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Wang Dawen is happy to be here

SINGAPORE — Wang Dawen may be one of the happiest singers we have met.

Wang Dawen has started recording his second album. Photo: Jason Ho

Wang Dawen has started recording his second album. Photo: Jason Ho

SINGAPORE — Wang Dawen may be one of the happiest singers we have met.

The Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter literally leapt for joy backstage after he was awarded Most Popular New Artiste at the Singapore Hit Awards on Nov 7 — the first award he has received as a singer.

It’s no wonder the 33-year-old just cannot stop smiling. Wang spent eight years as an independent singer in Chicago and Los Angeles before he was discovered by Taiwanese album producer Ah Di Zai. Shortly after moving to Taiwan, he released his debut Mandarin album, Hello, last year.

But Wang said he’s just glad he didn’t quit music, even during the toughest years of his life, when he struggled to pay the rent as an indie musician.

“After I graduated from college, I got a job at Starbucks, brewing coffee at 4.45am. I did that for two years, as that would allow me spare time to write,” said the classical music graduate from the prestigious Northwestern University. “It was so difficult. Even after I left Starbucks, oftentimes, I would go to sleep, wake up in the middle of the night, open my eyes and stare at the dark ceiling and think, ‘What am I doing with my life?’ I haven’t saved enough to buy a car, and my friends are buying cars. After four years, my friends are all moving up in the world and saving so much money, and I am still struggling to pay the rent.”

He added: “But every time I ask that question, the answer is always no. I feel like music is the only thing I could be doing. People should figure out what makes them happy and try their very best to attain it. It’s easier said than done, but from my experience, because I am currently living my dream, I would absolutely encourage everyone to pursue theirs.”

This is why Wang has also learnt to be grateful every day. “It doesn’t matter whether you had a good or bad day — you get to do something you love,” Wang said. “It’s like I won the proverbial lottery of life. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s how it feels. I know I didn’t win something tangible, but I won the ability to do what I love every day and that is amazing.”

Q: How has your life changed since you moved to Taiwan?

A: It has completely changed — a 180- degree turn. Almost nothing about my life in the States is the same from the way it is in Taiwan. I use a different language to communicate. Living in Taipei is very different from living in Los Angeles and Chicago. My means of expressing myself is also in Chinese now. Before I moved, I thought I was an adequate Mandarin speaker, but the truth of the matter is, it was pretty crap. When I got to Taiwan, I took classes to improve how I speak. And maybe after half a year of intensive language class, it got better. And of course, by living in Taiwan, you’d improve by meeting a lot of friends, speaking with them and being in a new environment.

Q: What are your plans for next year?

A: I just started recording my secondalbum. Because I’m a singer-songwriter, the music is going to be drawn from my life. It’s a little more playful, a little more comical. I don’t think of myself as a funny person, but I try to add my humour to it. Since this summer, I have been obsessed with the ukulele. I’ve fallen in love with it as an instrument, so there will be some ukulele in the album. That much I can share. When you hear the ukulele, you can’t help it, you just start smiling. It’s very natural. I think there’s so much wrong in the world, and if I can contribute, that’s what I want to do. I want to focus on joy, on making other people feel happy the way I do.

Q: People are starting to recognise you on the streets. How are you getting used to that?

A: One of the good things about debuting so late, to be completely forthright, (is that I am) actually able to relax a little. Because of where I am in my life or maybe because I already got it out of my system, I’m a little more calm. So if I do encounter something that is a little more uncomfortable, I am a little slower to be impulsive.

Q: Have you gotten used to street food in Taiwan yet?

A: The first time I tried stinky tofu I loved it! I thought something that smells so bad, there must be a reason why so many people love it. So if I am going to try it, I am going to ignore the way it smells. So the first time I tried it, it was so good! I love stinky tofu! There is one thing that I am scared to eat, but if you put it in my bowl, I would eat it – pig’s blood. I think the idea of it is gross. If we are eating family style, sometimes it’ll end up in my bowl and I’ll eat it, and I won’t even know. So I think it’s more of a psychological thing.

Q: Do you miss home?

A: A little bit but I’m also very happy of course. I need to thank my mom and my brother for always being supportive of my music career. Especially being an Asian American – traditionally, other Asian American families are more conservative, and would not encourage their children to pursue this kind of career, because it’s very unstable. In reality it is indeed very unstable, and very difficult to make a living. But if I reflect on my own eight years as an indie musician, from my experience, I would say not giving up has proven to be worthwhile.

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