Laure Shang -- another academic, multi-career superstar

[asteroid]

Laure Shang (Chinese name: 尚雯婕 shang-wen-jie) started her music career after winning the championship of a biggest singing contest in China, "Super Girl", in 2006.

Before that, she worked as a French interpreter after graduating from Fudan University. It is said that she ranked in “top 5 simultaneous interpreters in Shanghai". She speaks English and French as fluently as a native speaker, and also knows German and Spanish.

Even when she had become a 100% singing star, Laure did not abandon her linguistic career: she released the translation of a French novel, La petite fille de Monsieur Linh, in 2009.

Laure has a tremendous number of devoted fans, ranged from young children to retired people, equally in male and female. According to her fans, what attracted them is her voice and style, and what convinced them is her personality.

As a language scholar, Laure certainly wouldn't give up the benefit of writing her own songs. She started from lyrics: a French version "Quand Je Me Regarde" and a Chinese version "一瞬间 (The Moment)" for an episode in the film If You Are The One, and a French-Spanish song "Amis".

And finally, in her recent album Nightmare, she composed most of the songs all by her self, tune plus lyrics (English, Chinese, French). Now let's savor this Love Warrior which is voted the best masterpiece within the album:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CCIQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DM1f2nvPq4c8%26feature%3Drelated&ei=hm1eTezJMIvIuAP3kvDHDQ&usg=AFQjCNFE5nVYa_Yu4xd3piIy7rfxM-7Hww&sig2=6gOAFYDyOCW2kCHu1VVmdQ

------------ lyrics: -----------------

the sky is covered by clouds
a thunderstorm is coming
tiredness and pain keep weakening me
i'm almost desperate
this close to desperate
but i am too proud to say it

get up from my feet i'm walking and walking
i'm a warrior for your love
moon light spread on my shoulder
blood is rushing through my veins

lead me to the sky
i'm not afraid to die
this is like a test
i'm not that kind of girl
what do you think of me
this question's enemy
it's like an enemy
to me

sick and tired my heart is always broken
silver warrior with out destination
i'm not able to explain the reason
tell me tell me tell me

i'm a bird i'm flying across the river
this is my land i'll never surrender
i'm so wounded i can't find my lover
save me save me save me

get up my love my love
get up my love my love
wake up my love my love

my love is full, my love is pure
my love is blind, my love is deaf
my love is a child
a child who likes to cry
my love is a question
but you are not the answer

sick and tired my heart is always broken
silver warrior with out destination
i'm not able to explain the reason
tell me tell me tell me

i'm a bird i'm flying across the river
this is my land i'll never surrender
i'm so wounded i can't find my lover
save me save me save me

get up my love my love
get up my love my love
wake up my love my love

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[asteroid]

[ Can anyone teach me how to make the frame fit the screen's width so that we needn't scroll back and fro to read each line? ]

I'd like to share one more song here -- Quand Je Me Regarde. The melody originates from an European folk song The Water Is Wide, and the lyrics is Laure's own composition.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CBgQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_6dmusBfzpQ&ei=8qFfTeifJIG0vgPl2ojzAg&usg=AFQjCNF2K5lmUBAsJp1fOhX3Js8O1L5beg&sig2=AFmCpf25Q9tkbITeVpWI_g

---------------------------------

quand je me regarde
dans un miroir
mon coeur s'évade
le tien, revoir
au loin dans l'azur
vole une hirondelle
songe-t-elle aussi
à son amour

las ! le temps passe
ton visage s'efface
je t'en prie, reviens
qu'à nouveau l'oiseau chante
l'arc-en-ciel est proche
mais pourrais-je le voir
aveuglée, mon ame
trop mouillée de larmes

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[asteroid]

Personally speaking, Vienna and Laure caught my attention for the same reason. I myself am an IT worker and an amateur linguist (although quite a loser in both), so when I heard their stories I just thought "wow, that's cool." At this very beginning, their significance to me was a reminder "one's spectrum of career and life can never be too wide".

After more investigation into their works, this vulgar admiration gave place to real appreciation of their music. Especially for Vienna, her concern about the society and the human nature is worth my foremost esteem.

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Something interesting: I was introducing Laure's song to an American friend who had been "teasing" me for talking about Vienna all the time.
Me: It really surprised me when I heard this song that sounds like authentic English in both pronunciation and voice, among the Chinese new hits list.
Friend: I am trying to imagine an American vocalist having a hit with a song sung entirely in Chinese. Haha, not likely!
Me: How I wish *someone* could make that come true. LOL.

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Anyone knows about "Chinese couplet written in English"? Here's my version:



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