The fifth season of China’s most popular variety show, Sisters Who Make Waveshas thrust Taiwan singer Jeannie Hsieh – known as the Queen of Taiwanese Electronic Music – back into the limelight.
After rising to fame at 15, releasing 18 albums and winning two Golden Melody Awards, Hsieh, who is also known by her Chinese name Jinyan Xie, was involved in a life-threatening car accident and inherited massive gambling debts from her father.
Now, at the age of 49, she has made a triumphant return to the stage, captivating audiences once again.
Who is she?
Born in 1974, she started her show business career at the age of 15 when she won a Legs Beauty Contest on a variety show.
Hsieh went on to win the Best Taiwanese Female Singer award at the Golden Melody Awards twice, first in 2007 for her album Provocative and again in 2012 for The Crescent Moon.
She earned the title Queen of Taiwanese Electronic Music among the media and her fans for her style, which combines techno and hip-hop, often in Taiwanese Hokkien and sometimes incorporating Mandarin, Cantonese and English.
In 2014, her song Sister was nominated for Best Song at the 25th Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.
The track, a nostalgic anthem for many, is still a karaoke favorite across China.
Life hurdles
Hsieh’s career has been a roller coaster of highs and lows, particularly marked by a car crash when she was only 17.
It happened two years after her debut, when she was about to make her mark in the entertainment industry.
The 1991 accident left her with extensive injuries, including spinal displacement, multiple bone fractures, a shattered pelvis, severe pulmonary edema and facial damage.
Doctors warned her she might have to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
While she was slowly recovering, fate dealt her another severe blow.
Her father – a well-known television host in Taiwan and notorious gambler – accumulated massive debts, which he left to his injured daughter to deal with after he died in 2017.
With remarkable grit and determination, she underwent a lengthy rehabilitation process, which eventually enabled her to step back into the spotlight once again.
Making waves
Sisters Who Make Waves is one of China’s hottest reality shows.
It celebrates female empowerment by inviting female artists over 30 to appear on stage and share their life stories.
Jeannie’s life story is seen as a perfect embodiment of the show’s theme.
Fans had been advocating for her participation since the first season, and were delighted when, in the fifth season, she appeared on stage.
At the age of 49, she performed her iconic hit Sister for her initial solo appearance. This time, her performance not only showcased her lyrics, music ability and dance moves, it also served to highlight her indomitable spirit.
The audience was captivated.
“I really want to challenge myself, and I don’t know how much longer I can carry on dancing. With my fighting spirit, I will definitely make it to the end,” she told Mango TV, the company that broadcasts the show.
“I’m 50 years old, and if I can do this, so can you!” she told the audience.
Tags: Taiwan Queen Electronic Music Jeannie Hsieh survives car crash pays fathers debts reignites career
