Abao and the Chorus of Indigenous Voices Heading to Paris
Decorated singer-songwriter Abao will represent Taiwan, alongside her team of Indigenous artists, at the Paris Cultural Olympiad this summer. Bringing a message of togetherness, Abao's music incorporates many styles and languages. TaiwanPlus sat down with Abao for an exclusive interview and performance.
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00:00Bringing a harmony of native voices to the global stage.
00:10Award-winning artist A-Bao and her group of indigenous singers, Naowa,
00:15are on their way to Paris to represent Taiwan at this year's Cultural Olympiad.
00:30We have a chance to work together, no matter how old you are or where you're from.
00:40A member of the Paiwan people, one of Taiwan's 16 officially recognized indigenous groups,
00:46A-Bao is a household name in Taiwan and has been singing for over two decades.
00:51Recording at first in Mandarin, later in her career,
00:55A-Bao felt a calling to perform in the language of her ancestors.
00:59At that time, I hadn't started to use Mandarin.
01:03From this piece, I started to learn more seriously
01:09how to describe this thing and the feeling of the language.
01:17Then I felt that Paiwan language is beautiful and sounds good.
01:22But is it possible to mix some of the current pop elements in it?
01:30A-Bao takes inspiration from the female role models in her family,
01:34particularly her grandmother, who helped her learn and write in their native Paiwan.
01:39She was dedicated to creating a legacy for her grandmother, who has since passed away.
01:45My grandmother wanted to record a traditional song.
01:50She knew I was a musician.
01:53I asked my friends to record a song for my grandmother.
02:08It's difficult to put A-Bao's music into one box.
02:11Her style has been described as rock, pop, electronic and reggae.
02:15For A-Bao, these labels don't matter so much,
02:18as long as people feel her music and understand what it represents.
02:23How would I describe my music?
02:26No one has asked this question.
02:29Let me think.
02:34I hope my music is moving and touching.
02:41Group and touch.
02:43We pay attention to the fact that we are together.
02:48There is less heroism.
02:53We do one thing together.
03:01Since incorporating numerous languages into her music,
03:04including Mandarin, English and several local languages,
03:08A-Bao's songs have been used as a teaching tool for the next generation of indigenous Taiwanese.
03:14I think the most important thing is the teachers.
03:17They have a lively way of teaching children.
03:25And now, in Paris, she hopes to introduce the beauty of Taiwan's native cultures to the world
03:31through the universal language of music.
03:34No need to translate rhythm.
03:38Wow, pretty old t-shirt.
03:41I'll make a t-shirt.
03:44Justin Wu and Reese Ayres for Taiwan Plus.