What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

I started performing on stage at a very early age, and had won many awards at singing competitions when I was still a child. So all my peers regarded me as a musical talent and encouraged me to pursue music as a career. I then started professional vocal training from junior high school, all the way up to college. After graduating from college, I went to the US for a master’s degree in vocal performance, focusing on the classical bel canto technique. I’ve always been enjoying making and performing great music for other people, as I believe music is a genuine way of communicating with others.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

My latest release, Precious, contains three tracks composed by myself that cover multiple genres: pop, EDM, RnB, and hip-hop. The three songs are:

(1) The title track, Precious, blends contemporary Western melodies with traditional Eastern harmonies with its infectious choruses, dynamic hooks, and danceable melodies. It is a song that is high-energy, up-beat, and delivers a very strong, positive message people need to hear these days.

(2) Rain on the Window is a down-beat love song ballad that resolves around the theme of safety, comfort, and connection. The border-line operatic vocal approach fills the listening space and makes this track a full-sounding, dynamic track worthy of any hall, club, or headphone mix.

(3) Struggle is a song that combines hip-hop with operatic elements innovatively and seamlessly. The refreshing melodies combined with two nicely-blended vocals make this track unique enough to be enjoyed by a diverse audience.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

Music-wise, my main influences are my professors and vocal coaches, as I learned original operatic singing techniques from them. Non-music-wise, my main influence is my mom, who exposed me to traditional Chinese music when I was young and initiated me into the world of music.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

I would describe my voice as unique as I mastered many different kinds of vocal techniques. I can sing in different styles – pop, jazz, classical, and so on. I would say that my voice has multiple layers and can convey many types of emotions and feelings.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Album: Orange Jasmine by Jay Chou

Movie: Harry Potter series

Book: A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

I prefer performing live on stage because it’s a lot more fun to see people’s real reactions as I perform. Whenever I see my audience enjoy my performance, I get really excited and show the best version of myself.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

I used to believe I was a soprano for many years, but then I realized that I was actually a mezzo-soprano! Since then I finally found repertoire that was suitable for my voice and made me realize how important (and difficult) to really know myself as a vocalist.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

I think it is my title track Precious. I’ve always been trying to combine interesting music elements from eastern and western music together, and in this song I used traditional Chinese instruments Erhu and Guzheng in the instrumental. It is a really cool EDM track with refreshing eastern melodies.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

I plan to collaborate with other musicians and explore more interesting music concepts. I also have several performances scheduled in the near future where I will perform my new tracks for the first time!

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

If you’re interested in music that is refreshing and unique, don’t hesitate to check out my albums Liunique and Precious! More fresh music from me is on the way. Stay tuned!

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

Recommended listening:

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Connect with Celestine Liu:

Social media: https://www.instagram.com/celestine.liu

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4EuwC1OSBQIpGyrXpSRzB4?si=AdchsWrLT62z-PmC2sXknw