2014.07.25 Business Weekly: The 1st Crossroad at 18 – Hebe Tien

Posted On July 27, 2014

The 1st crossroad at 18 years old

“Forsaking university to sing, I have never regretted it”

*Please credit back to this site if you will like to re-post, in part or in full.

 

From the popular girl group S.H.E to the solo artist Tien Fu-Chien who debuted four years ago, every album release  of hers all maintained in top three sales positions throughout China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. How exactly did her 18 years old look like?

At 17, under the encouragement of her friends, she joined a television programme and later entered into a singing competition, got into finals but failed to secure the winning title. The record company, HIM International later called her and said, all finalists will get to sing once more, then she was signed into a contract. When the contract was signed, she thought it was for a solo release, little did she know it was to form a group.

When I decided to sign the contract, I told my parents I’m going to forgo taking the university entry exams, I really liked singing. At that time I was in college, if I did not further my studies it equates to Nothing (having no future), I will be without any skills. They asked me very seriously, I stood by my choice, I did not want to be distracted by doing two things at the same time.

The Taiwan music industry then was not ideal for female groups, so I thought at worst I will just be a single album singer, if I could not make it I will just enrol into a class to retake the exams. I still remember when I left Hsinchu for Taipei to receive training, my father said, “Even if you didn’t make it, if there is only congee at home, we will still continue raising you!” The bountiful love I had was my most powerful backing. There were not too many thoughts on my choice, it was just a simple decision based purely on my love for music, so having this opportunity come by, I really wanted to cherish it and seize it.

I have a contradicting character, so a part of my really loves to ask why, but this is not acceptable for a new rookie. During that time, my thinking was very straightforward, neither do I know how to change perspective to think through matters, I only knew how to view and think about everything from my own position. I was filled with curiosity about the new found world, and I had countless questions, but not everyone has that much American time to entertain to all your questions.

 

 

“WHY needs to be answered by yourself”

When I was new and went on programmes, I remember being forced to sit on an electric chair, four big guys pressed down all four of my limbs and it was really painful. I naively thought it was for show, but there was really currents running through it, I got a shock and struggled, so my clothes lifted and I immediately thought it looked really bad, I cried really hard the moment I got off the show.

There was once I had to be hit by pies and I asked why? The manager roared, “Do you know how hard and how many times it took to secure this schedule? And you ask me why (the need to be hit by pies)!” Now that I think back on it, no one was in the wrong. I had no clue how hard it was to get on programmes then, he must have used all of his networks to finally get the schedule.

The love for singing, the curiosity and freshness of entering the society superseded those feelings of awkward and embarrassment. Getting an earful, then talking with the two sisters, you become happy and forget about it,  then you continue to work, play and eventually grow up. The first album was a hit so there was totally no room for a break, within a year we released three albums.

Selina had classes in the day, so Ella and I were sent to act in a drama. I was clueless about what acting was, to think I asked why are the scenes not shot in order, it does not follow the script! No one taught you anything, why did you have to respond with this specific line, the scenes and logic were not explained, so it was purely memorizing. It was really torturing, I was trembling while acting. At that time we filmed in the day and recorded songs in the night, we barely made three hours of sleep per day.

From what I can remember, the most tiring day I ever had was, we shot a commercial till dawn, then caught a plane to Shanghai, for the first time in my life I stayed in a 5-star hotel but did not even had the chance to land on the bed of it, all I did was to unpack my luggage and get a quick shower then we rushed off to the airport to fly to Beijing to go on a music radio station schedule. Selina and myself were almost always in a daydreaming state then, I cannot even recall what I did, only Ella held out.

At 18 I already realised and understood the reality of commercial markets. When I was a child I learnt classical music, in high school I listened to the likes of Faye Wong and Sandee Chan which inspired my acquired music taste, I liked a wide genre of music, so when I received the first album’s demo, I knew then it was not the music styles I truly liked. But because I knew clearly that singing was something I truly loved, it did not matter what I sang, at least they were nice songs, and so I sang them; in part owing to the fact that I knew S.H.E’s positioning was friendship, it has to be a product which makes people happy.

Although I kept asking why, but as long as someone told me the reason, I will digest it and happily accept it, or in turn make use of my own logic to do better, so I was not asking why for the plain sake of asking. I feel that life in itself is the result of a series of compromises, but you need to know why the compromise, and not to do so blindly.  Asking ‘Why’ is communication, it is a healthy form of compromise, it does not deviate from the overall direction I want to head towards, but it does at the same time enter into a path of mine which I similarly wanted.

I cherish the luck I own, I realise that very early on and I eventually got to the music road I wanted, despite often being at ease with my situation, but the moment I make a decision, I give it my all, using my initial simplest intention to carry forth to even the smallest details. The original motive is very simple, as for human, we have the greatest strength when we are at a relaxed state. I am not the type with super talents, but I try to do my best even at the smallest details.

Everything starts small, it is the details that adds up to a big component! Using small things from everyday life to train yourself, when you encounter a big issue, you will already have a set of very detailed skills and you can achieve your goal. Some people knew I was preparing to go solo  and they were waiting to see me fail, but I did not waste too much energy on those thoughts and instead directed all my focus to the album. The burdens that others give, you can choose to lug it on or decide to throw it aside.

I think youngsters should enter the society with an open mind. Do not focus on only the obstacles and neglect your past experiences which actually helped you. Difficult or not, it matters on your mental attitude, everything can be difficult, at the same time, everything can also be very simple.

Like when I used to receive exam papers in the past, I will finish up those questions which I have confidence in before attempting the harder questions. If there is not enough time or if I really cannot answer them, then just let it be. But life is not rigid like an exam paper, there is no model answers, if you find it too tough or frustrating, then temporarily set it aside, answer the simpler ones first, open up your heart and slowly accumulate experiences and knowledge, perhaps you will eventually find a way out.

 

Source: Business Weekly (Taiwan) Issue 1393 – http://bw.businessweekly.com.tw/article.php?id=55283

 

Original Article Scans:
*Click for hi-res, credits to 卜口一田十 from weibo

  

  

 

 

NOTE: The video interview will be on a separate post, hopefully I can get that translated by tomorrow (28 July).