1019 (album)

Last updated
1019
Jolin Tsai-Jolin1019-cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 10, 1999 (1999-09-10)
Genre Pop
Length42:59
Label
  • Universal
  • D Sound
Producer
Jolin Tsai chronology
1019
(1999)
Don't Stop
(2000)
Singles from 1019
  1. "The Rose"
    Released: September 1999 (1999-09)
  2. "I Know You're Feeling Blue"
    Released: September 1999 (1999-09)

1019 is the debut studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on September 10, 1999, by Universal and D Sound. [1] The album was produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, and Paul Lee, blending elements of pop music with hip-hop, R&B, and world music. [2] This fusion showcased Tsai's musical talent and versatility. [3]

Contents

The album received widespread critical acclaim, with critics noting that its youthful charm filled the gap for a "girl-next-door" type of idol in Taiwan's music scene at the time. Tsai's combination of idol appeal and vocal prowess, along with the album's high-quality production, helped launch her into stardom. [2] [4] 1019 sold over 450,000 copies in Taiwan, cementing Tsai's status as a breakout star. [5]

Background and development

In May 1998, Tsai participated in the singing competition program co-organized by MTV Mandarin and Sony. [6] She stood out by performing English songs and ultimately won first place in the singing category. Judge Wawa Chen remarked, "She [Tsai] is truly a born singer; she sings with her natural talent." Judge Lee Cheng-fan also stated, "I think it would be a great pleasure to help her make an album." [7]

In March 1999, Tsai signed a contract with Universal and became one of the label's key newcomers for the year. [8] Following the signing, Universal arranged a series of training sessions for her over the course of six months. These included bi-weekly dance lessons to enhance her stage performance skills, bi-weekly makeup courses to help her manage her appearance during busy schedules or interviews, and language training to prepare her for media interactions. Additionally, Universal arranged for her to observe live performances by international artists in locations such as Ireland and the United States. [9]

Sam Chen of Universal recalled that he decided to sign Tsai after watching just 30 seconds of her competition footage. He explained, "The first time I saw her [Tsai] was in the video from the competition. The manager told me about this young girl reading a book quietly offstage. She was in her school uniform—she was still in high school—and she had excellent English. 10 minutes before going on stage, she quickly changed out of her school uniform and into the performance outfit. It was as if two completely different people had appeared on stage. She shone brightly, and the girl offstage was almost unrecognizable. I thought to myself, this is definitely a star. So, I signed her right then." [10]

On July 16, 1999, Tsai released her debut single, "Living with the World", which became the theme song for the annual 7-Eleven advertising campaign in Taiwan. [11] This single also served as a preview of her upcoming first studio album, which was scheduled for release in September of the same year. [12]

Writing and recording

Tsai covered Bette Midler's "The Rose" on the album BetteMidler90cropped.jpg
Tsai covered Bette Midler's "The Rose" on the album

The album's first single, "The Rose", and the track, "Good-Bye", were both recorded at the Quad Studios in New York City. For these tracks, Tsai invited eight African American backing vocalists to provide harmonies, adding a powerful, choir-like intensity to the songs.

The second single, "I Know You're Feeling Blue", as well as the tracks "Blame It on the Age" and "Emptiness", are all emotive ballads with strong commercial appeal. The young Tsai showcased a rare maturity and vocal finesse in interpreting these songs.

The track "Out on the Street" is a reinterpretation of the song "A Song Story" by South Korean group Idol, and features a complex, high-energy hip-hop dance beat. Additionally, the tracks "Who Are You" and "Living with the World" further demonstrated Tsai's versatility in her vocal performance and ability to interpret a wide range of musical styles. [3]

Title and artwork

The title of the album, "1019", is a play on words. The "10" sounds like "I-lin", which is her name, while the "19" refers to her age at the time, 19 years old. [13] The album's overall theme centers around a fresh, shy "girl-next-door" image, which is reflected in the cover art—a melancholic profile of Tsai. [2]

Universal positioned Tsai, who demonstrated strong vocal ability, as an idol singer. [9] Sam Chen from the label recalled, "I immediately positioned her as a 'boy-killer.' I had her start learning dance, and I arranged her first fan meeting at the best high school in Taiwan, Chien Kuo High School, which was an all-boys school. When she went there, she became incredibly popular. At that moment, I knew that the 'boy-killer' concept was right, and I had her continue learning dance, eventually going from a beginner to where she is today." [10]

The album's first image was of Tsai dressed in a white long gown, emphasizing her 19-year-old, studious, and music-loving persona. Later, she adopted a healthier and sexier look with a midriff-baring outfit, showcasing her more energetic and lively side. [2] Universal described Tsai as having a "dual personality" when they first met her: "On the surface, she was shy, quiet, and diligent in her studies, but she also had tattoos that reflected a more rebellious, modern persona. On stage, she was expressive and confident. The combination of the shy, obedient girl and the energetic spirit of a new generation made her incredibly unique." [9]

Release and promotion

The album's first edition included 10 tracks along with instrumental versions of two of the songs. On September 11, 1999, Tsai held the album's launch events in Kaohsiung and Taichung, where a limited "Special Commemorative" edition was sold exclusively at the events. The following day, on September 12, she hosted another album release event in Taipei.

To celebrate the album's sales exceeding 200,000 copies in Taiwan, Universal released a new "Celebration" edition on October 15, 1999. This edition consolidated the 10 tracks into a single CD and included a bonus photo book titled Life Photobook, though the two instrumental tracks from the original edition were omitted.

On December 4, 1999, Tsai held her 1019 I Can Concert in Taipei. Later, on December 13, Universal released another new "Re-Celebration" edition to mark the album surpassing 350,000 copies sold in Taiwan. This edition included six music videos and a documentary short film, 1019 Universal Highlights.

To further commemorate the album's success, Universal released another new "Back-to-School Celebration" edition on January 15, 2000, in honor of the album reaching over 400,000 copies sold in Taiwan. This edition combined the contents of the previous two special editions.

Tsai released two singles from the album: "The Rose" and "I Know You're Feeling Blue". Both music videos were directed by Chou Ko-tai, with "I Know You're Feeling Blue" reaching number 30 on Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles chart in 1999. [14] The music video for "Blame It on the Age" was directed by Marlboro Lai, with Lin Yo-wei making a guest appearance. Additionally, the music videos for "Good-Bye" and "Emptiness" were directed by Tony Lin.

Critical reception

Tencent Entertainment 's critic, Shuwa, commented: "The ten songs on Jolin Tsai's debut album, while relatively conventional compared to her later works, still served as a successful introduction to her career. As the first album meant to establish her name, it only needed one song that could truly resonate with the audience to be considered a success. "I Know You're Feeling Blue", composed by Jimmy Ye, perfectly showcased Jolin Tsai's image as a sweet and delicate young girl. In terms of the album's overall theme, both the fast and slow songs stayed true to the 'girl-next-door' sentiment, filling a gap in the Taiwanese Mandopop scene, which lacked a local artist with this particular image at the time. As a result, Jolin Tsai rose to stardom. Of course, the success of this album also owes much to the excellent production work of producers David Wu, Peter Lee, and Paul Lee, particularly the Lee brothers, who made significant contributions to Jolin Tsai's subsequent works." [2]

Sina Hong Kong 's review stated: "Nineteen-year-old Jolin Tsai from Taiwan made her debut in the music scene after participating in competition. Her appearance was often compared to actress Ruby Lin, while her vocal technique was more akin to a skilled singer. With an R&B-infused singing style, she clearly had solid vocal foundations. Most of the songs on the album also carry R&B influences, though they are somewhat mainstream and lack a distinctive edge. Nonetheless, every track is of a certain quality, and combined with Jolin Tsai's appearance and vocal abilities, this album remains one of the more competitive releases by a new artist in Taiwan that year."

Accolades

With this album, Tsai won several prestigious awards, including the UFO People's Choice Award for Favorite New Artist (Bronze), [15] the China Music Award for Favorite Female New Artist, [16] the Singapore Hit Award for Best New Artist (Gold), [17] the Top Music Chard Award for Best New Artist, [18] and the TVB8 Mandarin Music On Demand Award for Best New Artist (Silver). [19] Additionally, her song "I Know You're Feeling Blue" won the UFO People's Choice Award for Most Played Song. [15]

Track listing

1019 – Standard / Special Commemorative edition (CD 1)
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Because of You"Julian Yu Peter Lee 4:40
2."I Know You're Feeling Blue" (我知道你很難過)Kiki Hu Jimmy Ye David Wu4:24
3."Guessing" (猜想)Daryl YaoDavid Wu4:15
4."Who Are You" (你是誰)Julian YuJose Manuel Lopez MolesDavid Wu4:09
5."Living with the World" (和世界做鄰居)Chuang Ching-wenRonald Ng
  • Peter Lee
  • Paul Lee
3:56
6."Out on the Street" (上街)Mao MaoJun Young-hunDavid Wu3:49
7."Blame It on the Age" (怪我太年輕)Eric LinMichael TuDavid Wu4:44
8."Good-Bye"
  • Mao Mao
  • Joe Lai
Keith ChanDavid Wu4:46
9."Emptiness" (空白)Chuang Ching-wenChervun LiewPeter Lee3:52
10."I Know You're Feeling Blue" (instrumental)   4:24
Total length:42:59
1019 – Standard / Special Commemorative edition (CD 2)
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."The Rose" Amanda McBroom Amanda McBroomDavid Wu4:20
2."The Rose" (instrumental)   4:20
Total length:8:40
1019 – Celebration / Re-Celebration / Back-to-School Celebration / Reissue edition (CD)
No.TitleLength
1."The Rose"4:20
2."Because of You"4:40
3."I Know You're Feeling Blue"4:24
4."Guessing"4:15
5."Who Are You"4:09
6."Living with the World"3:56
7."Out on the Street"3:49
8."Blame It on the Age"4:44
9."Good-Bye"4:46
10."Emptiness"3:52
Total length:42:55
1019 – Re-Celebration / Back-to-School Celebration edition (VCD)
No.TitleLength
1."I Know You're Feeling Blue" (music video)5:10
2."The Rose" (music video)5:05
3."Blame It on the Age" (music video)4:44
4."Emptiness" (music video)3:47
5."Living with the World" (music video)3:53
6."Good-Bye" (music video)4:41
7."1019 Universal Highlights"10:02
Total length:37:22

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)EditionDistributor
ChinaSeptember 10, 1999StandardMeika
IndonesiaCassette Universal
Malaysia
  • CD
  • cassette
Taiwan
  • 2CD
  • 2 cassette
September 11, 19992CDSpecial Commemorative
October 15, 1999CDCelebration
December 13, 1999CD+VCD Re-Celebration
January 15, 2000Back-to-School Celebration
March 25, 2005CDReissue

Related Research Articles

<i>J-Game</i> 2005 studio album by Jolin Tsai

J-Game is the seventh studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Sony BMG on April 25, 2005. The album was produced by Jamie Hsueh, Jack Chou, Bing Wang, and Adia, blending elements of pop music with hip-hop, electronic, old-school, disco, and Chinese-style sounds.

<i>Dancing Diva</i> 2006 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Dancing Diva is the eighth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on May 12, 2006, by EMI and Mars. The album was produced by Adia, Paul Lee, Peter Lee, Paula Ma, Yuri Chan, and Stanley Huang. Rooted in pop and electronic music, the album features a diverse range of musical styles.

<i>Agent J</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Agent J is the ninth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on September 21, 2007, by EMI and Mars. The album was produced by Lars Quang, Nik Quang, RnG, Adia, Paul Lee, Michael Lin, Paula Ma, and Jamie Hsueh. The album received mixed reviews from critics. While it was praised for Tsai's bold experimentation and diverse musical styles, some critics felt it lacked freshness and memorable melodies.

<i>J-Top</i> 2006 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

J-Top is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Sony BMG on May 5, 2006. The album includes 20 tracks from Tsai's releases during her time with Sony, along with four music videos, one documentary, one remix medley, and two previously unreleased songs. The album achieved commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies in Taiwan and ranking as the fifth best-selling album of the year in Taiwan in 2006.

<i>Butterfly</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2009 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Butterfly is the tenth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on March 27, 2009, by Warner and Mars. The album was produced by Adia, Paul Lee, Peter Lee, and Paula Ma.

<i>Castle</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2004 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Castle is the sixth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on February 27, 2004 by Sony. The album was produced by Bing Wang, Peter Lee, Jay Chou, Jamie Hsueh, Huang Yi, and G-Power. It incorporates a wide range of musical styles, blending elements of pop, hip hop, Latin, chanson, heavy metal, and British rock. The album received widespread critical acclaim and is regarded as a significant milestone in Tsai's continued success in the Chinese-language music industry.

<i>Myself</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2010 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Myself is the eleventh studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Warner and Mars on August 13, 2010. The album is centered around the concept of "party", with dance tracks making up approximately 80% of its content. It was produced by Andrew Chen, Adia, and Paula Ma.

<i>Dont Stop</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2000 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Don't Stop is the second studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on April 26, 2000, by Universal and D Sound. The album was produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, Paul Lee, and Wei Chen, and it blends various musical elements including pop, hip-hop, rock, reggae, and R&B. The album showcased Tsai's vocal delivery with greater range and maturity.

<i>Show Your Love</i> 2000 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Show Your Love is the third studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on December 22, 2000, by Universal and D Sound. The album was produced by David Wu, Peter Lee, Paul Lee, Chen Wei, and Jae Chong. It features diverse musical styles and showcases a more mature vocal performance from Tsai.

<i>Magic</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2003 studio album by Jolin Tsai

Magic is the fifth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released on March 7, 2003, by Sony. The album was produced by a team including Bing Wang, Peter Lee, Jamie Hsueh, Jay Chou, and Huang Yi, blending a variety of musical styles such as pop, disco, funk, folk, hip-hop, and British rock.

<i>Jeneration</i> 2009 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

Jeneration is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Gold Typhoon and Mars on February 27, 2009. The album features 27 tracks from Tsai's time with EMI, along with 3 previously unreleased songs.

<i>J9</i> (album) 2004 compilation album by Jolin Tsai

J9 is a compilation album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Sony on November 12, 2004. The album includes two new songs and nine remixed tracks.

<i>Final Wonderland</i> 2007 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

Final Wonderland is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Sony BMG on September 19, 2007. The album compiles 40 tracks from Tsai's time with Sony, including 22 music videos and two remix medleys.

<i>Ultimate</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2012 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

Ultimate is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai. It was released by Sony on August 28, 2012. The album includes 30 tracks and 10 music videos from Tsai's time with Sony and Universal.

<i>Dance Collection</i> 2001 remix album by Jolin Tsai

Dance Collection is a remix album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Universal and D Sound on April 2, 2002. The album features remixed versions of 12 tracks from Tsai's time with Universal.

<i>Born to Be a Star</i> (album) 2004 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

Born to Be a Star is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai. It was released by Universal and D Sound on November 12, 2004. The album features 29 tracks from Tsai's time with Universal, along with 15 music videos.

<i>The Age of Innocence</i> (album) 2003 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

The Age of Innocence is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai. It was released by Universal and D Sound on March 14, 2003. The album features a selection of 30 songs from Tsai's early years with Universal, spanning her releases from 1999 to 2001.

<i>Together</i> (Jolin Tsai album) 2001 greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai

Together is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Universal and D Sound on November 6, 2001. The album features 16 tracks from Tsai's time with Universal, along with 14 music videos and behind-the-scenes footage from the production of her album Lucky Number (2001).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J1 World Tour</span> 2004–2006 concert tour by Jolin Tsai

The J1 World Tour is the first concert tour by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai. The tour began on August 7, 2004, at Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai, China, and concluded on April 22, 2006, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, United States. Spanning 1 year and 9 months, the tour included 8 performances across 7 cities worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dancing Diva (song)</span> 2006 single by Jolin Tsai

"Dancing Diva" is a song by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, featured on her eighth studio album, Dancing Diva. It was written by Miriam Nervo, Olivia Nervo, Greg Kurstin, and Issac Chen, and produced by Adia. It was released as a single from Dancing Diva on April 26, 2006, by EMI and Mars.

References

  1. "蔡依林出道满10年 感谢歌迷陪伴走过低潮-搜狐音乐". music.yule.sohu.com. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "蔡依林十年音乐路①:环球时期"少男杀手"_娱乐_腾讯网". 2009-03-30. Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  3. 1 2 "1019 - 專輯介紹 - 音樂". KISSRADIO - 大眾廣播 FM99.9. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  4. "娱乐首页_内容中心_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  5. 【蔡依林 Jolin】嗨、什麼樣的愛@Super Live 3-5 (2000-07-09) , retrieved 2022-10-30
  6. "關於蔡依林10個小秘密!從內向女孩到霸氣的亞洲天后故事太勵志,她說:跌倒過的人,比較幸福!". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 2022-06-29. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  7. 蔡依林Jolin《1019》全紀錄 , retrieved 2022-10-30
  8. 蕭志傑 (2021-07-04). "【我眼中的大明星】堅持不對嘴 唱走音的蔡依林哭了". 鏡週刊 Mirror Media (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  9. 1 2 3 "娱乐首页_内容中心_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  10. 1 2 "陈泽杉:主动不签约孙燕姿 30秒决定签蔡依林_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  11. 娛樂星聞 (2021-07-02). "蔡依林出道嫩照曝 憶天后努力史:能紅超過20年真的不多 | 娛樂星聞". star.setn.com (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  12. 蔡依林, 和世界做鄰居 (in Chinese (China)), retrieved 2024-11-10
  13. "潘玮柏发新片,蔡依林首专21年,S.H.E出道19年_腾讯新闻". 2021-06-08. Archived from the original on 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  14. "Hitoradio‧Hit Fm --華人音樂入口指標". www.hitoradio.com. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  15. 1 2 【蔡依林 Jolin】勁碟民選大賞 , retrieved 2022-10-30
  16. "第六届华语榜中榜获奖名单(1999年)". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  17. "第十九届《新加坡金曲奖》 Singapore Hit Awards 2014 - Past Winners". 2017-05-25. Archived from the original on 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  18. 【蔡依林 Jolin】1999音樂風雲榜外榜 最佳新人 , retrieved 2022-10-30
  19. "TVB8金曲榜頒獎典禮歷屆得獎名單 - tvb.com". 2011-10-06. Archived from the original on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2022-10-30.