ENTERTAINMENT

DANCING DIVA

TAIWANESE POP SENSATION JOIN TSAI HAS A PENSIVE BUT INSIGHTFUL CHAT WITH JONATHAN FONG ON HER CAREER, CONCERT AND HER SECRET TO CHANGING COSTUMES.

A 10-year career in the chinese music industry may seem like a lifetime for most entertainers. Obligations and expectations from record labels, pressure from fans and constant scrutiny by the media often result in the loss of privacy. Jolin Tsai has weathered through years of those as an award-winning starlet. with a wealth of performing experience, Jolin shares how she remains upbeat in keeping a positive attitude towards work and life.

Hi Jolin! First off, one of the highlights for your concert features costume changes at stunning speeds of up to 20 seconds Yes, it's a costume change per song. The concert's producer thought of this challenge. Was this diffcult to do? Were there any mishaps that occurred during your earlier shows in Taiwan? There were several times where the zipper on my costume got stuck! And on several occasions, I also almost forget to put on some accessories. What's the secret to change costumes at such high speed? The outfit themselves-make sure that the zippers and cladps are generally simple. and it's also important to wear secure and snug layers underneath first. Did you undergo any special training to get in shape and improve your endurance for the concert? I've been taking care of my diet aand watching what I eat, but didn't deliberately eat less or restrict myself to certain foods I need the strength, as most of the songs are dance numbers. Another highlight from the earlier shows in Taiwan was your dance sequence with an extravagant water feature on stage... Yes, we will be bringing the water pipes for the show in Singapore. I will have take extra care to prevent slipping on stage! You mentioned in an interview that while watching the movie Black Swan, you resonated with Natalie Portman's role. Care to elaborate further? I see smilarties between Natalie Portman's character in the movie and myself. During my earlier concerts, I was constantly striving for perfection, so much so that after many concerts, I would often not feel very happy. Instead, I was very fixated on reviewing and reflecting on the little mistakes I made during the concert. But with time, I came to realise that fans wish to see the real me. I'm learning to find the balance, but of course, I still expect perfection in my performances. What was the turning point that helped you in this realization? I had a break after the latt leg and had time to reflect. In retrospect, I've been working hard for the past 10 years and I thought, perhaps it's time to treat myself better.