Angela Zhang Photo: Courtesy of Mango TV

Angela Zhang, a Mandopop star who was born on the island of Taiwan, recently appeared on the hot Chinese mainland produced music variety show Infinity and Beyond. As one of the Taiwan singers who performed on the 2023 special series dedicated to China's "treasure island," Zhang talked about her music career with the Global Times and said that "Mandopop has become a global trend." 

In collaboration with singers Zhang Jie and Chen Linong, Angela Zhang sang "Yeliya Girl," a tune written 34 years ago that witnessed the emergence of Mandopop's "golden age" of sweeping over both sides of the Taiwan Straits. 

Growing up during the 1980s, Zhang told the Global Times that 1980s' pop songs like Jeff Chang's "Ai Ru ­Chaoshui" (lit: Love Like Tidewater) left a deep impression on her when she was a little girl. With this appreciation, Zhang finally broke out in the beginning of the 21st century, Mandopop's peak on the island of Taiwan, following a surge in the expansion of the record 

industry. 

"I think one of the great charms of that era was that each singer had a unique personal style and signature vocals too," Zhang told the Global Times. 

Along with other stars like Jay Chou, Mandopop gained more traction among audiences around the world over the decades. Zhang, as a creator, told the Global Times that the themes in Mandopop have also been shifting from "lovey-dovey" romance to "inner cultivation." 

"Music is more a reflection of the current state of society. Art and our lives are closely related," Zhang noted. 

The 2006 song "Invisible Wings" was not only the signature song that helped make her a star, it also brought Zhang some "healing" as her song once actually saved a young girl's life. 

Zhang told the Global Times that the girl had been buried by rubble during the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 in Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Trying to keep hope alive, she sang "Invisible Wings" and that allowed her to finally be heard by rescuers. 

"I never thought my music could give someone such comfort, and this became mutual as my heart was healed too," Zhang said, adding that she wants to continue providing meaningful music to deliver love. 

As a pop icon dedicated to bridging both sides of the Straits, Zhang has participated in numerous Chinese mainland shows such as The Treasured Voice from Zhejiang TV with the goal of expanding Mandopop's global influence. 

"I live in this land and I meet so many people who love me and like me. I want to respect this land. It's a mutual respect between people," Zhang noted.  

She said that Mandopop is now receiving more notice from the world with inspirations and treasures from our roots. 

"Our Chinese culture has lasted for more than 5,000 years and  it is necessary to continue to pass it down. They are our roots," said Zhang.