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    • Source: Play (Jolin Tsai song)

      • "Play" (Chinese: Playꈑå‘ø) is a song by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, featured on her thirteenth studio album Play. The song was written by Nese and Katie Lee, and produced by Starr Chen. It was released as the lead single from the album on October 27, 2014, by Warner and Eternal.
      The song and its music video were nominated for several awards at the 26th Golden Melody Awards, including Song of the Year and Best Music Video. Additionally, Nese and Starr Chen received nominations for Best Music Arrangement, while Chen was also nominated for Best Single Producer.


      Background and release


      On April 13, 2013, Tsai concluded her Myself World Tour and announced that she would begin preparing for her new album. On July 25, 2013, Tsai traveled to London to attend a month-long program focused on music, dance, and acting. On November 22, 2013, Tsai revealed that her new album was still in the process of collecting songs and that the project was gradually progressing.
      On January 29, 2014, media outlets reported that Tsai would have full creative control over the production of her upcoming album. It was also revealed that the album might feature international collaborations, with production costs exceeding NT$50 million. On April 4, 2014, further reports suggested that Tsai's new album would be released in the summer of the same year and that it might include songs she had co-written. On September 5, 2014, Tsai confirmed that the album was almost complete and stated that it was expected to be released by the end of the year.
      On October 27, 2014, Tsai released the single "Play", which explores the humorous and absurd realities of modern life through its lyrics. On January 6, 2015, the song was ranked number one on the Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles chart, making Tsai one of the two artists with the most number-one hits on the chart to date.
      On October 2, 2016, Tsai released a remixed version of "Play", reworked by Alesso, titled "Play" (Alesso remix version).


      Music video



      On October 28, 2014, Tsai released a lyric video for the song. On November 2, 2014, she released the official music video for the song and held a promotional event at the National Taiwan Museum in Taipei. Directed by Muh Chen, the music video had a production cost exceeding NT$8 million. On November 8, 2014, Tsai also released a dance version of the music video.
      The music video achieved success, reaching number one on the YinYueTai's weekly chart and QQ Music's Mandarin video weekly chart. It was also ranked as the most-viewed music video of 2014 on Taiwan's YouTube. The video received high praise from international media outlets, including Time and GQ Spain.
      Additionally, the music video was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 2016 Berlin Music Video Awards. It also won several design awards, including the 2015 Red Dot Design Award for Visual Communication Design and the 2016 Golden Pin Design Award.


      Critical reception


      Adam Hsu commented: "The lyrics of 'Play' by Katie Lee proudly present an impressive achievement. Not only did the song generate immense popularity and make its way onto international platforms, but the message conveyed by Jolin Tsai in this song is also powerful: pop music is a form of elimination! Without elimination, new trends would not exist. Perhaps it is precisely this concept that gives this conceptual album its profound meaning, breaking boundaries, and breaking them again." Eazie Huang remarked: "'Play', the title track, was a major contender for Song of the Year. The EDM arrangement was still relatively new to Taiwan's pop scene, but Play set a remarkable benchmark. The arrangement flows smoothly, the use of timbres is effective, and the melody is well balanced. Most importantly, the soul of the song lies in Katie Lee's striking lyrics, which resonated widely and sparked much discussion. If there were one song to represent this era of information overload and multiculturalism, it would be this one."
      Danial Chang, a music critic from PlayMusic, stated: "Every word and phrase in the lyrics precisely captures various aspects of modern life. The lyrics incorporate contemporary trends and internet slang, playing with life and satirizing it at the same time. The narrative is instantly recognizable to anyone who listens, and the beauty lies in how everyday language hides deeper, thought-provoking issues. Throughout the song, there are playful harmonies and bright laughter, subtly hinting that 'life is just a play'. The song is full of irony, and its connection to the album's overall theme is evident." Another PlayMusic critic, Chia Hsu, wrote: "This song excels in lyrics, composition, arrangement, performance, production, and mixing, scoring high in both popularity and entertainment value. It is undoubtedly one of the best Chinese pop songs of 2014, and a Golden Melody Award nomination for Song of the Year seemed almost certain."
      Yen Fu-min, a journalist for United Daily News, praised: "The Play album reveals a clear ambition for innovation, as seen in the collaboration with poet Hsia Yu on the lyrics of 'Play'. Hsia Yu's meticulous social observations and sharp lyrics allow the song to break free from conventional dance tracks about love, instead exploring societal phenomena. The lyrics themselves criticize and analyze the current social landscape. Paired with Muh Chen's direction of the music video, which dissects the themes of eye-rolling, plastic surgery, relationships, and ultimately returns to the depiction of societal realities, 'Play' becomes a rare example of a high-level music video in Taiwan in recent years."
      Music critic Jamie Lee remarked: "Another notable aspect of the album is Jolin's inclusion of satirical commentary on current social trends, such as in 'Play', which critiques the modern obsession with gyms not necessarily for health, the superficiality of hipster culture, and more. The sharpest satire comes in the chorus: 'I like everything, I can do everything, I reject everything, and I play everything'. You claim to be able to do and like anything, yet you disdain everything, yet still indulge in it all. With Katie Lee's brilliant lyrics, combined with Muh Chen and Grass Jelly's exquisite video production, this track elevates dance music, often lacking in substance or critique, to a whole new level. Before 'Play', I never imagined that dance music could have such depth."


      Accolades


      On May 15, 2015, the song won the Hit FM Top Single on the 5th Global Chinese Golden Chart Awards. Three days later, on May 18, the song was nominated for Song of the Year at the 26th Golden Melody Awards, while its music video received a nomination for Best Music Video. Nese and Starr Chen were nominated for Best Music Arrangement for the track, and Starr Chen also received a nomination for Best Single Producerfor the track. On May 31, 2015, the song was awarded Top 10 Mandarin Songs and Top Single of the Year at the 2015 Hito Music Awards. On June 10, 2015, the song also earned a spot in the Top 10 Singles of 2014 by Chinese Musicians Exchange Association. On June 20, 2015, the song was named one of the Top 10 Singles of the Year at the 8th Freshmusic Awards.


      Live performances


      On December 20, 2014, Tsai performed "Play" on the TVB variety show The Voice 4. On December 31, 2014, she performed the song at the New Year's Eve Concert organized by CTV. On February 8, 2015, Tsai performed "Play" at the 10th KKBox Music Awards. On March 25, 2015, she also performed the song at the 2015 QQ Music Awards.
      On May 31, 2015, Tsai performed "Play" at the 2015 Hito Music Awards. On December 2, 2015, she performed the song at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards. On December 31, 2015, Tsai participated in the New Year's Eve Concert organized by Jiangsu Television, where she also performed "Play". Following these appearances, Tsai continued to perform the song at various events.


      Track listings


      Digital download and streaming
      "Play" ā€“ 3:13
      Digital download and streaming ā€“ Alesso remix version
      "Play" (Alesso remix version) ā€“ 3:18


      Personnel


      Starr Chen ā€“ vocal arrangement
      Jolin Tsai ā€“ vocals
      AJ Chen ā€“ recording engineering
      Mega Force Studio ā€“ recording studio
      Jaycen Joshua ā€“ mixing engineering
      Ryan Kau ā€“ mixing assistance
      Maddox Chimm ā€“ mixing assistance
      Larrabee Sound Studios ā€“ mixing studio


      Release history




      References




      External links


      "Play" (Behind-the-scenes) on YouTube
      "Play" (Live at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards) on YouTube

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