An anonymous singer, who goes by the stage name ?te and performs wearing a large hat and sunglasses, won best new artist at the Golden Melody Awards (GMA) in Taipei on Saturday for her debut album “A Bedroom of One’s Own.”

In her acceptance speech, ?te thanked the judges, her parents, and her guitar teacher, who she said introduced her to jazz music, and she spoke of the gap year she took when she was in university.

Prior to taking the gap year, ?te said, she was the type of student who followed the rules of the education system and kept on running. At the age of 20, however, she decided to take a break because she felt lost, she said.

“I decided to listen to my heart,” she said. “It was not a decision that other people understood, but looking back now, five years later, that year was the turning point of my life.”

“Don’t be afraid, she said, addressing the television audience. “Look bravely into your heart and acknowledge your needs.”

In addition to being a singer, ?te (pronounced “white”), is also a healthcare worker. She told CNA in an interview before the GMA that keeping her identity hidden has allowed her to enjoy a more wholesome connection with fans and the people she knows in her daily life.

The singer said she does not want anyone to treat her differently just because she is a celebrity, and she wants to get to know the people around her as herself, without any fancy titles or labels.

“Once, when I was performing, I saw someone in the audience that I knew, but he didn’t recognize me. A classmate of mine also once recommended ?te’s songs to me, and I went along with the conversation. It was quite an interesting experience,” she said, with a laugh.
The anonymous singer described her songs as laid-back, suitable for bedtime listening. Her creative process tends to be very spontaneous, she said, adding that she likes mixing different languages, such as Italian, French, English and Taiwanese, in her lyrics.

Many of the songs on her debut album “A Bedroom of One’s Own,” have been streamed more than 1 million times on Spotify, an incredible feat for a performer whose first song was released just two years ago.

On Saturday, the other six nominees for the best new artist award were YELLOW for “YELLOW FICTION,” heat sketch (熱寫生) for “Yuba Youth,” Howard Lee (李浩瑋) for “Diamond In The Rough,” aoi (青虫) for “ū lí ê kòo-sū,” Bestards (理想混蛋) for “The Fool,” and Yo Lee (李友廷) for “If Only You Could Love Me.”

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel