OST Singers You Should Know: Taiwanese Edition
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Click on the photo under the drama name to find linked Youtube soundtrack audio!
If you're anything like me and you love music, sometimes you'll just do a random music search and stumble upon a song or an artist, fall in love with it, and realize it's an OST song, then proceed to watch clips from the drama or movie because of it. Next thing you know, you may or may not have finished a whole film or show. These are some well-known OST singers that have impacted either my drama viewing habits or music playlists. Let's see how many of them have affected yours as well!
| Before we dive into the list, here are two honorable mentions. Artists that I adore and believe everyone should look out for or check out as well: | |
| Silence Wang | Shan Yi Chun |
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Liu Yu Ning | ||
 | You can't talk about Chinese OST singers and not think of Liu Yu Ning. He blew up in 2021 due to his role as Hao Du in The Long Ballad, but before Liu Yu Ning decided to start polishing his acting chops, he was known as a Douyin (Tik Tok) star - specifically for his unique vocal tone. Liu Yu Ning has a raspy rock vibe that doesn't fail to bring a special touch to any song he sings. He has lent his melodious voice to several dramas these past couple of years. If you want more details about Liu Yu Ning, check out his MyDramaList fan guide here. I'm sure you already know, but some of his honorable highlights are: | |
| Skate Into Love (2020) | Love and Redemption (2020) | Word of Honor (2021) |
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Mao Bu Yi | ||
 | Mao Bu Yi is a singer-songwriter that rose to fame after winning a singing competition with his song, Drown Your Sorrows (消愁) in 2017. Mao Bu Yi has a unique story as he has little experience in music and only played music during his downtime as a nursing student to relieve stress. His decision to participate in the singing competition, The Coming One 1 (2017), where he shared his relatable lyrics on wanting to be rich, his frustrations, ambitions, and hopelessness in society, resonated well with viewers. Mao Bu Yi is my favorite on this list, and some hauntingly beautiful soundtracks you have to check out are: | |
| The Flame's Daughter (2018) | Ashes of Love (2018) | Go Ahead (2020) |
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Diamond Zhang | ||
 | Diamond Zhang or Zhang Bi Chen is a former Korean pop idol group member of Sunny Days. After leaving the group, she rose to fame in her participation and won in The Voice of China Season 3 (2014). This win allowed Diamond Zhang to sing in various dramas as she continued her career in the Chinese entertainment industry. She is most active as a contestant in singing competitions. Relish in some of her most famous song features in: | |
| Eternal Love (2017) | Princess Agents (2017) | One and Only (2021) |
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Charlie Zhou | ||
 | Charlie Zhou or Zhou Shen first lent his voice to the animated movie, Big Fish and Begonia in 2016. Zhou Shen's Big Fish (大鱼) won him eight awards and paved the way for him to become a renowned artist in the Chinese music industry. He has the most attractive voice you won't want to miss out on, and the music industry agrees with this! Since his popular debut, he has been singing for countless films, dramas, and game advertisements. There are many favorites from his list of soundtracks, and I'm sure you'll find one you'll love as well. Don't miss some of these profound soundtracks from him: | |
| Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace | The Long Ballad (2021) | Stand By Me (2021) |
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Chen Xue Ran | ||
 | Chen Xue Ran is a singer, producer, and composer. He started his journey as an artist signed under famous singer-songwriter Chyi Chin. His dream of winning a Grammy spiraled him to complete his master's degree in Berklee Valencia's Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games. After graduating, he became an intern to the famous Hollywood composer Andrew Gross and eventually set up NEM Studios in 2015. Creating NEM Studios allowed him to work on over 30 projects in 2018 and has given him many more opportunities since then. Chen Xue Ran is new to my radar, as I found him earlier this year, and he amazes me with his talent. Find yourself floating on a cloud by this individual through his phenomenal soundtracks found in: | |
| Guardian (2018) | Go Go Squid (2019) | Dance of the Sky Empire (2020) |
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Leaf | ||
Ye Xuan Qing or Leaf is a singer that has participated in singing shows like Sound of My Dream: Season 1 (2016) and Sing! China Season 2 (2017). She comes from a family of Yue/Shaoxing opera singers, which most likely influenced her career as a singer. Ye Xuan Qing knows some opera herself and can play the bamboo flute. Despite her young age, she has several soundtracks under her name. Fall in love with one of her many drama soundtracks in: | ||
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MDL Artist-Soundtrack Lists | ||
| For a full compilation of opening, ending, or interlude songs from each of these individual artists, click on the names below to find MDL lists that showcase all dramas or movies that these artists have sung in with the associated soundtrack links. Special thanks to fellow MDL user Cho Na, for compiling a list of Liu Yu Ning's soundtracks and for allowing me to replicate her list for other astounding OST singers. | ||
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As a great hip-hop artist once said, "and if you don't know, now you know."
What are some of your favorite Chinese OST singers that everyone should know?
Credits: photos found on its respective MDL page gallery & Google images |
