The 32-year-old Taiwanese singer's latest single, however, is provocatively titled Pussy and she describes her last studio album A Fabulous Adventure as 'black'.

What gives? Has Chen, gasp, gone all punk and goth on fans? Thankfully no.

Her debut Let Me Think in 1998 was a breath of folksy acoustic fresh air amid more commercialised Chinese pop.

She has built a dedicated fanbase over four albums and moved towards a harder-edged rock sound on A Fabulous Adventure (2005).

The lyrics for her new single are ostensibly about a cat, but the song was, according to her official website, sparked by feelings of helplessness and outrage after she was attacked and spat upon by a pickpocket in the Paris Metro.

There is no trace of outrage in her voice though as she talks about the song.

Rather, the incident appears to have triggered questions about her own place in the world for the philosophy graduate from National Chengchi University.

Her series of concerts in 2005 and 2006 were conceptualised according to the three stages of 'floral postures' - decay, rebirth and in bloom and captured in a recently released double-CD live album.

1. What impression did you have of the Singapore audience during your concert here two years ago?

The audience should know how to respond enthusiastically when the music is at a high. And when the music is subdued, they should let you know they are willing to listen attentively.

The Singapore audience could totally grasp the flow and ebb of the music.

I like this kind of concert where you feel as one with the audience.

They left me with a pretty strong impression. There's a possibility of another concert in Singapore next January.

2. Do you seek to explore a different sound with each album?

Yes, I want to play something different on each album, but I'm not interested in including the latest fads from the United States or Europe.

When we listen to albums of the past, it's not just about listening to pleasant songs but we should also be able to glean from the songs the concerns of the times. I hope my albums will achieve that as well.

3. What has changed since your first album Let Me Think?

What has not changed is my desire for things to remain pure. Is the original emotion that sparked the writing of a song still there after the recording and production process?

This is something I've always sought to do, to amplify that initial emotion in the music-making process.

4. What was A Fabulous Adventure about?

There was a very strong sense of the colour black while I was making the album. I also kept thinking about the ocean and the moon. These images create a cohesive theme.

Black is part of flora and fauna - it represents decay, which is followed by rebirth and blossoming.

The album conveys a snapshot of me then, when I felt that my life ahead was unknown, and yet filled with hope for the future.

5. Are you working on a new album?

I've been writing songs and also preparing for a new series of concerts. The colour of the new album is red. That's what I have at this point, and there's nothing else I can put into words right now.

Red represents the rebirth which comes after decay.

6. Tell us more about the song Pussy.

As I'm a woman or part of the so-called weaker sex, I've always been protected - maybe partly because I am a singer.

But in a strange land, you're not a singer, you're just another human being. In a dangerous place, as a woman, it's easy to be bullied.

Perhaps my courage in the past came from the fact that I was surrounded by friends. But when you're treated as just an Asian girl, this courage could in fact be foolhardy.

It made me question things that I used to take for granted.

7. Do you write better when you're feeling happy or when you're troubled by something?

Well, I write better when the deadline is tight.

Writing a song is simply a matter of arrangement for me because I always have lots of ideas which I jot down.

In order to complete a composition, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to smoke, drink or do something crazy.

8. If you could live your life all over again...

I think I will still hope to be the person I am now. But reliving the same life can be quite boring - does that mean I have to do the same things again?

I wouldn't want to change anything. My wish would be not to live life over again and I want to live a life without regrets.

bchan@sph.com.sg

Floral Postures - Live Concert Recordings is out in the shops.

Cheer Chen will be performing at Singapore Expo's Max Pavilion on Sept 29 at 8pm. Tickets at $60, $80, $100, $120 and $140 (inclusive of $2 booking fee) are available from Friday from Sistic ( www.sistic.com.sg , tel: 6348-5555).