- Alan Dawa Dolma
-
Alan Dawa Dolma 
Alan at the Tokyo Game Show 2008Chinese name 阿蘭·達瓦卓瑪 (Traditional) Chinese name 阿兰·达瓦卓玛 (Simplified) Pinyin Ālán Dáwǎzhuōmǎ (Mandarin) Jyutping A3laan4 Daat6nga5coek3ma5 (Cantonese) Ancestry Khampa Tibetan Origin Chengdu, Sichuan, China Born July 25, 1987
Garze Tibetan A.P., Sichuan, ChinaOther name(s) ཨ་ལན་ཟླ་བ་སྒྲོལ་མ་ (Tibetan)
a lan zla ba sgrol ma (Wylie)
Alan Dawa Dolma (THDL)
Alan Dawa Zhoima (Tibetan pinyin)Occupation Singer Genre(s) Pop
Mandopop
Ethereal WaveInstrument(s) Erhu
PianoVoice type(s) Soprano Label(s) Avex Trax Years active 2005-present Official Website www.alan-web.jp Alan Dawa Dolma (Tibetan: ཨ་ལན་ཟླ་བ་སྒྲོལ་མ་; simplified Chinese: 阿兰·达瓦卓玛; traditional Chinese: 阿蘭·達瓦卓瑪; pinyin: Ālán Dáwǎzhuōmǎ; born on July 25, 1987), professionally known as Alan (stylized as alan) (Japanese: アラン, Chinese: 阿兰 or 阿蘭), is a female Tibetan-Chinese singer active in the Japanese music industry[1].
Discovered by Avex Trax at an audition in China in 2006, she made her debut in Japan the following year. Her main producer and composer is Kazuhito Kikuchi and she is also known for playing the erhu.[2]
In 2009, her ninth Japanese single "Kuon no Kawa" debuted at #3 on the Oricon weekly charts, the highest ever by a singer from China.[3]
Contents
Biography
Early life
Alan is a native of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, China and her native tongue is Kham Ke.
Alan was born in Kangding to a large family, her father had ten siblings and her mother had eight[2]. She grew up with her grandparents in nearby Danba, often referred to as "Beauty Valley".[4] The name "Alan", which is in fact her official surname, is a self-created shortened form of a combination of the sinified Tibetan names of her parents Atu and Lantai. Her given name "Dawa Dolma" was bestowed upon her by a Buddhist monk and means "Heavenly maiden of the moon" in Tibetan.[2] Alan's father was a local government official and her mother was a singer in the local Art Troupe.
She was made to play the erhu at an early age as a punishment for tomboy behavior[2],[5] and in 1997 left her hometown to live with in aunt and study at the Affiliated Middle & High School of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, after ranking first in the erhu audition as a fourth grader.
In 2003 she was accepted to the PLA Art Academy in Beijing and double majored in vocal music and erhu. Playing the erhu, she performed traditional Chinese music with a group of girls at the 2006 gala performance near Cairo, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Egypt diplomatic ties.[6]
During this time, Alan performed as a singer throughout China and discovered the pop music of Faye Wong, Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau[2]. In 2005 she released her first Chinese album, Sheng Sheng Zui Ru Lan, covering 13 songs by more established C-pop singers, which helped her reduce her student debt burden to her parents.
In October 2006, selected to represent mainland China together with Wei Chen (with whom she later collaborated for Jia You! Ni You Me!), Alan won second place at the 9th Asia New Singer Competition,[7] narrowly losing to Filipina singer Maria Donna Taneo by 0.005 points.
Career
Avex Era
In April 2006, Alan distinguished herself from roughly 40,000 hopefuls when Avex Trax held auditions throughout Chinese cities that year. After graduating with excellence a year later, she became Avex's first signed artist from China and moved to Tokyo, Japan in September 2007. In November 2007, her first Japanese single "Ashita e no Sanka" was released.
In May 2008, Alan released Shiawase no Kane/Ai Jiu Shi Shou and all profits from the songs were donated to the Red Cross to help the victims of the Sichuan Earthquake in her home province.[8] A later Japanese single titled Gunjō no Tani was also dedicated to the people of Sichuan.
In June 2008, Alan sang the theme song "Natsukashii Mirai (Longing Future)" for NHK's Save the Future special TV programs which raised awareness of the environment nationwide. Beginning with this song, which was themed on earth, Alan's next five Japanese singles each dealt with a traditional Buddhist element from the Japanese Godai or Tibetan Bön.
Chosen to sing the theme songs (Xin Zhan: Red Cliff and Chi Bi: Da Jiang Dong Qu) of the two-episode Chinese blockbuster Red Cliff, Alan performed at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008.[9] The Japanese versions, "Red Cliff (Shin-Sen)" and "Kuon no Kawa", were recorded for the films' showings in Japan.
In April 2009 Alan's ninth single "Kuon no Kawa" [River of Eternity] reached No. 3, the highest chart placement ever for a Chinese artist in Japan.[2]
Alan held her first Japan tour in January 2010, taking in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.[2]
On February 3, 2010, Alan released a double A-side single, "Diamond/Over the Clouds". "Diamond" was used as the second closing to the anime Inuyasha: The Final Act.[10] While "Over the Clouds" was used as the theme song for the PSP video game, God Eater.[11]
On July 23, 2010 Alan performed with a symphonic orchestra at Shibuya Orchard Hall, performing 23 songs in multiple languages. She also began using Twitter to communicate directly with fans.[1]
In August 2011 alan announced that she will be focus her activites in China. She held a live in August 31 2011 in Japan. In October was announced that alan Chinese label, Avex China, dissolved and she was transfered to Yuehua Music.
Her first single under the new label called "Wo hui hua lei (I'm back)" was released as digital single in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and was composed by JJ Lin.
Vocal Technique
In addition to Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, Alan also sings in Tibetan, especially in her native Kham Ke (e.g. "sign" in Hitotsu and "Tennyo ~interlude~" in Voice of Earth). One distinctive singing style of Alan's is the so-called "Tibetan wail", where she is able to stretch her vocals for a long period of time at very high notes. She has said her singing style is instinctive and is unique to her tribe.[2]
In addition to erhu, Alan can also play the piano. She has recently started composing her own songs (e.g. "Together" in Voice of Earth).
Alan is a Tibetan Buddhist[12] and aims to sing about "love and peace".[13]
Discography
Japanese Discography
Studio albums
Year Title Daily peak Weekly peak Sales 2009 Voice of Earth 10 15 25,025 My Life 8 16 21,065 Japanese compilation albums
Year Title Daily peak Weekly peak Sales 2011 Japan Premium Best & More 11 15 9,957 Singles
Year Title Daily peak Weekly peak Sales Album 2007 "Ashita e no Sanka" — 69 4,729 Voice of Earth 2008 "Hitotsu" — 100 1,486 "Natsukashii Mirai (Longing Future)" 13 19 10,267 "Sora Uta" 19 34 4,537 "Kaze no Tegami" 25 34 3,914 "Red Cliff (Shin-Sen)" 15 23 15,642 "Megumi no Ame" 22 30 5,422 2009 "Gunjō no Tani" 20 30 4,580 "Kuon no Kawa" 1 3 37,740 My Life "Ballad (Namonaki Koi no Uta)" 7 11 13,925 "Swear" 24 35 3,854 2010 "Diamond/Over the Clouds" 11 20 8,976 Japan Premium Best & More "Kaze ni Mukau Hana" 9 17 6,313 "Kanashimi wa Yuki ni Nemuru" 15 20 5,624 2011 "Ai wa Chikara" (with Kei Fukui) — — — 2011 "Minna dene - PANDA with Candy BEAR's - / Ikiru" 21 25 4,013 Other songs
Year Title 2008 "Shiawase no Kane" 2010 "Happy Birthday" DVD
Year Title Daily peak Weekly peak Sales 2010 Alan 1st Concert Tour: Voice of You In Tokyo 2010.01.24 8 10 2,675 Collaborations
Year Album Songs 2007 Tokyo Pudding presents "Tokyo Soundscapes" 3. Jane Doe (voices: Itsco, Olivia Burrell, alan, YO!su-K & Makking) Rin' "Genji Nostalgie" (源氏ノスタルジー) 3. Sennen no Niji (千年の虹; Thousand-Year-Long Rainbow) 2009 "Disney's Dream Pop" (Tribute to Tokyo Disney Resort 25th Anniversary) 5. Yume wa Hisoka ni (夢はひそかに; A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes) Chinese discography
Albums
Year Information 2005 Sheng Sheng Zui Ru Lan 2008 Xin Zhan: Red Cliff (EP) 2009 Xin De Dong Fang 2010 Lan Se: Love Moon Light (蘭色~Love Moon Light~)[14] Singles
Year Title Album 2008 Ai Jiu Shi Shou"1/2 "Xin De Dong Fang" "Jia You! Ni You Me!"(with Wei Chen)1 "Chi Bi: Da Jiang Dong Qu"1 - 1 Digital single
- 2 Charity single
References
- ^ a b Robert Michael Poole (2009-11-20). "Alan Dawa Dolma: Tibet's 'heavenly' pop singer spreads her wings". CNN. http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/play/tibetan-pop-singer-alan-dawa-dolma-branches-out-555136.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Robert Michael Poole (2009-11-20). "Tibet to Tokyo: alan takes flight". The Japan Times. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20091120a1.html.
- ^ (Japanese)"Red Cliff II Theme Song by Chinese Singer Charts No. 3". Sponichi Annex (Mainichi Shimbun). http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2009/04/15/01.html. Retrieved 2009-04-15.[dead link]
- ^ (Chinese)"Netease Interview:". Netease. http://ent.163.com/08/0722/20/4HFV5PM100031NJO_4.html. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- ^ "J!-ENT's Dennis A. Amith interviews alan". J!-ENT. http://www.nt2099.com/J-ENT/INTERVIEWS/alan/alan.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ^ (Chinese)"Official Photo Gallery of the traditional instrumental group Wan Sha Beauty Band". Wan Sha Beauty Band. http://photo.blog.sina.com.cn/category/u/1527354822/s/121196. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
- ^ Gil, Baby A. (November 6, 2006). "Glorious Pinoy Victory in Shanghai". http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/sb/sb004369.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ Robert Michael Poole (July 10, 2008). "Asian Stars United by Earthquake Disaster". The Japan Times. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20080710r1.html. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (May 21, 2008). "Parties around Cannes: Avex at Apex of Shindigs". Variety. http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=vstory&articleid=VR1117986252. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "alan、“冬の妖精”姿で感謝いっぱい。初ワンマンコンサート" (in Japanese). Livedoor. January 25, 2010. http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/4567623/. Retrieved February 10, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "alan、今年最初のシングルは両A面ダブルタイアップ" (in Japanese). Livedoor. January 6, 2010. http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/4534760/. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
- ^ (Japanese)"Huang Xiaoming Visits Japan and Holds Charity Events for Sichuan". LiveTaiwan. http://www.livetaiwan.jp/news/newsc/news_page.php?act=280908150. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- ^ (Japanese)"alan Overwhelms Audiences, Wishes to Sing about Love and Peace". NTV. http://www.ntv.co.jp/zoomin/enta_news/news_165443.html?list=1&count=1. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- ^ "alan(阿蘭)全新國語EP香港率先發行" (in Chinese). Avex Asia. 2010-03-19. http://www.avexasia.com/news.php?nid=14181. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
External links
- Official Website (Japan)
- Official Blog (Japanese)
- Official Blog (Chinese)
- Alan Dawa Dolma on Sina Weibo
- Alan Dawa Dolma on Facebook
- Alan Dawa Dolma on Twitter
Chinese singles Japanese albums Japanese singles "Ashita e no Sanka" · "Hitotsu" · "Natsukashii Mirai (Longing Future)" · "Sora Uta" · "Kaze no Tegami" · "Red Cliff (Shin-Sen)" · "Megumi no Ame" · "Gunjō no Tani" · "Kuon no Kawa" · "Ballad (Namonaki Koi no Uta)" · "Swear" · "Diamond/Over the clouds" · "Kaze ni Mukau Hana" · "Kanashimi wa Yuki ni Nemuru" · "Ai wa Chikara"Other songs "Shiawase no Kane" · "Happy Birthday"Categories:- 1987 births
- Avex Trax artists
- Chinese sopranos
- Japanese pop singers
- Living people
- People's Republic of China Mandopop singers
- People from Garze
- Tibetan people
- Tibetan Buddhists from China
- Tibetan singers
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