Big Issue Interview
Big Issue is an independent magazine sold in Taiwan, through news stand stalls/peddlers and aims to help these street vendors by providing a 50% split of the cost for which the magazine is sold. This was released in January 2014 and it was a rather interesting piece as Hebe shares quite a bit on herself, since this is much less commercially driven.
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Big Issue: Tien Fu-Chen
Usually when I encounter something and think through it at that moment, it may often be in fragments. So before discussions for this album, I spent some time to calm myself down and sorted out a longer piece on myself to the Lyrics department and then it set the tone of the album. Hopefully, this album can still be based on the singer’s character and current state.
Under One Small Star
Within this piece, it fully represents the contradictions in my character and my self-doubt. Although I’ve hit 30, gradually being able to see through and understand certain things, it also seems that I can choose to be less proactive and live on in this world comfortably, but when I decide not to do so, I need to spend more energy. I thought, life is about constantly making choices, and during this process of choosing, shouldn’t I be braver in making my choice, being able to shoulder all the consequences of my choices? This is what I wanted to do. When you are in doubt and after being able to confront your own doubts,you still need to put in a bit more effort to embrace this world. It doesn’t matter if it is towards love or anything else. It so happened I read Wislawa Szymborska’s (Under One Small Star) and it resonated with me very much. Often finding myself to be lacking, it gets a bit helpless and there are feelings of being minute and insignificant, so I want to apologise to the Universe. Becuase the world gave me so much, but in regards to being environmental-friendly, kinship and many things, it seems like I couldn’t make efforts for it. Thus I began to think, although my own strength may be very limited, but I believe my existence in this world has its worth, that I can definitely do something, so I try not to negate myself too much, because even the Universe could contain so much insignificance, I must also be able to embrace my own. Hence, the album’s concept of [Insignfiance] was born.
Through my self-analysis, I hope everyone will be able to feel and comprehend the meannings the music and album extends. If it is purely entertainment, being able to let the listeners hear my emotions, is not bad either; but if there is another layer of meaning beneath it, and if it is possible to let everyone discover and inquire into it, that will be an even happier thing for me.
The first time stepping foot on Iceland, it gave off a very neutral feel. The human interactions are civilised, but this civilisation does not stem from being overly commercialised, their service line does not have the exaggerated “Please”, “Thank You”, or “Welcome”, they just use a very natural expression and tone, and it doesn’t have any hint of impatience. In face of external people or things, they may be a bit curious, but that attitude is just right, it’s comfortable. I thought, if we were to enjoy that kind of civilisation, the price it comes with is usually negative impact on the environment, but in Iceland, they still retain their natural looks.
Really stepping foot onto that piece of land, what we see and feel had a huge impact on our entire team. We felt if we only brought back one music video, it seems to be such a pity, but what could we do so that people’s responses when they see the photos on the internet are not limited to just, [Wow, Tien Fu-Chen went to Iceland.] or [Oh, her new album is titled <Insignificance>.]. If we wanted people to have a deeper understanding, we must do it through designing an entire environment’s atmosphere.
For example print photography, a photo’s ratio, the state of human, video editing, through the matching of sound and sight to present the self-doubts of a person and to confront the vastness of space and human’s insignificance. I felt that seeing an exhibition will allow for time to slowly digest, that is different from quickly browsing an article on the internet and the feeling that lingers within the heart will be different. Being in the pop music industry we may only have a section of funds that we can utilise for promotions, this time round we rather opt for a different method to present it, to see if we can create a very different kind of spark.
The tougher road is the way up
To move forth or when moving in a different direction, it is always more difficult. But people always say, when you need to choose between the easier or tougher road, the tough road is the way up, only then will you attain higher, but human nature often opts otherwise. I have gradually realised in this process, if you put in a bit more effort on the tougher road, you will be able to see an entirely different view.
I just watched <Twelve Nights> yesterday. I own a dog myself, it’s almost 10 now, it was adopted. During that time, the problem of stray dogs has already existed, but till now, 10 years have passed, the problem is still as bad. But I feel if someone is willing to make effort and spend the money to make a film of it, and many people are willing to be volunteers, this proves that despite finding it to be difficult or that chances are close to zero, everyone still wants to contribute a bit of their own. Because if we decide to do nothing, even any slight chances will cease to exist, so I wish to put in effort together with them.
When faced with choices, I will never choose to give up
On this Iceland trip, I saw the glaciers fell apart right before my eyes, that loud noise shocked all of us who were in a conversation at that time. Suddenly I felt that this kind of disintegration will never be able to reunite. After lamenting and feeling helpless, what should follow next? Do we give up or continue? Just like the policy for ‘pluralistic’ forms of families, to head in this direction, the society also needs to take a huge step forth, this is difficult, but we cannot be afraid of difficulties, we need these people. But because my identity is a singer, not a societal or political figure, so what I can do is to first reach out to everyone by entertaining them, then if the listeners make a bit more effort, they will be able to see the underlying meanings of these things, I find this approach much more gentle and subtle, more comfortable, natural and beautiful.
Through my influence as a public figure, I wish to outwardly express these issues, this also happens to be a resource and a small advantage I own, perhaps some people will find that, you are talking about this again, maybe they find that you can’t seem to say anything special, so I try my best to find a suitable timing and use an interesting to tone to package these issues I want to bring across. This really needs some wits to express, I just want to be like a nagging teacher, to keep talking and talking about it. When faced with choices, I will never choose to give up.
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