Taiwanese songstress A-mei, known as the Queen of Taiwanese ballads, returned to the stage after a 9-year hiatus. On the evening of October 5th, she performed at the National Day celebration concert for the Republic of China at Taipei Arena. A-mei delighted the audience with a medley of hits such as “Embrace Tight” and “Home”, as well as the classic “Sweet Honey”. Her performance, lasting about 20 minutes, showcased her exceptional vocal prowess, leaving the 20,000 attendees spellbound. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause after her performance, bringing A-mei to tears of joy.
For the show on the 5th, A-mei rehearsed from the evening of the 4th until 4 am on the 5th. As dawn approached, she sipped on coffee and jokingly told reporters, “I don’t plan on sleeping. I’ll catch some shut-eye after the show. If I can still sing well today, then I must be born to be a singer.”
After the rehearsal, A-mei returned home to review and refine every detail of her performance with her team. She stayed up all night to prepare, planning to catch up on rest after the show.
Days before her comeback performance, A-mei had a slight cold but quickly recovered with medication and rest. Just before taking the stage, she received a recording from Jay Chou’s elder daughter, Hathaway, who sweetly encouraged her with words like, “Auntie, you sound great no matter what you sing.” A-mei was deeply touched by the gesture.
At the age of 63, A-mei had been on hiatus for 9 years before making her highly anticipated return. In a handwritten letter on September 10th, she revealed her battle with cancer in 2015 and the challenges it posed to her health and voice over the years. Her triumphant return to the stage was met with relief and joy from fans and the entertainment industry.
A-mei, whose real name is Jiang Shuhui, started her music career in the 1980s alongside her sister Jiang Shuna. Together, they released around 60 albums and A-mei herself won the prestigious Golden Melody Award four times. In a press conference on January 2, 2015, A-mei announced a series of farewell concerts titled “Blessing” before retiring from the music industry, shocking fans and the entertainment world.