Simply Six: Jane Lui

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

I'd say it was my idol from Hong Kong - Anita Mui, watching her on TV. She was my everything. I learned vibrato from watching her and ways to sing in a low voice like hers. It's an amazing power that idols have on youth.

 

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

currently playing: Blonde Redhead, & A Charlie Brown Christmas (my favorite album EVER)

- Bjork, Feist, Stevie Wonder, Michael jackson, Sting + Police, Richard Rogers & Oscar Hammerstein, Circus music (I don't know who wrote these), Cat Power, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Louis Armstrong, Billy Holiday, Debussy (choral stuff)

 

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

Live - Playing in front of a sold out theatre of 6600 people. Nothing great comes without some form of fear. it was super scary.
I felt like I had to be very responsible for those few minutes.

 

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

I think it would be naive to think that music should influence current events and "bring people together", because politics is always more complicated than a three minute song that elongates a single feeling/moment. But I think it does change the world by providing an outlet. Some of the greatest songs come from a need to escape from war and depression. Music certainly doesn't have to beabout current events to be connective and life changing, but I do believe listeners have to have hunger, and openly feed their curiosity by learning sensibilities of others & cultures. 

 

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

It has closed the gap between Artist & Audience. Given, artists have great capacity to make home recordings, bypassing the usual brokerage of studios & labels. It's also come to a point where audience can and expect more interaction with artists through tweets & Youtube videos. The Audience has a much more direct effect to the artist career and success. And in turn, the artist becomes more responsible for the community/empire that comes out of the active audience. It's pretty amazing - I have personally made friends with fans who are now leaders of my street tream, and a huge part of my marketing wall to bounce ideas off of. The hard part may lie in separating the need to feed public demand from doing music that's most authentic to me regardless of how I might change.

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

large indoor slipper shoes with big knit monkey faces on them.