Depart
| Depart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 13 August 2021 | |||
| Genre | Mandopop | |||
| Length | 41:20 | |||
| Language | Mandarin | |||
| Label | Universal Music | |||
| Producer | Tanya Chua | |||
| Tanya Chua chronology | ||||
| ||||
Depart is the twelfth Mandarin-language studio album by Singaporean singer and songwriter Tanya Chua, released by Universal Music on 13 August 2021.[1][2] She collaborated with Carla Bruni and Ayanga, and also invited world-class composer Ricky Ho to produce and arrange the music.[3]
At the 33rd Golden Melody Awards, Chua was awarded the Best Female Mandarin Singer, Best Mandarin Album, Album of the Year and Best Vocal Album Recording for Depart, among eight other nominations.[4]
Background and recording[edit]
On 30 January 2021, Chua sang a new song, "Ex-Love Song" during the encore of her "Kisses for the World" concert tour held in Taipei Arena, Taipei, Taiwan. The song appeared on Track 6 in the album. On 22 June 2021, Chua posted a photo of herself approaching an open door in a backdrop of a rocky mountain on her social media accounts, mentioning Wu Qing-feng. It served as the first teaser to her lead single "Depart". According to Chua, she was "idling and feeling at a loss" during her isolation in Taipei when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, so she took the time to write music about what was happening to the world.[5] She drew inspiration from nature documentaries and classical music.[6]
The album was recorded at Chua's home recording studio, skipping the convenience of electronic arrangements and returning to "unplugged" music, focusing on the timbre and quality of instruments and vocals. Chua single-handedly composed, arranged, and played the acoustic guitar for the album which she did for the first time. She also invited Taiwanese lyricist David Ke (葛大為), Singaporean lyricist Xiaohan, and Hong Kong lyricist Chow Yiu-fai (周耀輝) to help with the lyrics.[7] Chua wrote over 30 songs for the album.
Release[edit]
On 8 July 2021, Chua released her single "Depart", three years after her eleventh studio album Kisses for the World, and followed up with the music video a week after. The song employed minimalistic orchestration with only a guitar and a string quartet. She followed with the second single "Bluebirds" on 29 July 2021, in cooperation with Ricky Ho and the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra.
On 6 August 2021, Chua released her third single "Photographs" in collaboration with Italian-French singer, model, and France's former first lady Carla Bruni. The song is in English and Mandarin with Bruni singing a few lines in Mandarin, with guidance from Chua.[5]
On 12 August 2021, Chua released her fourth single "Romanticism", followed by the release of her full album Depart the following day.
Track listing[edit]
All tracks are composed and produced by Tanya Chua.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bluebirds" | Tanya Chua | 5:35 |
| 2. | "Breakdown" | Xiaohan | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Into The Wild (featuring Ayanga)" | Chow Yiu-fai (周耀輝) | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Depart" (出走) | Chua | 4:16 |
| 5. | "那些小事情" | Chua | 4:23 |
| 6. | "Ex-Love Song" (舊情歌) | Chua | 3:44 |
| 7. | "Everything of Everything" (全部的所有) | Chua | 3:15 |
| 8. | "Photographs (featuring Carla Bruni)" | Chua | 3:54 |
| 9. | "Romanticism" (讓浪漫作主) | David Ke (葛大為) | 4:10 |
| 10. | "Om Tara" | Chua | 4:14 |
| Total length: | 41:20 | ||
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Award | Nomination | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Album of the Year – Vocal category | Depart | Won |
| Song of the Year – Vocal category | "Bluebirds" | Nominated |
| Best Mandarin Album – Vocal category | Depart | Won |
| Best Composition – Vocal category | "Bluebirds" | Nominated |
| Best Lyrics – Vocal category | Chow Yiu-fai for "Into the Wild" | Nominated |
| Producer of the Year, Album – Vocal category | Depart | Nominated |
| Best Mandarin Female Singer – Vocal category | Won | |
| Best Vocal Recording Album – Technical category | Won |
References[edit]
- ^ "博客來-蔡健雅 /《Depart》預購版". 22 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "終於踏出那一步！蔡健雅無預警曝光喜訊 公司驚：變積極了 | 娛樂星聞". 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "Singaporean singer-songwriter Tanya Chua lands 8 nominations at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards". CNA Lifestyle. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ TTV. "THE 33rd Golden Melody Awards – Nomination". gma.tavis.tw. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ a b Auto, Hermes (8 August 2021). "Tanya Chua sings with France's former first lady Carla Bruni in new song | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ Tan, Celine. "Singer-Songwriter Tanya Chua on How Quarantine Inspired Her New Album". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ 中時新聞網. "蔡健雅《Depart》回歸自彈自唱 – 娛樂新聞". 中時新聞網 (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 July 2022.
