One of the most influential figures in early 21st century Asian pop, Taiwanese multi-hyphenate artist Jay Chou has sold tens of millions of albums in the decades following his 2000 debut Jay, revolutionizing the Mandopop market and inspiring a generation of artists in East Asia. With his distinctive vocal delivery and merging of hip-hop, R&B, Chinese folk, and classical music to the typical Mandopop sound, he modernized Chinese music and became an international star, quickly rising to the top of the charts with hit albums like 2001's Fantasy, 2004's smash Common Jasmine Orange, and 2016's Jay Chou's Bedtime Stories. He also starred in various films, from the Chinese-language Initial D (2005) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) to Hollywood flicks The Green Hornet (2011) and Now You See Me 2 (2016). After a short hiatus, Chou returned to music in 2022 with Greatest Works of Art. Born Chou Chieh-lun in the Linkou District of northern Taiwan, he began piano lessons at age four and cello lessons in grade school, instruments he continued to study formally through his teens, when he also began writing songs. An appearance on Super New Talent King in 1998, where he accompanied a friend on piano, led to a job offer by the show's host, Jacky Wu, as a contract composer for Wu's label, Alfa Music. After learning his way around a music studio and stockpiling songs, Alfa released Chou's first album, Jay, in 2000. With both Chinese and Western pop, R&B, and his classical training all informing his music, his style -- along with the help of high-profile promotion by TV personality Wu -- generated hits throughout Southeast Asia from the beginning. Chou's sophomore album, Fantasy, came out in 2001 and fortified his stature as a popular and award-winning Mandarin-language songwriter and recording artist. His third album, 2002's The Eight Dimensions, was followed by his first live album, The One: Live, which was accompanied by a concert DVD. In 2003, he released Ye Hui Mei, named for his mother, and a year later his best-selling fifth studio album, Common Jasmine Orange. Another live album and concert DVD, 2004 Incomparable Live, followed, and 2005 saw his film debut in the drift-racing action film Initial D, along with his first greatest-hits collection, Initial J: Jay Chou Greatest Hits. Chou continued to hit the charts with November's Chopin and Still Fantasy in 2006. In 2007, he made his directorial debut directing himself in the music-themed drama Secret. He co-wrote the soundtrack, comprising an instrumental score and songs, with Thai musician Therdsak Chanpan, and issued the soundtrack on his own newly formed JVR Music label. His eighth full-length studio album, On the Run, was released via JVR in late 2007, followed by the live album and concert DVD Jay 2007: The World Tours. Capricorn arrived in 2008, with The Era appearing in 2010. The Era 2010 World Tour was released on audio and DVD in January 2011, just before Chou's Hollywood acting debut (with Seth Rogen and Christoph Waltz) in Michel Gondry's The Green Hornet hit theaters in Taiwan. His 11th studio album, Wow!, was issued later that year, and Opus 12 followed in 2012. Not one for taking much time off, he directed himself in the 2013 action film The Rooftop, then released Aiyo, Not Bad in 2014. That set topped the U.S. World Albums chart upon release. After another world tour, the prolific Chou returned to the studio for album number 14, Jay Chou's Bedtime Stories. The 2016 set was another hit in mainland China, selling almost two million, meanwhile landing at number three on the U.S. World chart. Taking a break, he wouldn't return until 2018 with the release of the singles "Waiting for You" and "If You Don't Love Me, It's Fine." A third single, "Won't Cry," arrived in 2019 and featured Mayday vocalist Ashin. That track landed on Chou's next LP, 2022's Greatest Works of Art. His 15th full-length, the fine arts-inspired effort was a Top 40 hit around the world, boosted in part by the music video for the title track, which starred Chinese pianist Lang Lang. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Marcy Donelson, Rovi

Jay Chou, Da Rap Nerd

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