6 Comments For This Post

1. Jack Says:
   April 2nd, 2008 at 4:43 pm

   This is something I picked up on today. Here’s the writeup:

   “China may be the arriving superpower, an economic and military giant finally stirred from centuries of slumber. But in one area of their Long March to global leadership, the inheritors of Mao remain unreconstructed minnows: the world of pop music.

   Yet, if some commentators are to be believed, all that could be about to change. This summer a telegenic former Mongolian nomad who sings in Tibetan and fuses the sound of the zither and horse-head fiddle with appealingly dreamy electronic dance music is hoping to become the first Chinese pop star to crack the Western market.

   The initial staging post in Sa Dingding’s quest for international fame and fortune will be Britain. Already hailed as the oriental equivalent of stars ranging from the ethereal Hibernian crooner Enya to the fiery Icelandic chanteuse Bjork, she will arrive in the UK next week where she is confidently expected to pick up a prestigious BBC Radio 3 World Music Award, a move coinciding with the re-release of her first album, Alive.

   The campaign to bring modern Chinese music to a mainstream British audience is being masterminded by the global music giant Universal. It will continue through the summer when the 25-year-old Buddhist performs at a televised Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, then appear before a sell-out crowd at the Womad festival. She also plans a major appearance in Beijing to coincide with the Olympic Games where she will be a target for the massed ranks of the international media as they train their cameras on all things Chinese.”

   Certainly different and people shoud note she is singing in the Tibetan language because that is what she is. I’ll see in the days ahead how popular she becomes in our western culture.

2. Jack Says:
   April 2nd, 2008 at 6:50 pm

   If anyone can translate the words it would be appreciated. I like the sound but no idea what she is saying.

   Thanks in advance.

3. Jack Says:
   April 6th, 2008 at 5:44 pm

   After watching this video at least a dozen times I think I understand it and no words are needed.

4. Jack Says:
   April 17th, 2008 at 6:41 pm

   She won the Asia-Pacific Music Award according to this article I just found.

   “Transglobal Underground, on tour in France, accepted via video the Club Global award one can’t help thinking they ought to have received several years ago, before the exotically attired Chinese chanteuse Sa Dingding brought a touch of glamour to the proceedings. As she stepped on to the stage in a blaze of finery to accept the Asia-Pacific award, she assured us how much she loved her country’s culture and would use her “mother eye” to look back on its history (at least, I think that’s what she said).

   http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/bbc-radio-3-world-music-awards-dingwalls-london-808889.html

5. Jack Says:
   April 26th, 2008 at 5:39 pm

   Watching this video again. The title translates “Alive” (I think) and tells the story of a Chinese princess who existed during the Mongol era in China.

   The video depicts her wedding procession, her new “Lord” and a magic amulet so she can see him all the time, even when he is away.

   The video portrays the Mongol hordes approaching, her lord leaving for the fight — his death — and finally her new status as she takes a look back at her destroyed home.

   Note she is standing at the edge of a cliff as she looks back at the end. I leave it to active imaginations to picture what happens next. Please note that “white” (which she is wearing) is the color of death in China.

   A beautiful story well told and no translation required.

6. Jema54 Says:
   May 28th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

   This video captures the exotic, mysterious, oriental ‘mindset’ that is incomprehensible to the western mind; therefore, infinitely interesting and attractive.

   I like this video and this music; I do not think that it needs translation either, Jack. Thanks for the information about white, it certainly helps in attempting to understand the beautiful story.

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