Mavis Fan
Encyclopedia
Mavis Fan is Taiwan
ese pop singer who also plays flute
and piano
. She's also known as 'Bo Bo' or 'Little Witch'.
Mavis began her singing career in the mid 90s as a pop idol, singing songs catered mostly towards children and young teenagers. For example, the lyrics to 'Health Song' encouraged daily exercise and was accompanied by a music video in the style of a fitness video. However, she soon grew tired of her childish image and increasingly gravitated towards singing about moodier subject matters having to do with love and betrayal. She has expressed that she is no longer concerned with being a pop star and will only make music to her liking.
Mavis was raised only by her mother, since her parents separated when she was just two years old. Her mom forged her unbreakable bond with music. She was sent to learn the flute and piano at the age of three, since her mom, an aspiring singer, had put all of her own musical dreams in Mavis. They led a tight life. Her mom had to sing at bars to afford Mavis' tuition for the best music school in Taiwan.
Mavis did not let her mom down. She began to sing on stage at 14. Time has brought about many changes to both her life and her music, but her passion for expression has never changed. At 17 years old, she began to sing children's songs. In the late 1990s, she adopted a more mature image, singing in a variety of pop styles for a more general audience, which captured much popularity.
When Mavis entered the Taiwan music scene in the mid-90s, she was first packaged as a sweet little girl. Her music company came up with the idea of featuring children's songs on her albums. Her first records got incredible sales, so that each album sold over a million copies, thus giving her her nickname -- "Little Witch of Music."
- Darling (1998)
Fragile, childish and sentimental, just like the humid air of her island home, that was Darling, the title track of Mavis' 1998 album of the same name. This song came after a break-up, when Mavis was in New York filming the video for "Bartender Angel."
Darling is overall a pretty comfortable pop album, thanks to brilliant collaborations between Mavis and other musicians from Hong Kong and the mainland.
- I Want Us To Be Together (1999)
In 1999, the album "I Want Us To Be Together," the follow-up to "Darling," came out as yet another Mavis do-my-own-music manifesto. That was I Want Us to Be Together. For the first time, Mavis took the job of music executive and contributed half of the composition on the album. She delivered on her promise, winning best pop album at the 11th Taiwan Gold Melody Awards, Taiwan's equivalent of the Grammys. She said, "I'm not that public idol kind of girl. I don't want to be either. Actually, I do enjoy being loved by a small group of people, just a small group, because they make me feel special."
- Sometimes (1999–2000)
Mavis' two transition albums never achieved as much commercial success as critical success.
- You Don't Trust Me Anymore (2001)
That was You Don't Trust Me Anymore, written by Mavis and co-produced by her boyfriend Laurence Chow. The song is published on Mavis' 2001 album Lounge Diva. Rumors said Mavis developed depression during her transition period, because she put herself under too much pressure to produce good music. She confirmed this in her book, "Scratch", released this year.
Although she had flowers and applause, Mavis said she was not content. She said, "I'm sure that isn't what I want. I have a clear goal, if I can't achieve it there is nothing to for me to feel good about."
in 1995. She played the role of A-Su in the 2005 film About Love
.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese pop singer who also plays flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. She's also known as 'Bo Bo' or 'Little Witch'.
Mavis began her singing career in the mid 90s as a pop idol, singing songs catered mostly towards children and young teenagers. For example, the lyrics to 'Health Song' encouraged daily exercise and was accompanied by a music video in the style of a fitness video. However, she soon grew tired of her childish image and increasingly gravitated towards singing about moodier subject matters having to do with love and betrayal. She has expressed that she is no longer concerned with being a pop star and will only make music to her liking.
Mavis was raised only by her mother, since her parents separated when she was just two years old. Her mom forged her unbreakable bond with music. She was sent to learn the flute and piano at the age of three, since her mom, an aspiring singer, had put all of her own musical dreams in Mavis. They led a tight life. Her mom had to sing at bars to afford Mavis' tuition for the best music school in Taiwan.
Mavis did not let her mom down. She began to sing on stage at 14. Time has brought about many changes to both her life and her music, but her passion for expression has never changed. At 17 years old, she began to sing children's songs. In the late 1990s, she adopted a more mature image, singing in a variety of pop styles for a more general audience, which captured much popularity.
Mavis Fan (Fan Xiao Xuan) Famous Works
- Your SweetnessWhen Mavis entered the Taiwan music scene in the mid-90s, she was first packaged as a sweet little girl. Her music company came up with the idea of featuring children's songs on her albums. Her first records got incredible sales, so that each album sold over a million copies, thus giving her her nickname -- "Little Witch of Music."
- Darling (1998)
Fragile, childish and sentimental, just like the humid air of her island home, that was Darling, the title track of Mavis' 1998 album of the same name. This song came after a break-up, when Mavis was in New York filming the video for "Bartender Angel."
Darling is overall a pretty comfortable pop album, thanks to brilliant collaborations between Mavis and other musicians from Hong Kong and the mainland.
- I Want Us To Be Together (1999)
In 1999, the album "I Want Us To Be Together," the follow-up to "Darling," came out as yet another Mavis do-my-own-music manifesto. That was I Want Us to Be Together. For the first time, Mavis took the job of music executive and contributed half of the composition on the album. She delivered on her promise, winning best pop album at the 11th Taiwan Gold Melody Awards, Taiwan's equivalent of the Grammys. She said, "I'm not that public idol kind of girl. I don't want to be either. Actually, I do enjoy being loved by a small group of people, just a small group, because they make me feel special."
- Sometimes (1999–2000)
Mavis' two transition albums never achieved as much commercial success as critical success.
- You Don't Trust Me Anymore (2001)
That was You Don't Trust Me Anymore, written by Mavis and co-produced by her boyfriend Laurence Chow. The song is published on Mavis' 2001 album Lounge Diva. Rumors said Mavis developed depression during her transition period, because she put herself under too much pressure to produce good music. She confirmed this in her book, "Scratch", released this year.
Although she had flowers and applause, Mavis said she was not content. She said, "I'm sure that isn't what I want. I have a clear goal, if I can't achieve it there is nothing to for me to feel good about."
Film
Her film debut was in The Private Eye BluesThe Private Eye Blues
The Private Eye Blues , also known by the transliteration of its Cantonese name, Feiseung Tsingtam, is a 1995 Hong Kong film.It was written and directed by Eddie Ling-Ching Fong.-Cast:* Jacky Cheung* Frankie Chin* Chin Ho...
in 1995. She played the role of A-Su in the 2005 film About Love
About Love
About Love is a 2005 film.Three stories are told, respectively set in Tokyo, Taipei, and Shanghai. The first two stories are about a Japanese person and a Taiwanese person. The last one is set in Shanghai with a story about a Japanese man and a Chinese woman. Some of the characters can speak...
.
Filmography
- The Private Eye BluesThe Private Eye BluesThe Private Eye Blues , also known by the transliteration of its Cantonese name, Feiseung Tsingtam, is a 1995 Hong Kong film.It was written and directed by Eddie Ling-Ching Fong.-Cast:* Jacky Cheung* Frankie Chin* Chin Ho...
(1995) - About LoveAbout LoveAbout Love is a 2005 film.Three stories are told, respectively set in Tokyo, Taipei, and Shanghai. The first two stories are about a Japanese person and a Taiwanese person. The last one is set in Shanghai with a story about a Japanese man and a Chinese woman. Some of the characters can speak...
(2005) - Lover's Discourse (2010)
- The Flying Swords of Dragon GateThe Flying Swords of Dragon GateThe Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is an upcoming wuxia film directed by Tsui Hark and starring Jet Li, Zhou Xun, Chen Kun, Li Yuchun, Kwai Lun-mei, Louis Fan and Mavis Fan. The film is a remake of Dragon Gate Inn and New Dragon Gate Inn...
(2011)