In tune with the times

Bringing people together

On Infinite and Beyond, singers from different age groups who are beneficiaries of cross-Strait musical exchanges, including Jeff Chang, 56, Na Ying, 56, Aska Yang, 45, Angela Zhang, 41 and Chen Li-nong, 22, have been invited to collaborate in performing classic songs and sharing their personal stories exploring Chinese pop music.

"The show offers a chance for us to connect with fellow artists, exchange ideas and opinions about music, and share our aesthetic preferences," says Chang.

As cultural exchanges across the Taiwan Strait became more frequent in the 1990s, Taiwan record companies sought to expand their market reach by venturing into the Chinese mainland.

Taking advantage of this trend, Chang, then a promising young singer, traveled to the Chinese mainland in pursuit of more opportunities.

In 1998, he got to perform at the Spring Festival Gala, staged annually by China Central Television, and soon became a household name.

"Besides providing entertainment and emotional release, music plays a vital role as a conduit for transmitting ideas," he says. "It also serves as a shared language that helps people connect through common experiences and interests."

Chang mentions that, nowadays, young people from both sides of the Strait can fully understand the buzzwords and online memes used by each other.

"By promoting the exchange of pop culture, I aspire to bridge the gap between people and foster a greater sense of unity," Chang says.