Zhang Qianqian, rock singer, writer, visual artist, and underground film actress, is one of the most gifted but unrecognized contemporary artist in modern China. The charming, sensitive, social inept, sometimes crazy and out of control female artist is one of the most beautiful and lonely souls, and the most contradictive and explosive mind I've known.

Her first published sound recording "Patio" created quite a buzz during the early years of Chinese Rock n' Roll in the 90's, during which time I was in high school. Unfortunately she failed to continue cooperate with Red Star Records (the company that published "Patio" in a mix album) for her inability to deal with complex interpersonal relations. Her first and only solo album "Out of Body" was published in 2002, which established her status as the most amazing female alternative singer in China. The album did not sold well (not surprising), but indeed attracted a great number of diehard fans (like me). In 2003, I met her during one of my documentary productions about underground artists in Beijing, and became close friends ever since. I don't know if it was lucky for me to be there to witness and record her fierce struggle against the outside world and her inner self, even until today.

Since no major record company and agents were willing to represent her because of her age and her strong rejection of commercial exploitation, she continued to live a severely fragmented life, living on loans from friends and random small performances. Disagreements between her and a small, unqualified record company led to serious physical conflicts which caused her left hand injured. Her boyfriend left her because his band split in fear of her taking control of the band... However, she continued to write songs and books, and experiment with painting and various art forms, even during the time she had no income and was going to be driven out of the small shabby rented room in the labyrinth of Hutongs. I still remember vividly the shocking experience I had when listening to her unpublished songs stored in her extremely old computer running Windows 3.2!

I had no contact with her for half a year and it is good to know that her first album has recently been republished by a renowned alternative record company Koudai Records. And I heard she's also making progress on the recording of her second album. Thanks to the recent thriving of Chinese Rock n' Roll industry (yes, we can call it that), we have several rock festivals every year now, Roger Waters, NIN, Placebo, Super Grass... are frequent visitors, new native bands are getting extremely skilled to spot the newest international trend and create pleasing sound in a second. They never have to go through all kinds of struggles, contradictions, doubts, fear, hopelessness, and misunderstanding, they no longer worry about empty wallet, angry landlords, and the next supper. They never lack adoration, crazy audience, cutting-edge equipments, and sex partners. But I rarely sense any gravity, serious thinking, and the feel of real. The identical poses, dresses and make up, hair style, so-called attitude, and even that strawhat make me sick (I still wonder why they are ALL wearing it). Sometimes the names are similar, too (Carsick Cars, Ourself Beside Me, Girl Kill Girl... not accusing the bands, but do you see the pattern here?). However, it is always nice to know that an "old-fashioned", 40 years old female rock singer with a heavy north western accent can still be picked up by the money-chasing producers. It is my most sincere hope that the value of Zhang Qianqian's art can be recognized by more audience around the world. I think that is for good... or is it?

Kurt Bai is a native Chinese who's currently living in Beijing. You can find his passion about the city and his record of the life in Beijing on his blog http://www.recordingbeijing.com