A tribute to wanderlust

Chinese singer and songwriter Cao Fang

It took three years for Cao Fang to produce her latest album Wanderlust, which was released in October. After 2012, the Chinese singer and songwriter spent a year traveling the world, reaching as far afield as the Arctic Circle.

She spent two years after that in her hometown in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, growing tea in the mountains and making friends with local ceramics artists.

Before 2012, she had already become one of the favorite folk musicians of more art-and-literature focused audiences, with four full-length albums and four EPs under her belt.

She had also won a number of awards such as Best Album and Best Song on the Chinese mainland and Best Composer and Best Singer Songwriter by China's Music Radio.

Her poetic lyrics and independent spirit revealed through her songs have made her name a synonym for freedom, passion and warmth.

For Wanderlust, Cao brings a vibrant diversity of music styles into the mix by collaborating with a number of musicians, including indie pop band The LifeJourney, and rock band Soundtoy.

On November 22, Cao will share her stories and songs from the new album at Qianshuiwan Culture Center. The Global Times talked with her on the phone in the run-up to the gig.

GT: What made you decide to return to Xishuangbanna in 2013?

CF: I didn't plan to go back, and it just happened very naturally. Before 2013, I'd worked for a very long time away from home. I'd traveled to a lot of places, I'd tried things that I wanted to do. I'd made independent music and become an independent music producer, which was received well by the public. I wanted to go back to my hometown, to my roots. Once I returned, I found life there was so pure, I would only do things that I liked. It was very different from life in Beijing, where I had to do things no matter whether I liked them or not.

GT: You grew tea and made ceramics, how did you feel when you were doing that?

CF: I started growing tea not because I love drinking tea, but because I loved being in a tea garden. That was a quiet place with fresh air, and could only be accessed through narrow stone paths. I met many artisans there, and their attitude toward life really touched me.

There were a couple ceramic makers who only earned a wage of 800 yuan ($125.76) per month, but still everyday happily spent as much time as they could dealing with clay.

I knew then that when people are doing their favorite things, they feel ultimate satisfaction and nothing else can distract them from their happiness.

As for me, a songwriter, I felt I should spend more time feeling the moments of life rather than forcing myself to compile an album as soon as possible. So it took three years for me to bring out this album.

Sometimes when you become quiet and peaceful, you become more open to your surroundings, and that's how inspiration comes.

GT: What do you want to express through the new album?

CF: Actually, on this album, only a few of the songs are about life in Xishuangbanna. Many are about life in big cities. It's interesting that when I was in Beijing I created songs about mountains and idyllic life, and after I returned to Xishuangbanna, I found myself more capable of reflecting upon urban life.

There are some gloomy aspects of urban life revealed in this album, such as in The Last Camel, people are squeezed to breathe in cities and live like a tolerant camel that only needs a drop of water to survive.

I think that people should go wandering. Because a person's experience at a fixed place with a fixed crowd of friends is limited, and when they go out, new things will bring out some unknown treasure in them.

I think we should embrace variety and diversity in life and keep passionate about it, because passion is so important in countering the pressure and competition in life, which often make people numb.

Date: November 22, 7:30 pm

Venue: Qianshuiwan Culture Center 浅水湾文化艺术中心

Address: 179 Yichang Road

宜昌路179号

Tickets: 120 yuan ($18.86) for presale, 200 yuan at door

Call 6266-1110 for details

China Drifting Festival

A poster for the festival

China Drifting Festival aims to introduce the latest and most special Chinese artistic talents, including musicians and visual artists, to the wider world. As well as overseas events, it also brings Chinese and foreign bands together in China to perform alongside each other in different cities.

On November 20, MAO Livehouse Shanghai will welcome German band Brandt Brauer Frick, Chinese band Re-tros, and Swiss band None of Them for the Shanghai stop of China Drifting Festival.

Beijing-based artistic collective 8GG will also be on hand to create stunning visuals for the event.

Date: November 20, 9 pm

Venue: MAO Livehouse Shanghai

Address: 3/F, 308 Chongqing Road South

重庆南路308号3楼

Tickets: 150 yuan for presale, 180 yuan at door

Call 6445-0086 for details

The Chieftains return

A poster for the concert Photos: Courtesy of the venues and event organizers

It's been 30 years since Irish band The Chieftains last visited Shanghai. Since they came together in 1962, the band has become a leading force in reviving time-honored Irish music and bringing it to worldwide audiences.

Fiddle, flute and whistle, uilleann pipes, and bodhrán drum are just some of the traditional instruments to appear in the band's compositions and create a distinctive Irish aura.

The band features Paddy Moloney on uilleann pipes, tin whistle and button accordion; Seán Keane on fiddle and tin whistle; Kevin Conneff on bodhrán and vocals; and Matt Molloy on flute and tin whistle.

Crowned as "Ireland's Musical Ambassador" by the Irish government in 1989, the band has won six Grammy awards and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by BBC Radio in 2002.

Date: November 18, 7:30 pm

Venue: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall

上海交响乐团音乐厅

Address: 1380 Fuxing Road Middle

复兴中路1380号

Tickets: 80 yuan to 680 yuan

Call 400-821-0522 for details