Super-duper Super Girl By Michael Engstrom (China Daily) Updated: 2008-06-03 11:52 Pop diva Zhang Liangying at a Beijing press release promoting her album in 2006. Though wildly popular, the Idol singing competitions in the West are viewed with much skepticism. Despite showing talent and having a large fan base, participants often find themselves pigeonholed. Critics claim that the competition offers an easy shortcut to stardom, and calls for neither talent nor hard work. But 2005 Super Girl (China's version of Idol) participant Zhang Liangying believes it is not as simple as it seems. "It's very complicated," she says. "I have only one word to describe it: tiring." Zhang, better known as Jane Zhang, has been trying to free herself from the pop image her performance in China's Idol competition earned her, three years ago. Dubbed "Dolphin Princess" for the uncommon flexibility of her vocal range, Zhang's journey toward a more "artistic" musical career has been easier than that of many of her peers. Just one year after the completion of 2005's Super Girl, Zhang found herself collaborating with two of China's most respected musicians. She sang the theme song for the 2006 film The Banquet, joining hands with avant-garde composer Tan Dun and award-winning pianist Lang Lang. Most singers can only expect to work on such high-profile projects at the peak of their careers. Zhang has a large fan base in the country since winning the singing competition three years ago. Photos by Xiao Huaiyuan On her experience of working with Tan, Zhang says, "I must thank Tan Dun. He has given me so much." Zhang certainly has reason to thank him. Their collaboration has brought Zhang far more respect than what Idol contestants can usually expect. It has also raised questions about genre and how artists may or may not move freely across boundaries. Her second album sounded more like a mixture of R&B and jazz than the Chinese pop that many expected from her. Zhang says, "I don't like to be classified. My sound is elegant, and flexible. I sing what brings me pleasure, so I prefer to be dynamic." Zhang has committed to perform in the international World Peace One concert series, whose aim is to eradicate war within the next 10 years. Besides The Banquet, she has also sung the theme songs for The Forbidden Kingdom as well as the highly acclaimed television series, The Return of the Condor Hero. Whether these accomplishments are expected of singers who make it in the Idol competitions is debatable. Nonetheless, Zhang is moving in directions that not many could have foreseen three years ago. Early last month, the singer was invited to perform in Tokyo. As part of Chinese President Hu's "warm spring" tour of Japan, Zhang staged a rare performance at Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's official residence. Zhang has been actively helping promote cultural understanding and friendship between the youth of both countries through her music. (China Daily 06/03/2008 page19) 翻譯： 作為三年前超女比賽的優勝者張靚穎在中國擁有大量的歌迷 風靡一時的選秀歌唱比賽在西方正受到大量質疑。儘管參賽選手們展示了自己的才華 和高漲的人氣，卻依然發現人們對其不屑一顧。評論家們認為這類比賽僅僅提供了一條無 需才能和努力就能成名的造星捷徑。 而2005年超級女聲（中國版選秀比賽）的參賽者張靚穎卻認為沒有那麼簡單。「比賽 非常辛苦繁雜，」她說，「我只能用一個字來形容：累。」 張靚穎一直在努力突破自己在三年前的選秀比賽中塑造起來的大眾形象。超凡的音域 跨越掌控能力為她贏得了「海豚公主」的美譽，也使得她比同時參賽的其他選手更容易向 更加「藝術」的音樂事業邁進。 僅僅在2005年超女比賽一年之後，張靚穎就和中國最著名的音樂家進行了合作。她攜 手著名的先鋒派作曲家譚盾和享譽世界的鋼琴家朗朗，演繹了2006年的電影巨製《夜宴》 的主題曲。而大多數歌手只有在自己的事業巔峰時期才可能有機會參與如此高端場合的工 作。 對於自己與譚盾的合作，張靚穎說：「我必須感謝譚盾，他給予了我很多。」 張靚穎有理由感謝譚盾，他們的合作為她贏得了一個選秀歌手通常難以企及的聲望和 認同，同時也引發了關於音樂流派以及藝術家如何並且能否自由跨界的討論。 與很多人期望的中國流行風格不同的是，她的第二張專輯聽上去更像R&B和爵士風格 的混合體。張靚穎說：「我不希望被限定在某一類型，我的聲音應該是優雅而靈活的。我 想唱帶給我快樂的東西，所以我傾向於活力變通。」 張靚穎還參與到了致力於在今後10年消除戰爭的國際WP1系列音樂會中。除了《夜宴 》，她還演唱了電影《功夫之王》和獲得熱讚的電視連續劇《神雕俠侶》的主題曲。 人們難以相信選秀出身的歌手能夠取得這些成就。然而，張靚穎卻在這條三年前很少 有人能夠預見的道路上大步前進。 上月初，張靚穎受邀出訪東京參加演出。作為中國國家主席胡JT日本暖春之旅的一部 分，張靚穎還在日本首相福田康夫的官邸進行了精彩表演，通過她的音樂為增進兩國青年 的文化交流和友誼作出了積極的貢獻。 -- http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=400168706 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2008-06/03/content_6738413.htm -- 愛生活,愛靚穎o(∩_∩)o --

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