In April of 1999 I attended a concert sponsored by the Ball State University Asian American Student Association. Magdalen Hsu Li was performing, and that night I enjoyed a most beautifully artistic and expressive show of emotion and energy. Magdalen performed songs from her new CD, EVOLUTION, and spoken word of her own creation. After the usual exchange of name cards, I started bugging her for an e-mail interview, to which she finally consented. Here is that interview.
Please tell us a little about yourself, where you are from, and how you identify yourself?
I was born in a small southern rural town in the US. My nationality is
Chinese-American. I am 1st
generation. I would define myself as a out pop singer-songwriter whose focus is currently
on
multiculturalism, diversity, and raising awareness about women's, asian-american, and
gay/lesbian/bisexual issues. Prior to becoming a musician I was a painter.
I try to incorporate as much universality into my songs as I can. Being universal exposes
your music
to a broader audience of people who may not be aware of minority subgroups.
What were some memorable experiences growing up as an American of Asian heritage?
I remember being told to be quiet and obedient. I remember being told to be a
virgin till I got married. I
remember patriarchal scenes where my father dominated the family. I remember mah-jong
tournaments, the clack, clack, clack of the tiles, and big food laden banquets with rooms
full of old
Chinese men and women gambling. They were sharp voiced and extremely crafty and gambling
for
big bucks! I remember not liking Chinese food and only wanting spaghetti or American food
(until I
grew up and Asian foods became preferred). I remember the 1st time I stood up to my
father and told him to stop hitting me. (He actually stopped believe it or not.) He told
me that in China
children didn't dare to talk back to their parents.
Did you have any role models when growing up? Who are some of your mentors and role models now?
I loved Peter Gabriel...he was the reason I became an artist. I discerned that
I was an artist from
listening to his music. Later I loved Tori Amos. Listening to her music was so gripping
for me. I
wanted more than anything to be able to be as free and expressive as she seemed to be
through
music.
One of my role models is Stevie Wonder...He is so fucking brilliant, as a songwriter,
vocalist,
multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, and performer and his songs are full of fierce
joy, love and
universality. Joan of Arc is a great heroine for me. Her purity of purpose, indomitable
courage, and
strength of belief in herself are qualities I aspire to. I aspire to be all these things
in my own way.
I love Lauren Hill and Bruce Hornsby. Lauren is so phat! She is the only African-Amercian
woman in
music who is truly making great art. Bruce is a musical genius and one of the best
pianists in the
world. !
When did you first aspire to become a musician / artist? How did
you become one, and did you receive a
lot of support along the way?
I wanted to be an musician when I was 23. So I got into music school and
hussled ass! No one
supported me except Dale (my drummer and longtime friend) and a few others. I said to him
"I need
to be a little sprout right now please don't criticize anything I do musically...when I'm
a big strong tree
you can say whatever you want". He watered me and I grew. Later everyone was
amazed...they had
no idea what I had inside of me. I always knew I could change my life and be anything I
wanted to be.
Your CD entitled EVOLUTION was recently released, how has this,
if at all, changed your career and/or
outlook on your work or art?
I see my music now as very different from where it was when I recorded
Evolution. I called it Evolution
because I am constantly evolving and growing into a different person everyday. I think
that is the
function of the artist...to re-create themselves while reflecting culture at the same
time. On that album
I released alot of anger and I think I really needed to. The two issues young women seem
to be
primarily dealing with in our society are anger and sexuality/power. What that album
allowed me to do
is to move through those issues into what I consider a more powerful place...joy and
compassion.
The songs in EVOLUTION are enriched with your own views on the
Asian female stereotype, and female
stereotypes in general. "Chick Pop" and "Submissive" are two great
examples. How do you see the role of
women and the role of Asian American women in mainstream American society today? Is it
changing for
the better or for the worse, is it stagnant, or is it misunderstood?
Of course it's better for Asian women than ever before. They have the
"exoticized beauty" stereotype
in their favor because beauty is respected and valued in our society. However it bites
them in the ass
too because everyone want's an Asian girl. and it's a thing to "have one". Asian
women can have it all
if they want to. Or they can be had. Their choice...
I see a general thing with Asians in America. They either know themselves or they don't.
They either
are interested in self knowledge or they aren't. They are an extremely susceptible to
trend culture.
They are either americanized or traditional. These are not stererotypes but my
observations on the
asian youth cultures I experience hopping from city to city on my tours. They want
desperately to be
cool...more than anything in the world.
Along with the previous question, how might the role of women and
Asian American women be improved in
mainstream American society?
If more asian-american women artists appear and can be powerful role models for
these women...it
will shape the way asian women view themselves and the way the world views them - for the
better.
You dedicated the song "Evolution" to 'the Dalai Lama
and people of Tibet.' Many pro-Tibet supporters have
come under concentrated attack by Chinese diplomats who accuse them of "not even
knowing where Tibet
is on a map." What are your views on the Tibet issue, and even the Taiwan issue, as a
Chinese American?
Do you feel too many people blindly support such worthy causes for the sake of being en
vogue, or do you
feel a greater threat exists in the global politics that pervade issues of human rights
and social justice?
My views on the Tibetan issue are simple. They were practicing their religion
peacably and internally
within their country. Mao's communist revolution attacked any customs that were considered
feudal
and outdated...The idea being that China could not progress to keep in step with the rest
of the world
if it didn't become western in ideology and industrialized as a nation. This ideology
feeds the current
communist regime along with the land issue and so the Tibetans have been slaughtered
because of
their customs and because they wanted to be a separate country. More
wars are fought over land than for any other reason.
I have a different perspective than most on why it is happening. In yin and yang terms
"to cast a light
is to cast a shadow". This is the law of the universe. The light and spirituality of
Tibet's people is so
bright that the shadow it must cast is equally as dark . I feel that shadow is China.
Of course its vogue to be in support of the Tibetan cause! but I'm glad that it is because
it may get
things to change. When Joan of Arc led the people of France to victory over the
British..she did so on
nothing more than faith. She had "mythical star appeal". Tibet has it's own
"mythical own star appeal"
and everyone loves the martyr underdog. How else will they get support? By fighting the
Chinese
themselves?
Human and animal rights and social justice have always and will forever be threatened.
There will
always be good and evil...light and shadow (to use a Jungian term). You cannot get away
from
"shadow" because it is always with you. The more you deny it's existence the
more it will appear. You
cannot fight nature because nature will always always win. All you can really do is to
become more
self-aware and to integrate with "shadow".
Did you play with toys when you were a child, and if so, which ones?
Why yes...I did as a matter of fact! I played with Superstar and Ballerina
Barbie and GI Joe and
Baby Tenderlove. I'd make the Barbie's have sex with GI Joe. They know he was beneath them
but he
had a certain rough appeal. Once I left Baby Tenderlove on the swingset all night. I cried
so hard...I
was so broken up about it. I felt like a terrible mother. The next morning she was cold
and dirty but
relatively unhurt and at that point I think I figured out she wasn't really alive.
As a rising Asian American personality in music, what
are some other Asian American artists / musicians
you recommend? Do you feel the industry could use more Asian Americans? If so, where (i.e.
in front of the
camera / microphone of behind the scenes)? What advice might you have for people who would
like to get
into the music industry?
I recommend...Kevin So and Superchink, there are so few asian musical artists
out there...I'm sure
there's more. But those are the ones I know. Oh and Charlie Chin and a Grain of Sand.
My advice...study business.
What does the future hold for Magdalen Hsu-Li? Are you currently
working on a new album? Are there any
other mediums you would like to explore to express your art?
There is a new album in the works and it's tentatively called Right Side Up. I
just went studio shopping
and I think I found the right place and engineer. We're going to rent a Steinway, haul it
in there, and try
to make the best album we can. I'm very excited about this project...the engineer does
incredible
drum production...hopefully it will be groundbreaking stuff musically, artistically, and
production wise.
I would like to take this next album into the big leagues as an independent...hire a radio
promoter,
publicist, and a really good booking agent. I think the future is very, very, bright.
Someday I foresee myself as a multimedia artist like Peter Gabriel....incorporating dance
and
movement, with music and visuals. I see painting down the road after I have a career
through music. I
see myself as an artist in service to the universe. I have dedicated my music and art to
helping those
who are unable to speak for themselves and those who have been treated unfairly. I see
myself as a
balancer...tipping the scale in their direction and raising awareness about their lives.
Magdalen, thank you kindly for your time and willingness to be
interviewed. May grace and peace be yours
in abundance.
Thank you Peter and the same to you...your questions were very interesting and thought provoking