Born in Taiwan,singer-songwriter turned actor-director Jay Chou’s big break came when he entered a local talent show.Today his unique musical style has fans all over the world with his last album selling more than three million copies a month in Asia alone.TALK ASIA visits the award-winning 29-year-old Chou at his Mr.J restaurant in Taipei.
Chou grew up as an only child in a single-parent family.He tells TALK ASIA host Anjali Rao that although he felt lonely as a child,the free time allowed him to develop his musical talent.“It allowed me to practice really hard on my music.” His strict practice schedule – playing the piano for three hours everyday - was not easy,even for the young Chou:“There were a number of times I was really about to give up,but then I just sucked it up and told myself that one day my hard work would pay off.”
An influential Taiwanese entertainment show host spotted Chou in a televised talent contest displaying his piano and songwriting skills.Chou claims he was only trying it out for fun:“I didn’t do it for the sake of getting famous.” Yet his unique cross-cultural music style quickly established a big following.But the best-selling artist is still humble,“It’s the timing,the place and the people that allowed me to make a step forward.” Chou also explains to Rao how he felt a strong sense of responsibility to educate his audience through his songs.
In 2005,Chou took a big step and entered the film industry acting alongside established movie veterans in Curse of the Golden Flower.He recalls working with these huge cinematic names on the set:“Chow Yun-fat was always joking with people at the scene…he really knew how to make the others feel relaxed about his presence.As for director Zhang Yimou,I never saw him losing temper at work.” He later wrote,directed and starred in the 2007 movie Secret.He admits he liked being in the driver’s seat:“I do think I was born to be sort of a control freak cause I always command people to do this or that.”
As one of Asia’s most famous faces,Chou is also a constant target for the paparazzi and he tells Rao about a few of his past run-ins with them.Chou also talks about the strong relationship he has with his single-parent mother:“…no matter what happens in the future,I’ll live with my mum.”
