado Kaliting Pacidal): The New Generation's Diverse Sound
Ethnicity: Amis
Musical style: Blending hip-hop, rock, electronic and other modern elements
A-Lo Kaliting Pacidal participates in cross-domain music production. The record of the Hualien Popular Music AI Experimental Base of the Ministry of Culture records her performing "Ocean Written to the Island" in the form of Amis call-and-response singing. This is a specific case of traditional singing methods combined with new technology.15
ABAO: Paiwan Language and Contemporary Rhythm
Ethnicity: Paiwan
Tribe name: A-rong-rong
Listening entry point: "Vavayan Women," "Kinakaian Mother's Tongue"161217
ABAO's works bring Paiwan into contemporary pop music production. "Kinakaian Mother's Tongue" won the Album of the Year and Best Indigenous Language Album at the 31st GMA in 2020, and "Thank You" from the album won the Song of the Year. The Best Indigenous Language Singer of that year was Lu Jingzi, and the nomination and award of the same year should not be confused.17
These works allow listeners to enter first from rhythm and sound, and then understand the content through lyrics, translation, and creation background. Music can cross language barriers to reach new listeners, but understanding mother-tongue texts still requires translation and cultural context, and cannot be generalized without translation.
The Contemporary Scene of Diversified Development
Rise of Female Power
Bana: The Social Voice of Protest Singers
Listening entry point: "Wandering Record" in the album "Mud Doll"18
Bana is known for her socially conscious creation. Her voice is filled with strong critical spirit and humanistic care, often speaking for Indigenous rights and social issues.
Ilid Kaolo (Ilid Kaolo): The Inheritor of Ancient Ballads
Ethnicity: Amis
Listening entry point: "Light Life"19
Ilid Kaolo's creation is connected with daily life. "Light Life" won the Best Indigenous Language Album at the 23rd GMA, and she also won the Best Indigenous Language Singer and Best New Artist. 20
Bands Are Also Entry Points
The Totem Band participated in by Shuming, and the 22nd GMA Best Band Award winner MATZKA, provide listening routes beyond individual singers. MATZKA won the band award that year, not the new artist award.821
Cross-Border Cooperation and International Exchange
The scope of cross-border cooperation of contemporary Indigenous musicians is quite extensive, covering cooperation projects with international musicians, performances at world music festivals, soundtracks for films and dramas, and collaborations with symphony orchestras.
GMA and Musical Achievements
The 16th GMA already had the "Best Indigenous Language Pop Music Album Award," and Indigenous music received more attention and recognition in the Taiwanese music circle.1 The birth of this award marks that the Taiwanese music industry officially recognized the artistic status of mother-tongue music, rather than just marginal cultural performances.
Several Comparable Award Points
| Session | Musician/Work | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 11th | Chen Chien-nien "Ocean" | Best Mandarin Male Vocalist6 |
| 22nd | "Suming" | Best Indigenous Language Album21 |
| 23rd | Ilid Kaolo "Light Life" | Best Indigenous Language Album, Best Indigenous Language Singer, Best New Artist20 |
| 28th | Sangpuy "Twig" | Album of the Year, Best Indigenous Language Singer, Best Engineered Album12 |
| 31st | ABAO "Kinakaian Mother's Tongue" | Album of the Year, Best Indigenous Language Album. "Thank You" won Song of the Year17 |
This list is a selection of reading points, not a complete award history. The award year, the release year of the work, and the name of the award should be read separately. The publication date of the data page is also not necessarily equal to the date of the ceremony. For example, the award list page of the 16th GMA of the Ministry of Culture's Audiovisual Department is marked with a publication date of March 20, 2006. When reading historical data, the date of the page cannot be used to re-dating the work or the award.1
Different Jobs Seen in Singer and Production Awards
The list of the 28th session divides the "Twig" album of the year, Sangpuy's Indigenous language singer, and the album's performance recording. The recording award is separately listed for recording, mixing, and mastering personnel, so writing all three awards as the personal performance achievements of the singer will hide the teamwork. Reading the record of the 31st session in the same way can also distinguish the different levels of recognition of the whole album and a single song. This is a method of reading award data, not ranking musicians by the number of awards.1217
The Cultural Significance of Awards
The establishment of the GMA's Indigenous language album award is both a recognition of the artistic value of Indigenous music and a real encouragement of mother-tongue creation and cultural inheritance, driving more young Indigenous people to participate in music creation.
Cultural Issues in Music
Language Revitalization
Contemporary Indigenous musicians play a practical role in language revitalization through music creation. Insisting on singing in their mother tongue allows the language to regain vitality in modern music. The dual-track strategy of mother-tongue and Mandarin singing also expands the reach of music dissemination. Ancient mother-tongue vocabulary reappears in records with new rhythms, allowing the younger generation to come into contact.
Identity Recognition
Identity recognition is the core theme of many Indigenous creations. Urban Indigenous people who left the tribe record the complex feelings of being caught in between through songs. Some musicians try to reconnect with the broken cultural roots by going back to the mother tongue and traditional melodies. The conflicts brought by modernity—the tension between traditional norms and urban life rhythms—also leave clear traces in the lyrics.
Land Justice
Land issues also occupy a place in Indigenous music. Singers like Bana use their voices to speak for tribal land rights, and when participating in social movements, they also use music as a means of gathering and protesting, allowing the broader society to hear the difficulties faced by Indigenous people.
Influence on the Music Industry
After Indigenous musicians have established themselves in the mainstream market, they have also had a visible impact on the Taiwanese music industry, changing both the market structure and the methodology of recording production.
Diversification of the Music Market
The success of Indigenous musicians has shown a variety of faces in the Taiwanese music market. They have opened up the market space of world music, proving the commercial potential of mother-tongue music, and enhancing the visibility of Taiwanese music on the international stage.
Innovation in Music Production
The integration of Indigenous music elements has driven innovation in music production methods. Traditional instruments find new positions in modern arrangements, the phonetic structure of mother-tongue lyrics forms a unique aesthetic, and the music of tribal festivals is adapted into studio recordings, allowing the sound of rituals to continue in records.
International Influence and Exchange
The presence of Taiwanese Indigenous music in the international arena is no longer limited to cultural exhibition performances, but gradually participates in global music dialogues with an equal artistic identity.
The World Music Stage
The visibility of Taiwanese Indigenous musicians on the international stage has improved significantly. They have been invited to perform at international music festivals, exchange and cooperate with Indigenous musicians from other countries, and receive recognition at international music awards.
Cultural Diplomacy Functions
Indigenous music plays a practical role in Taiwanese cultural diplomacy. It shows the diversity of Taiwanese culture, allowing international audiences to have a more concrete understanding of Taiwanese Indigenous culture, and establishing a cultural identity different from other regions.
Future Outlook of the New Generation
Opportunities in the Digital Age
New media and digital platforms have opened new distribution channels for Indigenous music. YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming platforms have lowered the threshold for publication, allowing independent Indigenous musicians to be exposed to a global audience. Social media allows musicians to connect directly with fans. The popularity of online courses has also enabled the inheritance of traditional songs to no longer be limited by tribal geography.
New Exploration of Musical Styles
The new generation of Indigenous musicians shows a diverse exploration of music. The combination of electronic music and traditional songs is no longer rare, and hip-hop, rap, and other forms are also being tried, and cross-cultural music cooperation cases are also increasing.
New Models of Cultural Inheritance
Contemporary Indigenous musicians are also creating new models of cultural inheritance. They package traditional materials with modern music, attracting young people to return to understand their own culture. Shuming established a music studio in Dawu to train new stars, and music festivals held by various tribes have provided fixed opportunities for external display of tribal culture.
Listening Guide
The most direct way to understand contemporary Indigenous music in Taiwan is to start with a few representative albums: Chen Chien-nien's "Ocean" is the purest folk starting point. Shuming's "Suming" shows the energy of contemporary Amis rock. Sangpuy's "Twig" is full of strong spirituality. Then listen to aMEI's "Sisters" and Ilid Kaolo's "Light Life" to compare the different aspects of Mandarin pop production and mother-tongue creation.319
Live and Activities
The Amis Music Festival promoted by Shuming is an entry point for contacting Dawu tribal music and culture. The actual held date should be based on the announcement of the session. When visiting tribal festivals, one should abide by the open range and shooting specifications of the tribe.8 The music programs of the Indigenous Television (TITV) and the online cultural database of the Council of Indigenous Peoples are also important resources for systematically understanding the music of each tribe.
Taiwanese contemporary Indigenous musicians have gone through a process in which inheritance and innovation occur at the same time. They leave traces of mother tongue in modern records, use tribal rhythms to speak on the international music festival stage, and let the memories of mountains and oceans be preserved in sound. These singers are both guardians of culture and redefine what Taiwan's sound is as creators.
Extended Reading
- aMEI: Understanding her musical journey through popular records and stages.
- Chen Chien-nien: Extended reading of "Ocean" and creation background.
References
- Ministry of Culture Audiovisual Department: 16th GMA Award List — The award name of that year is Best Indigenous Language Pop Music Performance Album Award.↩23
- Kajiwara Music "Ocean" album page — Album language, track, release background and award record.↩23
- Central News Agency: aMEI Music History — 1996 "Sisters" release and production background.↩2
- Ministry of Culture Audiovisual Department: 16th GMA Award List — Power Station members and 1997 debut album introduction. This article does not infer the ethnicity of individual members based on this.↩
- GMA 11th Award List — Chen Chien-nien Best Mandarin Male Vocalist Award.↩
- GMA 11th Award List — Chen Chien-nien male vocalist and Ji Xiaojun new artist award record.↩2
- Da Ye University: Wang Hong-en "Moonlight" Sings Grandmother's Blessing — Bunun identity and song background.↩2
- Good Music: Shuming live session — Performance songs, band experience, Dawu education and Amis Music Festival.↩23456
- Apple Music: Shuming's first solo creation album — Album catalog and 2010 release information.↩
- Thick Peace RADIO: Interview with Shuming — "The Way Back Home" theme song creation background.↩
- GMA 27th Award List — "Don't Give Up" Song of the Year.↩
- GMA 28th Award List — Three awards of "Twig" and ABAO "Women" album award record.↩2345
- Wind Wave Music: Sangpuy "Get Strength pulu’em" — 2020 release, third album and arrangement description.↩2
- GMA 32nd Award List — "Get Strength" Album of the Year and Indigenous Language Singer Award.↩
- Ministry of Culture: Hualien Popular Music AI Experimental Base — A-Lo's call-and-response singing creation.↩
- Ministry of Culture: Paiwan Singer ABAO — Paiwan and tribe name A-rong-rong.↩
- GMA 31st Award List — "Mother's Tongue" album and "Thank You" song award record.↩234
- Kajiwara Music "Mud Doll" — Bana album and songs.↩
- Council of Indigenous Peoples' Overseas Report: Ilid Kaolo Introduction — Amis background and "Light Life."↩2
- GMA 23rd Award List — Ilid Kaolo album, singer and new artist award record.↩2
- GMA 22nd Award List — Suming Indigenous language album and MATZKA band award record.↩2
🧬 What Semiont was thinking while writing this