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1019 (album)
1019 is the debut studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on September 10, 1999, by Universal and D Sound.[1] The album was produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, and Paul Lee, blending elements of pop music with hip-hop, R&B, and world music.[2] This fusion showcased Tsai's musical talent and versatility.[3] The album received widespread critical acclaim, with critics noting that its youthful charm filled the gap for a "girl-next-door" type of idol in Taiwan's music scene at the time. Tsai's combination of idol appeal and vocal prowess, along with the album's high-quality production, helped launch her into stardom.[2][4] 1019 sold over 450,000 copies in Taiwan, cementing Tsai's status as a breakout star.[5] Background and developmentIn May 1998, Tsai participated in the singing competition program co-organized by MTV Mandarin and Sony.[6] She stood out by performing English songs and ultimately won first place in the singing category. Judge Wawa Chen remarked, "She [Tsai] is truly a born singer; she sings with her natural talent." Judge Lee Cheng-fan also stated, "I think it would be a great pleasure to help her make an album."[7] In March 1999, Tsai signed a contract with Universal and became one of the label's key newcomers for the year.[8] Following the signing, Universal arranged a series of training sessions for her over the course of six months. These included bi-weekly dance lessons to enhance her stage performance skills, bi-weekly makeup courses to help her manage her appearance during busy schedules or interviews, and language training to prepare her for media interactions. Additionally, Universal arranged for her to observe live performances by international artists in locations such as Ireland and the United States.[9] Sam Chen of Universal recalled that he decided to sign Tsai after watching just 30 seconds of her competition footage. He explained, "The first time I saw her [Tsai] was in the video from the competition. The manager told me about this young girl reading a book quietly offstage. She was in her school uniform—she was still in high school—and she had excellent English. 10 minutes before going on stage, she quickly changed out of her school uniform and into the performance outfit. It was as if two completely different people had appeared on stage. She shone brightly, and the girl offstage was almost unrecognizable. I thought to myself, this is definitely a star. So, I signed her right then."[10] On July 16, 1999, Tsai released her debut single, "Living with the World", which became the theme song for the annual 7-Eleven advertising campaign in Taiwan.[11] This single also served as a preview of her upcoming first studio album, which was scheduled for release in September of the same year.[12] Writing and recording The album's first single, "The Rose", and the track, "Good-Bye", were both recorded at the Quad Studios in New York City. For these tracks, Tsai invited eight African American backing vocalists to provide harmonies, adding a powerful, choir-like intensity to the songs. The second single, "I Know You're Feeling Blue", as well as the tracks "Blame It on the Age" and "Emptiness", are all emotive ballads with strong commercial appeal. The young Tsai showcased a rare maturity and vocal finesse in interpreting these songs. The track "Out on the Street" is a reinterpretation of the song "A Song Story" by South Korean group Idol, and features a complex, high-energy hip-hop dance beat. Additionally, the tracks "Who Are You" and "Living with the World" further demonstrated Tsai's versatility in her vocal performance and ability to interpret a wide range of musical styles.[3] Title and artworkThe title of the album, "1019", is a play on words. The "10" sounds like "I-lin", which is her name, while the "19" refers to her age at the time, 19 years old.[13] The album's overall theme centers around a fresh, shy "girl-next-door" image, which is reflected in the cover art—a melancholic profile of Tsai.[2] Universal positioned Tsai, who demonstrated strong vocal ability, as an idol singer.[9] Sam Chen from the label recalled, "I immediately positioned her as a 'boy-killer.' I had her start learning dance, and I arranged her first fan meeting at the best high school in Taiwan, Chien Kuo High School, which was an all-boys school. When she went there, she became incredibly popular. At that moment, I knew that the 'boy-killer' concept was right, and I had her continue learning dance, eventually going from a beginner to where she is today."[10] The album's first image was of Tsai dressed in a white long gown, emphasizing her 19-year-old, studious, and music-loving persona. Later, she adopted a healthier and sexier look with a midriff-baring outfit, showcasing her more energetic and lively side.[2] Universal described Tsai as having a "dual personality" when they first met her: "On the surface, she was shy, quiet, and diligent in her studies, but she also had tattoos that reflected a more rebellious, modern persona. On stage, she was expressive and confident. The combination of the shy, obedient girl and the energetic spirit of a new generation made her incredibly unique."[9] Release and promotionThe album's first edition included 10 tracks along with instrumental versions of two of the songs. On September 11, 1999, Tsai held the album's launch events in Kaohsiung and Taichung, where a limited "Special Commemorative" edition was sold exclusively at the events. The following day, on September 12, she hosted another album release event in Taipei. To celebrate the album's sales exceeding 200,000 copies in Taiwan, Universal released a new "Celebration" edition on October 15, 1999. This edition consolidated the 10 tracks into a single CD and included a bonus photo book titled Life Photobook, though the two instrumental tracks from the original edition were omitted. On December 4, 1999, Tsai held her 1019 I Can Concert in Taipei. Later, on December 13, Universal released another new "Re-Celebration" edition to mark the album surpassing 350,000 copies sold in Taiwan. This edition included six music videos and a documentary short film, 1019 Universal Highlights. To further commemorate the album's success, Universal released another new "Back-to-School Celebration" edition on January 15, 2000, in honor of the album reaching over 400,000 copies sold in Taiwan. This edition combined the contents of the previous two special editions. Tsai released two singles from the album: "The Rose" and "I Know You're Feeling Blue". Both music videos were directed by Chou Ko-tai, with "I Know You're Feeling Blue" reaching number 30 on Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles chart in 1999.[14] The music video for "Blame It on the Age" was directed by Marlboro Lai, with Lin Yo-wei making a guest appearance. Additionally, the music videos for "Good-Bye" and "Emptiness" were directed by Tony Lin. Critical receptionTencent Entertainment's critic, Shuwa, commented: "The ten songs on Jolin Tsai's debut album, while relatively conventional compared to her later works, still served as a successful introduction to her career. As the first album meant to establish her name, it only needed one song that could truly resonate with the audience to be considered a success. "I Know You're Feeling Blue", composed by Jimmy Ye, perfectly showcased Jolin Tsai's image as a sweet and delicate young girl. In terms of the album's overall theme, both the fast and slow songs stayed true to the 'girl-next-door' sentiment, filling a gap in the Taiwanese Mandopop scene, which lacked a local artist with this particular image at the time. As a result, Jolin Tsai rose to stardom. Of course, the success of this album also owes much to the excellent production work of producers David Wu, Peter Lee, and Paul Lee, particularly the Lee brothers, who made significant contributions to Jolin Tsai's subsequent works."[2] Sina Hong Kong's review stated: "Nineteen-year-old Jolin Tsai from Taiwan made her debut in the music scene after participating in competition. Her appearance was often compared to actress Ruby Lin, while her vocal technique was more akin to a skilled singer. With an R&B-infused singing style, she clearly had solid vocal foundations. Most of the songs on the album also carry R&B influences, though they are somewhat mainstream and lack a distinctive edge. Nonetheless, every track is of a certain quality, and combined with Jolin Tsai's appearance and vocal abilities, this album remains one of the more competitive releases by a new artist in Taiwan that year." AccoladesWith this album, Tsai won several prestigious awards, including the UFO People's Choice Award for Favorite New Artist (Bronze),[15] the China Music Award for Favorite Female New Artist,[16] the Singapore Hit Award for Best New Artist (Gold),[17] the Top Music Chard Award for Best New Artist,[18] and the TVB8 Mandarin Music On Demand Award for Best New Artist (Silver).[19] Additionally, her song "I Know You're Feeling Blue" won the UFO People's Choice Award for Most Played Song.[15] Track listing
Release history
References
External links
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