The legendary Taiwanese Waves showcase returns to Central Park in 2023 on 23rd July; inviting some of Taiwan’s most exciting acts to join the celebration including independent icon waa wei, up-and-coming quirky band The Dinosaur’s Skin, and multifaceted DJ Mr. Skin/Mandarin Homework.
Cited as one of Summerstage’s most popular free shows at Central Park, Taiwanese Waves was established in 2016 and has since become a vibrant platform for Taiwan’s most interesting acts, with artists such as Sunset Rollercoaster, 9m88, Anpu, Abao, Sangpuy and Lin Sheng Xiang gracing its stages.
For its fourth run this July, event organizer Mia Min Yen expressed her desire for this year’s event to feel like a true celebration of the end of the pandemic, and concertgoers’ ability to interact face to face with musicians live.
She shared: “Live performance is so important to listeners’ over experience because I believe it is the best way to know an artist, to be able to feel the music and the groove with the performer and fellow audience is the most wonderful thing. Cannot wait to celebrate with everyone this summer.”
For the artists themselves, Taiwanese Waves also holds a special place in their hearts for the contributions it has made to connecting them with overseas lovers of their music.
Iconic indie singer-songwriter waa wei who is revered for her pixie-like vocals and voracity for introducing new sounds to the scene expressed her excitement at being invited to Taiwanese Waves this year:
“Previously I performed more frequently in Asia and Europe, and the first time I came to New York was to run a marathon. Taiwanese Waves will be my first performance in New York, it’s finally my turn, I’m so happy. Really excited for this performance, I also hope to make some new friends!”
With all acts fervently anticipating this unique opportunity to perform at the legendary SummerStage venue, each artist has promised to bring something different to their performance. Waa has shared she will be performing new tracks, while DJ Skin/Mandarin Homework promises to bring a good old KTV party to the stage to liven things up.
Taiwanese Waves is the most-celebrated Asian music showcase to be invited to be part of the SummerStage lineup at Central Park. The showcase is supported by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Community Affairs, China Airlines, Taipei Music Center, TAICCA, GACC, Teresa Teng Foundation, Pegatron Corporation, Gamania Group, Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in New York, as well as various small businesses including FACT REAL ESTATE, Jia Law Group, Coco Bubble Tea, and The Lost Draft, 886 and Double Chicken Please in New York. Follow Taiwanese Waves online for more information about the event:
Event Information
Date: July 23, 2023 (Sunday)
Time: Doors open at 5pm, show starts at 6pm
Free Entry!
Venue: Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, NYC
Artists:
- 魏如萱 (waa wei)
- 恐龍的皮 (The Dinosaur's Skin)
- 賴皮 (MR.SKIN) (國語作業簿 - Mandarin Homework
About The Artists
waa wei
Nicknamed “Wawa", iconic singer-songwriter waa wei is known for her versatility when it comes to her vocals and genre bending abilities. With multiple identities and a unique vocal quality, she is a versatile artist who is simultaneously avant-garde and sweet.
Waa’s voice has played many roles, from radio to musical theater; from actress to writer; she excelled in them all.
Having been a singer and radio DJ for many years, Waa enunciates clearly and has excellent control over her vocal expressions. Her voice possesses unique qualities and a rich emotional performance, allowing the audience to feel her strong dramatic tension on stage.
To date, she has released seven solo albums. In 2020, her album "藏著並不等於遺忘" (Hidden, Not Forgotten) won the Best Mandarin Female Singer award at the 31st Golden Melody Awards.
The Dinosaurs’ Skin
The Dinosaur’s Skin is a Jurassic-Pop duo consisting of band members Trex and Triceratops, the last two remaining dinosaurs on Earth. They write and perform songs about their prehistoric adventures in search of other dinosaur survivors and to mourn their deceased friends.
Combining the smooth melodies of Jurassic-Pop with dreamy Astroidgaze soundscape, they describe their music as Post-Extinction Fossilcore. Their songs range from lofi ballad, feel-good indie rock to ambient dream pop, with more than 2.4 million total streams on Spotify. The Dinsosaur’s Skin’s first EP Millions of Years Apart achieved great success, being nominated for both Golden Melody Awards and Golden Indie Music Awards.
With shows that sold out in seconds and major appearances in music festivals such as Megaport Festival and Spring Wave, their energetic live performances and catchy sing- along songs propelled them to the forefront of the indie music scene.
Mr. Skin/Mandarin Homework
After being active in the underground music scene and nightclubs for many years, DJ Mr. Skin won the Taiwan championship at the 2015 Red Bull 3Style World DJ competition. Since then, he has been promoting a series of music events, navigating between mainstream and non-mainstream music circles with ease. Using different perspectives, he internalizes a wide range of musical genres and presents a certain rebellious vitality, which has become his signature performance style.
From being a DJ to a musician, a singer to a producer, a performer to a manager, and from commercial gigs to music festivals, Mr. Skin's extensive experience has made him a designated collaborator for many artists and brands. He has strong connections and abundant cultural resources in both the local hip-hop music scene and the mainstream music industry, which eventually lead to his signature event "國語作業簿 Mandarin Homework". By using DJ techniques and auditory aesthetics to present songs in their own language, the audience discovered, "It can be so moving, and much more fun than imagined with Mandarin hit songs."
Since then, "Mandarin Homework" has not only completed tours in different regions at various nightclubs, but has also gradually become a new music revolution movement, influencing the performance style of Taiwanese DJs and breaking the audience's stereotypical impression of DJs' music selection.
